Dear all

This is the latest report from CPRE, who we support, and who have been extremely helpful in our SWP campaign and are at the forefront of saving green spaces across London and the UK. 
I hope you will find it interesting.

Kind regards
Iain 

June Newsletter

‘Protected’ trees butchered in Bromley CPRE London was quick to leap into action when, on Saturday June 10th, 131 protected oak trees were butchered on land adjacent to Cator Park in Bromley.  We got our social media volunteer, Michael Shilling, out with his drone camera on the Sunday to capture the scale of the devastation which helped the case get wide media coverage.  We advised the group to name the site, which had previously been nameless, to Cator Woodland, and the local campaign group has now settled on the name the Cator Woodland Action Group.  This site was a woodland and should be so again!  We also reached out to the Council, Forestry Commission, Environment Agency and wider network to explore the range of laws, rules and regulations breached.  For an update on progress see 131 oak trees butchered in Bromley – CPRE London       Action needed on green belt greening   CPRE London’s Director, Anna Taylor, told attendees at the charity’s AGM that swathes of the green belt are under threat, and speculators are allowing large areas to become neglected, run down and fenced off.  Anna commented that ‘containing urban sprawl is vital to save our countryside and encourage regeneration in our cities, but unlovely areas of green belt strengthen the hand of developers calling for release of green belt sites for development. Restoring and creating a mosaic of habitats including woodlands, wetlands and chalk grass lands and hedgerows is clearly important as well as encouraging nature friendly farming of food for local consumption.  If you haven’t yet responded to our appeal focused on CPRE London’s work on greening the green belt and helping protect London’s countryside please do so here.  If you have, your support is massively appreciated.     The Tree Ring Community Forest We are campaigning to establish a continuous ring of woodland around the capital – a kind of M25 for nature. This will help ensure that London’s green belt plays a more powerful role in carbon capture, strengthening biodiversity, and improving the wellbeing of Londoners. In places less suited to traditional native woodland, we will explore scope for new urban orchards, increased use of hedgerows, street trees, and tree planted field margins. This means the ring of trees remains unbroken and wildlife can move between wooded areas. We have started mapping key potential sites.  We are committed to a philosophy of right tree right place and so keen not to plant on other precious habitats or prime agricultural land suitable for local food-growing.  However, we believe there is substantial scope for using areas of woodland creation to complement other land uses.   You can help by registering possible locations for new woodland creation, or the location of existing young woodlands that may not yet be captured on habitat maps. Please do this at   Tree and Woodland Data Collection (arcgis.com)   If you have any other queries or suggestions related to the proposed Tree Ring Community Forest contact us on woodlandcreation@cprelondon.org.uk       Could you be a hedgerow hero? We are looking for groups to join a planting project which aims to transform the city through a network of new hedgerows. Hedgerows provide rich habitats for a range of wildlife. Proposed hedgerows either in green belt or in low-income areas with little greenery will be given preference. For further details see here.     Friends groups making massive contribution across the capital   May saw the launch of a new report on the impact of Parks Friends groups in London. London’s Park Friends Groups make an enormous contribution to the maintenance and improvement of London’s parks, and to maximising health and wellbeing benefits to residents. CPRE London runs the GoParksLondon project, working with the London Friends of Green Spaces Network.  CPRE London is committed to widening this benefit and growing the number of Park groups to 550 by the end of 2023.  The Report shows that Parks Friends Group activity is far stronger in some London boroughs than others: see  Which London boroughs gain most from Park Friends Groups? – CPRE London     Site saved: Havering common awarded ‘village green’ status Havering residents have won their fight to save a local site which now has ‘village green’ status, meaning the council can register it as protected space in perpetuity. The decision to protect the green on the Dover’s Farm Estate follows a long battle against plans to build on the site. CPRE London supported the campaign. CPRE London campaigns manager Alice Roberts said: ‘The success of this campaign shows the value of community support. Residents did not let up their protest. Ultimately Havering recognised the value of this space, and we are delighted that it will remain protected.’  Find out more about how you can help protect London’s green spaces at Green space for all – CPRE London         Thanking those who have left legacies to CPRE London At our AGM, recognition was given to the incredible contribution made by those who leave charitable legacies to CPRE London – helping the charity to protect London’s precious green spaces and create new ones for the benefit of future generations.  Thank you to all of you who have remembered CPRE London in your will.     Thank you for reading.