City of London Parks and Open Spaces
The City of London protects, funds and manages over 10,700 acres (4,330 hectares) of historic and natural open space, by charitable trust, for public recreation and health. Our Open Spaces, most of which are run by Charitable Trust, are maintained from City of London funds at no cost to the communities to which they serve. The spaces are enjoyed by millions of visitors each year, are important wildlife habitats, sites of scientific interest and national nature reserves for the public to enjoy. The City of London Open Spaces Department is committed to providing the best service possible within available resources, ensuring fair and efficient management, good communications and an open learning culture.
Newham Parks & Open Spaces
Whether you want to go for a walk, a picnic, play sport, or just relax, you’ll find the perfect spot in your local park.
Community Links
We are an innovative east London charity, running a wide range of community projects for 30,000 people every year. Based in Newham, we have over 30 years of experience working with local people to support children, young people, adults and families.Through our national work, we share lessons with government and community groups across the country to achieve social change.
London Friends of Green Spaces Network
LFGN are the network for the 600+ local Friends Groups and borough-wide Friends Forums for public green spaces across London. They share information, good practices and work to ensure parks and green spaces are adequately resourced. They call on Londoners to form Friends groups for all green spaces, and to establish active Friends Forums in every borough. Please note that LFGN are the London section of the National Federation of Parks and Green Spaces, the national network of all area Friends Forums and Networks throughout the UK – there are over 6,000 Friends groups!
GoParksLondon
Discover and enjoy more than 4,000 parks and green spaces across the capital with GoParksLondon, and find out more about the Park Friends groups involved with them.
Help keep parks open and clean by taking litter home, maintaining physical distancing and respecting other park users. To find open public toilets, use Lockdownloo.com.
GoParksNewham launched the ‘Discover the parks’ walking and cycling route on in May 2021. The route takes in many of Newham’s parks, including West Ham Park, using quiet roads wherever possible. The map is available online – park users can use it at any time to follow quiet routes between parks and discover all that Newham has to offer. With thanks to Newham Cyclists for helping us develop the route!
Find out about Newham’s parks and Friends Groups, and read historical information about the parks, on the GoParksNewham page.
London Wildlife Trust
London Wildlife Trust is the only charity dedicated solely to protecting the capital’s wildlife and wild spaces, engaging London’s diverse communities through access to our nature reserves, campaigning, volunteering and outdoor learning.
Essex Wildlife Trust
Essex Wildlife Trust is the county’s leading conservation charity. It has more than 33,600 members, manages and protects over 7,250 acres of land on 87 nature reserves, 2 nature parks and runs 7 visitor centres. The aim of Essex Wildlife Trust is to Protect Wildlife for the Future. It is supported financially by members, local businesses and grant making organisations. It is one of the largest of the 47 county wildlife trusts that work together throughout the British Isles as The Wildlife Trusts. Essex Wildlife Trust was established in 1959 and has grown from strength to strength, always striving to protect wildlife for the future and for the people of Essex.
Greenspace Information for London (GIGL)
Greenspace Information for Greater London (GiGL) is the capital’s environmental records centre – we collate, manage and make available detailed information on London’s wildlife, parks, nature reserves, gardens and other open spaces.
London Natural History Society
Members come from all walks of life, and range from complete beginners to distinguished scientists. We share a common love of the natural world, and a desire to learn more about it, and share our expertise. We are charity and all our events are organised solely by volunteers.
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
The need for an effective bird conservation organisation has never been greater. Climate change, agricultural intensification, expansion of urban areas and transport infrastructure, and over-exploitation of our seas all pose major threats to birds. The RSPB could not exist without its supporters and members. Whether you join us, give a donation, purchase items from us or undertake voluntary work, your support is vital to the future of birds and the places where they live.
What’s that BIRD?
Fantastic bird identifier from the RSPB.
What’s that BUG?
The Natural History Museum’s Bug forum, which is here to help you identify bugs that are commonly found in homes, gardens, parks, allotments and the countryside in the UK.
The Urban Birder
Website of David Lindo – The Urban Birder and writer, broadcaster, speaker and bird guider. His whole vibe is about getting urbanites to realise that there is a whole world of wildlife under their noses in the world’s cities. Take a look around his site and hopefully it may encourage you to see the city you live in through avian eyes.