Our London has a deep history of a diverse wildlife and it’s our responsibility to keep our nature thriving in this great city.
Storks and beavers were once common sights across our skies and wild wetlands.
Now after several hundred years and thanks to the Mayor of London’s Green Roots Fund, both these species will be coming back home.
A family of five beavers have already been reintroduced to Paradise Fields in Ealing, and later this year, storks will be released in east London.
It’s moments like these which remind me how proud I am to represent a constituency of animal lovers and wildlife campaigners.
MP Catherine West is excited about reintroduction of storks and beavers in London (Image: Office of Catherine West)
It is our responsibility to repair and restore our ecosystems, because ultimately, we are a part of it, alongside deer, falcons, and now beavers.
That’s why our work must continue beyond London.
Golden eagles, which have been absent from our country for almost 150 years, are being explored for reintroduction as well. Perhaps these creatures, mentioned over 40 times in the works of Shakespeare, will serve as inspiration for our next generation too.
Whilst protecting our wildlife, we must do as much to protect their homes and environment.
Last autumn, the Government announced that a second new national forest had been confirmed in the Oxford-Cambridge Corridor after the Western Forest, from the Cotswolds to the Mendips, launched last March.
New forests could provide the right environment for more wildlife reintroductions.
England’s largest forest, Kielder in Northumberland, is being considered as a possible location to reintroduce the lynx, a species that has already benefited from successful reintroductions in other parts of Europe over recent decades.
And right here in Haringey, we have made incredible progress.
Since 2022, £18.5 million has been invested in 30 local parks and more than 6,000 trees have been planted.
Wildlife is a part of our national story. At every stage of the journey, whether planting a tree, releasing a family of beavers, or establishing entire forests, it is never too late to rebuild our ecosystems.
Catherine West is Labour MP for Hornsey and Friern Barnet.