My name is Giuseppe Intrieri, and I am a professional photographer with a lifelong passion for nature and conservation. I studied Natural Sciences at University and have spent many years involved with environmental organisations, both as a volunteer and as a coordinator for various European projects, including volunteer camps.
Six years ago, I moved to London, a city known for its fast pace and sprawling urban landscape. Determined to find my place in this metropolis, I began to reconnect with nature through photography and study of the surroundings in my new city. What started as simple photographic walks quickly evolved into a deeper exploration of London’s biodiversity, its natural history, and how these elements have adapted over time.
What I discovered left me fascinated: in a city often associated with concrete and modernity, nature persists and thrives. London is more than its well-manicured parks and gardens; it is home to wild habitats, diverse ecosystems, species-rich reserves, and sites of great scientific importance. This abundance of life and its coexistence with urban progress is the focus of my work, what inspires me today and what I love most about living here. I would never have thought that London could have more than 3000 parks, including nature reserves, historic gardens and community spaces.
When I started working on this project, the materials, studies, and statistics produced by GiGL were incredibly valuable in helping me realise just how complex and rich London’s natural system is. They helped me understand the importance of monitoring nature, conservation strategies, and the state of habitats in the unique context of London.
GiGL’s work serves the community by highlighting the city’s natural wealth and encouraging people to take an active role in data gathering via recording species. This effort contributes to London’s important evidence base for making decisions and strategies essential for protecting urban nature.
My ongoing project seeks to document this coexistence, highlighting not only the ecological richness of London but also its profound impact on the people who live here. I also aim to celebrate the individuals and organisations dedicated to preserving this natural heritage.
My hope is to compile these stories and insights into a book that will serve as a testament to London’s unique relationship with nature – a celebration of the wild beauty that continues to shape and inspire this vibrant city.
London is often celebrated as a green city, with nearly 47% of its area classified as ‘green space’, including parks, gardens, woodlands, and nature reserves, and an estimated 8.3 million trees, earning it the title of an urban forest.
This urban canopy and green space provides;
- habitats for wildlife
- mitigates air pollution
- reduces urban heat
- serves as a carbon sink
This makes London a model for sustainable urban development.
However, looking back, the city’s green infrastructure dates back centuries – with initiatives like the establishment of royal hunting grounds in the Middle Ages and the development of Victorian parks during the Industrial Revolution. In this article, I will explore one of the most fascinating aspects of nature in London: the forests and woodlands; their history, social role and how they have been preserved throughout the centuries with the institution of parks or reserves, and what impact this has had on local communities. As you can imagine, it’s not possible to cover such a vast topic in a single article, but I want to focus on three specific sites with vast woodlands: Richmond Park, Epping Forest, and Hampstead Heath.
These parks not only protect veteran trees, rare fungi, and diverse plant communities but also support crucial wildlife corridors, allowing species to move and adapt within an otherwise fragmented cityscape. By maintaining these historic woodlands, London’s parks help sustain biodiversity, mitigate climate change, and offer residents a tangible connection to the city’s deep-rooted ecological past. Their continued protection is vital in ensuring that pockets of London’s ancient natural world remain intact for future generations.
These three parks are located in different areas of London: Richmond Park in the southwest, Hampstead Heath in the northwest, and Epping Forest in the northeast. However, they all share a similar history. They have survived to this day – at least in part – thanks to a past marked by ancient battles, their status as former royal hunting grounds, or a strong sense of community ownership.
Many of London’s woodlands disappeared during the 17th century, particularly during the English Civil War and the Commonwealth period. By the end of the 17th century, London’s open countryside, especially forests and uncultivated areas, faced immense pressure. This was partly due to the region’s growing population and partly accelerated by the final stages of the Enclosure Movement, which dismantled the traditional open-field farming system in England; and between 1700 and 1900, the state of the capital’s green spaces had become worrying.
In the 1820s, alarm bells started to ring. A significant amount of land was vanishing beneath piles of bricks and mortar, leading to a widespread concern that one day, London would consist only of squares and streets, devoid of trees and parks. Influential figures, like the Scottish landscape architect John Claudius Loudon, who had settled near Bayswater, were particularly motivated by a proposal to enclose Hampstead Heath in 1829. He published his utopian vision of a future London, advocating for a greener, more sustainable city. His works, “Hints on Breathing for the Metropolis“ and “Country Towns and Villages on Fixed Principles”, called for a city where buildings and green spaces alternated, offering a glimpse of what could be a more balanced urban future.
To tell all the stories and events that have unfolded in and around these three woodlands would take more than a single book. However, what stands out is that, despite London’s turbulent history and the challenges faced by the areas where these forests are located, they have endured – at least in part. This is largely thanks to a growing awareness within local communities which, at different times, realised the importance of protecting these natural spaces before they disappeared entirely.
For this article, I used a lot of official websites of the parks themselves, plus some books:
- Robbi Atligan & David Hampshire, London’s Secret Park & Gardens. Bath, Survival Books, 2013
- Peter Alymer, Walking in London Park, Heath and waterside. 25 walks in London’s green spaces. China, Latitude Press LTD, Cicerone Books, 2017
- Fitter, Richard. London’s Natural History. London: Collins, 2008. Print.
- Rackham Oliver, The history of the countryside: The classic history of Britain’s landscape, flora and fauna (Paperback edition). London: Phoenix, 1997
- Barratt, Nick. Greater London: The Story of the Suburbs. London: Cornerstone Digital, 2012. Print
Richmond Park
Starting with Richmond Park, it has a rich and fascinating history that dates back to 1637, when Charles I enclosed it as a private deer hunting ground. While initially reserved for the monarchy, the park was opened to the public in the 19th century, becoming a beloved retreat for Londoners. As the city grew, the public developed a deep connection to the park, leading to conservation efforts. Over the years, campaigns and organisations have advocated for its protection, ensuring it remains a space for both people and wildlife. Today, its importance extends far beyond recreation.
Over time, Richmond Park became recognised not just as a historic green space, but as an ecological treasure. With its ancient woodlands and veteran oak trees (some over 750 years old) it provides a habitat for a vast array of species, from fungi and lichens to rare invertebrates and rare wildlife. This ecological importance meant the park was designated a National Nature Reserve (NNR) and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), giving it legal protection. It is home to over 650 red and fallow deer, which have roamed the landscape for centuries and have become iconic for the park. The park’s diverse wildlife includes green woodpeckers, skylarks, and one of Britain’s rarest insects, the streaked bombardier beetle, which relies on Richmond’s unique environment for survival.
Red deer stags in Richmond © Giuseppe Intrieri
In the case of Richmond Park, now the largest park in London, it originally existed as a royal hunting ground, accessible only to a privileged few – the monarchy. However, over the centuries, what began as an exclusive hunting reserve ultimately led to the park’s preservation. The initial enclosure helped protect the landscape from urban expansion, and later, growing public awareness ensured its conservation. Thanks to this combination of historical circumstance and community consciousness, Richmond Park has been safeguarded as an invaluable natural heritage, allowing it to thrive to this day, owned and managed by The Royal Parks.
Hampstead Heath
The history of Hampstead Heath’s preservation is a remarkable example of community awareness and collective responsibility for the common good. One of the figures who sought to see the heath destroyed was Sir Thomas Maryon Wilson, the owner of Hampstead Heath Manor and its surrounding 416-acre estate. Determined to turn his land into a profitable development site, he made repeated attempts to secure building leases, but all his efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. After numerous failed negotiations with Parliament, his heirs eventually sold their rights over the manor to the Metropolitan Board of Works following his death.
This decision sparked public outrage, fuelling a wave of protests against Sir Thomas’s redevelopment plans. In response to the growing threat of losing Hampstead Heath to urban expansion, a group of activists formed the Commons Preservation Society. Their mission was to prevent the land from being excessively exploited, quarried, or built upon. The movement gained momentum, and just a year after the society was established, Parliament passed a crucial piece of legislation—the Metropolitan Commons Act of 1866. This law extended protection to common land across the entire Metropolitan Police District, ensuring that green spaces like Hampstead Heath were safeguarded from destruction.
In essence, this new act was a turning point in urban conservation, laying the groundwork for the long-term preservation and restoration of London’s open spaces. It marked a decisive victory for public activism, demonstrating the power of collective action in shaping the future of the city’s natural heritage.
This law played a crucial role in safeguarding many of London’s green spaces for future generations. Without it, places like Hounslow Heath, Clapham Common, Wimbledon Common, and Putney Heath might have vanished entirely. The legislation also extended protection to woodlands and forests, which had been relentlessly exploited for centuries without any efforts at regeneration. One of the most intense public battles for conservation centered around Epping Forest, a fight that would become a defining moment in the preservation of London’s natural landscapes.
Today Hampstead Heath is a 790-acre green space, has served as a vital green refuge for Londoners for centuries, with its history tracing back to Roman times. Unlike many other parts of the city that have been reshaped by relentless urban expansion, the heath has remained a rare expanse of open space, offering a sense of wilderness within the metropolis. In 1871 Hampstead Heath was officially secured for public use. This achievement was a turning point in urban conservation, establishing the heath as a symbol of the fight for green spaces in London and setting a precedent for future environmental activism.
The heath’s rich variety of woodlands, grasslands, and ponds now provides a home for over 180 species of birds, including the elusive hobby, whose rare sightings are a testament to the area’s ecological significance.
Preservation efforts continue to ensure that Hampstead Heath remains a thriving environment. Conservation initiatives such as the Hampstead Heath Ponds Project have been instrumental in improving water quality and enhancing biodiversity. Local volunteer groups play a crucial role in maintaining this delicate balance, actively managing the heath’s hedgerows and woodlands while working to reduce litter and control invasive species. Their commitment ensures that Hampstead Heath remains not only a sanctuary for wildlife but also a cherished space for Londoners seeking respite from the city.
Epping Forest
Another fascinating story of a forest being saved through collective awareness is that of Epping Forest. The victory of Epping Forest began with a defeat. In 1851, when the Crown’s forestry commissioners made the controversial decision to sell off an ancient stretch of woodland known as Hainault Forest, which had stood for centuries as part of England’s royal forests. Two years later, steam-powered tractors arrived, and within just six weeks, 3,000 acres of what had been a protected woodland since the time of Edward the Confessor were reduced to fields, roads, and three large farms. The commissioners were confident in their decision, expecting an annual profit of £3,500. What they had not anticipated, however, was the overwhelming public backlash.
Epping Forest © Giuseppe Intrieri
Letters flooded The Times, voicing outrage over the destruction, with passionate declarations such as, “We will not allow our rulers to rob us of a source of well-being for the gratification of a few selfish members of the community.” For Hainault Forest, it was already too late, but when similar plans for Epping Forest were announced in 1860, a fierce battle erupted. On one side stood the forestry commissioners, backed by members of the newly formed Commons Preservation Society, while on the other side of the argument were local residents, including the influential Maitland family and a determined villager named Thomas Willingale, who became a symbol of resistance. The struggle continued for years until the passing of the Metropolitan Commons Act in 1866.The protests and campaigns led by conservationists and local residents eventually resulted in the Epping Forest Act of 1878, a crucial piece of legislation that protected the land from further encroachment. Finally, in 1882, Queen Victoria herself travelled to Epping Forest, where she addressed an enthusiastic crowd with a historic declaration: “It gives me great pleasure to dedicate this beautiful forest to the use and enjoyment of my people.” With those words, Epping Forest was officially safeguarded, ensuring its protection for generations to come and securing its status as a public treasure, free for all to explore and appreciate.
Epping Forest today is one of London’s most remarkable natural landscapes, stretching across 2,400 hectares and covering multiple boroughs. It is under the stewardship of the City of London Corporation, ensuring that its rich biodiversity and cultural heritage continue to be maintained.
The ecological value of Epping Forest is immense, as it provides a habitat for an astonishing array of wildlife. The forest is home to over 50,000 species, including some of the UK’s rarest invertebrates. Among them is the stag beetle, one of Britain’s largest beetles, which thrives in the decaying wood of ancient trees. The forest boasts more than 1,600 veteran trees, some believed to be over a thousand years old, forming one of Europe’s most significant ancient woodland ecosystems. These trees, many of which have been pollarded—an ancient forestry technique that extends their lifespan—support an intricate web of life, from fungi and lichens to birds and mammals. The forest’s wetland areas provide critical nesting and feeding grounds for bird species such as reed warblers and kingfishers, while its expansive grasslands are home to a diverse range of butterflies, including the small heath, a species of conservation priority in the UK.
Conservation efforts within Epping Forest have been extensive and continue to evolve to address modern environmental challenges. One of the primary focuses in recent years has been the restoration of the forest’s ancient pollards, ensuring that these historic trees remain healthy and resilient. Wetland restoration initiatives have also been implemented to improve water quality and enhance habitats for migratory birds and amphibians. Among the beneficiaries of these efforts is the great crested newt, a legally protected species that relies on the forest’s ponds and marshes for breeding.
Epping Forest is not just a haven for wildlife but also an invaluable retreat for Londoners seeking an escape from the urban landscape. Walking through its winding trails, surrounded by towering oaks and beeches, it is easy to forget that the bustling metropolis lies just beyond its borders. The forest offers a unique blend of history, biodiversity, and recreation, making it a cherished green space for both locals and visitors. The legacy of those who fought to preserve it in the 19th century is evident in every ancient tree and every quiet glade, reminding us of the importance of protecting natural landscapes for the future.
The journey we have taken together in this article has been filled with a deep love for our spaces, our land, and nature across various areas of London. It is this very love that has allowed these woodlands to survive to this day, making it possible for us to visit and admire them.
Visiting these parks, forests, and nature reserves is not just a way to reconnect with nature but also a means of showing support for their conservation. Walking through ancient woodlands, watching birds along the wetlands, or simply enjoying the tranquility of a green space is a reminder of the invaluable role these areas play in our lives. However, appreciation alone is not enough. Supporting conservation efforts through volunteering, donations, or adopting sustainable habits when using these spaces can make a real difference. Whether it’s participating in habitat restoration projects, helping to clear invasive species, or simply respecting wildlife by following park guidelines, every action we take contributes to the ongoing protection of London’s natural heritage.
By choosing to engage, support, and advocate for these natural areas, we take part in a movement that ensures London’s green spaces continue to thrive, offering beauty, biodiversity, and well-being for years to come.
Read more about Giuseppe’s work via his website here or head to his London Parks Instagram to follow his photography journey around London.
I find this article interesting as it accurately describes all the details of nature. It shows another side of London, one that is not just about bricks and buildings, but also about the green spaces, wildlife, and hidden natural beauty that thrive in the city.
I really loved this article
Interesting stuff Giuseppe. Although there are similarities between the three sites of course, only Richmond Park was ever actually a park (a deer park), as said enclosed during the reign off Charles I. However, because of strong local opposition gates were provided in the walls. Some poorer people used ladders against the walls to allow them to continue to gather firewood (a commoners’ right). Epping Forest and Hampstead Heath were privately owned commons until far more recently. Cattle were still allowed to graze freely over Epping Forest until the 1990s early 2000s until, for one reason or another, it become uneconomic to continue.