Proposed Nature Education Area decision

After the Waterlow Park Biodiversity Group* proposed a temporary Nature Education Area in a small upper woodland area of the park, the Trust Advisory Group (TAG) and Camden Green Spaces reviewed the proposal. They asked the Friends of Waterlow Park to run a public consultation to provide a basis for decisions. The consultation closed on 25 February 2022.

Following a thorough review of the consultation responses by the Friends of Waterlow Park together with Camden Green Spaces, a report was submitted to the Trust Advisory Group on 5 April in the form of a Briefing Note with recommendations and a full anonymised report of all responses to the consultation. The Briefing Note & Responses may be downloaded here

The Trust Advisory Group makes recommendations to the Camden Trustee and in order to be in a position to do so in this instance held a number of votes; first on those elements of the proposals which the Briefing Note shows received public support:

1) Improvements to the area’s biodiversity, including planting and wildlife habitats  – carried  unanimously

2) Informal log seating – carried by 7 to 1 majority

There was a further vote on the full proposal as originally envisaged – as an enclosed, designated, nature study area – including details of how the area might be enclosed:

3) Original proposal not to be taken forward – carried unanimously

Following the Trust Advisory Group’s votes the Briefing Note was given to the Camden Trustee along with the results of the TAG votes which were all submitted as recommendations.

The Trustee approved all the recommendations on 11 April 2022.

The Trust Advisory Group thanked the Friends of Waterlow Park and all the volunteers involved in the consultation for their hard work as well as that of the Camden Green Spaces team. All three organisations are grateful to the members of the public who responded to the consultation.

*The Waterlow Park Biodiversity Group is made up of specialists from Camden, TCV,

Idverde and the Friends of Waterlow Park.

Issued by the Friends of Waterlow Park 19 04 22