Nature restoration
Rewilding group
In 2022 we formed a rewilding group, working with the Park Manager and Ranger to create habitat for wildlife in our park. We shared a vision document with the Council calling for urgent Nature Restoration for the park, given that it is a key green space in North London for a wide range of bird and bat species.
How you can help
Join us at our Rewilding workdays - these are held on the last Saturday of each month. Tools are provided and all are welcome. Meet at 10am at the central cafe. Sign up to the Newsletter, Twitter or Instagram to get notifications of exact dates
We would love to build up a better picture of the wildlife health in our park. You can help by submitting your observations of flowering plants, insects (bees, butterlies, moths), birds and bats to iNaturalist under the project heading: Finsbury Park
Similarly, do add any birds sighted to eBird under the Finsbury Park project
Email us if you have an hour or two a week to join our in-person survey teams of flowers/insects and birds - this work is part of a Greater London (GiGL) project to map all species in our city. We are a welcoming and growing group of amateur naturalists and ecology specialists.
What we’ve achieved
Worked in collaboration with the Park Manager, Ranger and Edible Landscapes London
Planted a wildlife hedge by the New River (10 species of native hedge)
Planted A small native woodland area adjacent to Edible Landscapes (14 species of native tree)
Planted 20 new tree species in the Richard Hope Playground in 2023 as part of National Tree Week
Sown seeds and scarified in the Autumn three wildflower areas during 2022
Built deadwood hedges (bowling alley/running track and around Edible Landscapes)
Planted 4000 bulbs contributed by Haringey Council
Organised guided bird and bat watching walks
Hosted Tree Walks with Paul Wood, funded by People need Parks
Conducted the first baseline report of Finsbury Park’s wildlife for the Greenspace Information for Greater London (GiGL) surveys from 2023 , in consultation with a number of local ecologists we wrote a set of recommendations and a revised description of our park.
In light of these surveys we have called for the Park to be at least a GRADE 1 Site of Interest for Nature Conservation (SINC) if not to have METROPOLITAN status with the park being a stronghold for Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Dunnock, Nuthatch, Swifts, Starlings, Coal Tit, Chiffchaff, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Blackcap, Goldcrest, House Sparrow, Chaffinch in extensive and diverse tree cover. As well as several species of bat. We are concerned that the park’s nature status review is being held back because of the council’s desire to rent out the space for business. We are asking for an urgent review of our status so the green space gets proper recognition for its wildlife populations. Here is our SINC Report Feedback sent to the council 2023.
Co Design of Management Plan with MKA Ecology and Haringey Council in 2021 and 2024. Here are the reports from those meetings: a list of recommendations, a map of the recommendations, a bat report. We are still awaiting the Management Plan and a Nature Recovery Plan that is now required by the GLA. We are ‘a priority SINC in our Borough’ - and being ‘by far the largest open space in central north London’ and have overlooked potential. We responded to a more detailed SINC report by MKA Ltd of 2021 stating that a lot of the value of Finsbury Park had been overlooked in that report which was conducted in only half a day
Proposed to reduce the Mowing Regime until Spring is over to allow for early pollinators to thrive
Campaigned for better tree protections during events.
What we’re doing in 2025
This year we are focusing on establishing a greater range of flowering plants to improve the insect biodiversity of our park. The Friends have donated £450 in plants to this project and have provided willow for the hurdle fence.
See the proposal for Kew funding and the summary for the Council.
Please do consider supporting this project by volunteering or by sending in a donation that can be used to buy more pollinator plants for the lakeside project.