• WE write further to letters in the May 21 CNJ about planting tree pits in Marsden Street, Kentish Town, and the need for Camden’s mowing regimes to take into account the need to protect biodiversity.

We are a coalition of local groups, campaigning for action on the climate crisis and ecological emergency.

In regard to the latter it has been shown by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services and others that the collapse of biodiversity globally and extinction of most species is the likely outcome unless we take urgent action.

Since June 2019 we have been petitioning the council to make changes to the way in which they manage the environment to increase biodiversity here in Camden. We have asked the council to:

– Introduce “relaxed mowing” in parks and on estates to promote the growth of wild flowers and grasses, supporting pollinating insects; this entails leaving more areas unmown and mowing less frequently.

– Stop the use of glyphosate, a toxic herbicide banned in many countries.

– Protect existing mature trees which provide an established habitat for birds.

– Provide new areas for flora and fauna to flourish.

There have been some projects where Camden has worked with local groups towards these aims. For example, the Rewild Raglan project where wildflowers and orchard trees have been planted.

However it needs to go a lot further and we call on them urgently to make significant changes to their established maintenance practices.

CLIMATE EMERGENCY CAMDEN