The project to create a wetland at the site wins a share of £1million funding from mayor of London Sadiq Khan

A share in £1million has been awarded to Alexandra Palace to create a wetland as part of the mayor of London’s ‘Rewild London’ funding.

Round three of Sadiq Khan’s fund has awarded £1,030,183 to 21 projects aiming to create and restore wildlife in the capital. Roughly 125 hectares of habitat are being created.

The Alexandra Park and Palace Charitable Trust received a share towards The Alexandra Park Wetland Creation project, a community-led initiative to increase the wildlife interest in the south-east corner of Alexandra Park. The feasibility study for the initiative was supported by Khan’s previous round of funding.

The project’s aims include creating a wetland reed bed, increasing species diversity, reducing flood risk, boosting community stewardship and creating a new outdoor educational offering.

Other projects awarded include encouraging amphibians back to Archbishops Park, boosting beavers’ habitat in Enfield and transforming a neglected Victorian pond.

Khan said: “This new rewilding funding will support the restoration of some amazing spaces in the capital, enabling Londoners to benefit from nature on their doorstep and help us to combat the impacts of climate change.

“I believe that all Londoners should be able to enjoy green spaces and that access to nature is a social justice issue. So I’m doing all I can to ensure that Londoners can enjoy wildlife wherever they are in the city.

“Once again we have worked very closely with community groups and organisations across London to find out what support they need rewild the city. By bringing back beavers, restoring river banks and proving spaces for wildlife to thrive, we are making London a greener and cleaner city for everyone whilst also making the capital more resilient to the effects of climate change. This is one important way we are building a better London for all.”

Joanne McCartney, London Assembly member for Enfield and Haringey, said: “I welcome new City Hall funding for Rewild London project across Enfield and Haringey.

“From an expansion of the much-loved Beaver site in Enfield to the new wetland reed bed in Alexandra Park in Haringey, this will safeguard and develop the incredible natural environments we have in all corners of the constituency.

“£50,000 has been awarded to each borough, which is on top of money already allocated to environmental projects in Enfield and Haringey in the last few years.

“I’m delighted we already reap the rewards of Rewild London Funding and look forward to seeing more positive changes as a result of this new funding round.”

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