Rewilded London

The amazing Walthamstow Wetlands is rewilding East London

We are excited to kick off a new series on urban rewilding, to help inspire the creation of mini Letts Safari’s in urban settings. We will initially focus on London, with the support of our roving writers.

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A view of the city in the distance, and a glimpse of the commuter belt behind you, Walthamstow makes for an interesting medium place of London locations, beyond the reach of Central London, but easily close enough to the city to still be immersed in the world of London. And yet, here, in this urban jungle, exists an essential project in brownfield site environmentalism. 

In the mid 19th century Britain's industrialisation project extended to the River Lea, a major tributary of London’s Thames river. The East London Waterworks Company created the Walthamstow Reservoirs, supplying drinking water to the houses of Britain’s industrial centre. After a century and a half of swapping ownership and companies, Walthamstow’s Reservoirs came under the ownership of Thames Water, and still to this day supply potable water to London’s masses.