Wild London Returns: Beavers, Meadows & Urban Resilience
What do beavers, water voles and “wiggly” rivers have in common? They’re all making a comeback right in the heart of London. In a powerful shift from concrete to canopy, a series of ambitious urban rewilding projects are transforming the capital into a haven for wildlife and people alike.
The story begins at Paradise Fields in Ealing, where two beavers, affectionately named Woody and Willow, have taken up residence. These charismatic creatures, once extinct in Britain for centuries, are doing far more than gnawing on tree trunks. They’re engineering wetlands that reduce flood risk, boost biodiversity, and even unearth long-lost litter prompting spontaneous clean-ups by volunteers. Their damming of Costons Brook is creating new habitats for frogs, dragonflies, and birds while capturing the imagination of local communities.
And it’s not just the beavers. Across the city, more than 40 urban rewilding projects are being supported by the Greater London Authority. One of the boldest moves involves the “rewiggling” of rivers—restoring their natural meandering paths after decades of being forced into straight, lifeless channels. In places like Ladywell Fields and the River Quaggy, rewiggling is already revitalising ecosystems and giving wildlife room to roam.
How LettsSafari Helps Bring the Wild Back
At LettsSafari, we believe that rewilding shouldn’t be reserved for remote landscapes or private estates. Nature belongs in the city just as much as in the countryside. And the resurgence of wild projects across London proves it’s possible.
We’re here to:
Inspire local action: Through storytelling and education, we highlight how every park, garden, or roadside verge can become a pocket of wild.
Support community rewilders: We equip our subscribers with tips and tools to rewild their own spaces—balconies included.
Champion small-scale restoration: The same natural principles guiding London's rewilding—diverse planting, water management, habitat creation are embedded in our Safari Parks and our home-rewilding guides.
From beavers to wildflowers, every success story offers a roadmap for what we can all do no matter where we live. If the UK’s largest city can welcome back species once written off as extinct, what could your own neighbourhood achieve with a little vision and support?
A Future Where Nature and Cities Coexist
London’s rewilding revolution is more than an environmental story. It’s a social one. It shows what’s possible when we see cities not just as built environments, but as living systems. At LettsSafari, we’re proud to be part of this movement, helping people restore, reimagine and reconnect with the wild wherever they are.
Join us in making room for wildness in London, and beyond.