Natural Environment
We have nine charities through which our open spaces are governed. These are:
- Epping Forest
- Ashtead Common
- Burnham Beeches and Stoke Common
- Coulsdon and West Wickham Commons
- West Wickham and Spring Park
- West Ham Park
- Hampstead Heath
- Highgate Wood and Queen's Park
- Keats House
These open spaces, spread across London and the Home Counties, are part of what makes London an attractive and healthy city.
They provide rare and ancient habitats for a range of endangered plants and animals and capture 16,400 thousand tonnes of carbon a year.
They attract 25m visitors annually – almost double the number of visitors to Premiership football matches and five times the number of visitors to the Grand Canyon.
Our strategies set out how we build on 150 years of stewardship from the City Corporation to enhance and protect the green lungs of London.
Our Vision
Open spaces: Rich in diversity, conserving nature, creating memories, enhancing lives.
Our Mission
To protect and enhance our open spaces across London and the Home Counties, working in partnership to ensure they remain accessible, sustainable and preserved for the benefit of the public.
Our Strategies
The City Corporation's Open Spaces Department was rebranded as the Natural Environment Division in 2022 and was incorporated into the new Environment Department to embrace a more strategic, cross-cutting approach.