Over the past six months, Wanstead Climate Action has been helping collect signatures for a petition to Redbridge council to a) declare a nature emergency; b) develop a comprehensive evidence-based nature recovery action plan; c) embed nature recovery into all strategic plans and policy areas, making it a top strategic priority in planning policies and design guidelines for new developments; d) commit to protect and manage at least 30% of council land holdings for nature recovery by 2030 (so contributing to national-level nature and climate targets).
The good news: Redbridge council leadership has responded to our campaign by tabling its own motion to declare a nature emergency. The bad news: the council has cut out several of our key asks and the consensus of local experts is that the resulting motion is weak and vague. The council declaration as it is currently would fail on at least half the national criteria. Council standing orders prevent an issue being considered again within a certain time, so this is our opportunity to ensure the council does the right thing first time.
Below is an email sent by local naturalist Chris Gannaway to all Redbridge councillors on Monday 19 January 2026.
Dear Councillors
We are emailing you with reference to the Agenda items ‘7 Receive Petitions’ and ‘13 iii) Protect and Restore our Natural Assets’ on the full Council agenda for Thursday 22nd January 2026.
Background
A consortium of local naturalists have been concerned about both governments’ and our borough’s lack of concern for nature and our part in it. We have lobbied the Council at various times over the last 20 years, but with little effect. Despite the rosy glow that Sir David Attenborough recently put on things with the ‘Wild London‘ programme on BBC television, the decline in species and habitats is at a crucial stage. Although people care about nature and biodiversity, often they have scant awareness of the threats to wildlife or knowledge of measures to protect and restore nature.
For the last 6 months we and Wanstead Climate Action have been raising a petition for Redbridge to ‘Declare A Nature Emergency’. The petition included what we believe are the minimum measures for the Council to adopt to set the framework to reverse the downward trend in biodiversity in our green borough.
Recent developments
On Wednesday late afternoon 14/01/2026 we were informed that the Council was going to declare a Nature Emergency on the 22nd January, which was initially a pleasant surprise. But I am sorry to say the rosy feeling has not lasted long, now that the Agenda has been released. Unfortunately it is highly edited from our original draft declaration with critical clauses removed (see examples below), as well as weakening emphasis. We see the omitted measures as being strategic to repositioning existing resources within the council structure.
For example (using numbering in the original proposed motion and attached document):
Item 2) We believe there is local wildlife expertise that can be called on for advice on priorities to secure the best solutions for improving biodiversity before committing outside consultants and the community as a whole.
Item 3) It is important to have recognised targets to know that is important both at a local level but also in a national context, e.g. Skylarks are a Red List species. We must make sure that the current breeding sites in the borough of Wanstead Flats, Fairlop Plain/Hainault Farm and Hainault Forest Country Park are maintained and habitat is enhanced for them to spread.
Item 4) We consider this item/clause should not be omitted. It is key to understanding use of resources and land use that may affect biodiversity loss. In terms of accepting there is an emergency all effects should be considered.
Item 5) We believe that as certain areas of the borough will need management and enhancing for biodiversity, the major source of funding should be local off-site BNG funding. We think the change to “encouraging” is misguided and a more vigorous approach should be incorporated in the Local Plan.
“A walking distance” in the agenda item is vague. This should be quantified as a time at walking speed, or a fixed distance, say ½ mile.
To say “commit to a minimum tree cover” is also unclear if not specified. It must have percentage that is beneficial for biodiversity in the long term; this also goes for existing housing estates. Note that the research for this comes from the Woodland Trust.
Item 7) The target of 30% of land holding is an aspiration that comes down from the UN and accepted by Government to declare 30% of all UK land dedicated for nature by 2030.
It follows that where Councils have landholdings that fulfil these criteria, they must do their part: Our existing Parks & Country Parks, the Ilford Arrival Project, the mown to death road verges/ housing land and of course the Fairlop Plain farmland plus land owned by other agencies.
Item 8) ”Employ specialist ecologist and tree officers to support nature recovery “ the Council and Vision RCL already have officers that carry out some of this work, this is about formalising the remit for protection and recovery.
Item 9) “Establish ways to resource the training of educators at all levels to support the public appreciating/understanding nature and ecology in all age groups.” If we are to stem the nature loss and have support from the public, people need to be able to know more from the infants to older people and especially those that make decisions that affect nature and biodiversity.
Conclusion
We hope that Members consider strengthening the declaration via appropriate amendments before passing the motion as it currently stands. Please feel free to contact me to discuss any aspect of this but time is of the essence.
Chris Gannaway
Wanstead Climate Action 