Project to rewind Old River Lea receives major grant from Mayor of London

Lead ecologist for Rewilding the Old Lea, Gideon Corby. Photograph: Gideon Corby

A project working to breathe new life into the Old River Lea has received a cash injection from the Mayor of London.

More than £180,000 has been awarded to Hackney’s Rewilding the Old Lea project, which proponents hope will restore the body of water to its former glory – making it even cleaner and the ecosystem around it healthier in the process.

The money is part of Sir Sadiq Khan’s £12million Green Roots Fund, which will go towards improving London’s green and blue spaces. In this, the first round of funding, more than £3million was awarded to 26 projects across the capital.

Gideon Corby, lead ecologist for Rewilding the Old Lea, described the project as ‘inspiring’ and hoped more people would get involved. He told the Citizen: ‘The Rewilding the Old Lea project, will work within the existing river channel to increase the complexity of the flow and on the banks will create refugia.

“The channel and banks will allow wildlife to move more freely and suffer less disturbance or harm. The aim is for biodiversity to thrive and the experience of being in a natural space to increase. The aptly-named Old Lea will be returned, as far as is possible, in appearance and ecological function to its pre-industrial state, a natural spectacle full of life and life-enhancing energy.”

Speaking about the future of the project, he said: “I hope the project will soon involve many more people as the idea is made a reality by, and for Hackney residents and Londoners and the wildlife around us.”

In Stoke Newington, Allens Community Garden also received £10,000 from the fund to enhance the green space’s biodiversity.

Other recipients include the London Borough of Waltham Forest, which was granted more than £350,000 to enhance habitats and improve river health along the River Ching; and the London Wildlife Trust, awarded nearly £500,000 for a project to reintroduce the Eurasian beaver and white stork to Eastbrookend Country Park in Barking & Dagenham.

There will be four further rounds of funding running up until the spring of 2028. The fund is open to both local authorities and not-for-profit organisations.

Caroline Woodley, Mayor of Hackney, said: “This funding is fantastic news, as it will help us to enhance and protect the Old River Lea – one of Hackney’s wildest and most natural areas.

“We’ll use it to strengthen our work looking after local waterways, creating healthier habitats for wildlife and opening up green corridors connecting nature across the borough.

“It’s also positive to see funding for another local project at Allens Community Garden.”

The Mayor of London said: “This is only the beginning of the change we will see. I will invest more than £12m over the next three years to support projects helping to transform our neighbourhoods and enhance London’s green and blue spaces, as we continue to build a greener and fairer London for everyone.”