Walking back into Nature: inside London’s SUGi Walks
Step inside a pocket forest and rediscover nature on your doorstep.
Photography: Joya Berrow
SUGi Walks are a chance to connect with nature in the heart of London.
Guided by Adrian Wong, SUGi’s UK Forest Lead, each walk is different, but all of them create space to slow down. Along the way you pass several SUGi Pocket Forests, hidden biodiversity hubs, between tower blocks and traffic. Then you step inside one. The city falls away and you start to notice the small things: each unique leaf, the rustle overhead, your footsteps on the mulch below. You leave feeling lighter, clearer and recharged.
Our 2026 survey confirmed what we felt at the time: 10 out of 12 walkers rated their walk as a five-star experience, 11 of 12 shared what they learned with friends and family, and half made a new friend on the walk.
There’s evidence for this too. A pilot study with the University of Oxford found that spending just 30 minutes beside a SUGi Pocket Forest significantly reduced people’s anxiety compared with nearby urban sites with little or no tree cover.
“The SUGi Walk was one of the best experiences I had as a newcomer to the city. I would definitely recommend it.”
– CSC, SUGi Walks, May 2026
The 2026 SUGi Walks season
Between May and October, more than 110 nature lovers joined us across six walks, each a 5k route through Central London. We closed the season with something a little different: a Walk & Draw with Moleskine, where walkers sketched the pocket forests as they went.
Along the way, they visited a combination of Synergy Forest in Battersea, Serenity Forest, Holy Trinity Brompton Forest and Heritage Forest near Sloane Square. Walkers discovered the Miyawaki method, the many benefits of urban biodiversity, and SUGi Pocket Forests.
At the end of the season we asked our walkers what stayed with them, and 12 shared their thoughts. For 11 of the 12, it was their very first SUGi Walk. Ten rated their walk a five-star experience, and ten said they’d be very likely to recommend it to a friend. They ranged from their twenties to their sixties, and most were women.
Seeing London differently
Walkers loved learning how these pocket forests actually work. One enjoyed discovering the "invisible" side of a pocket forest, the soil preparation that happens before a single tree is planted. Another was amazed to see forests taking root on some of the most expensive land in the world.
“I found the technical aspects very interesting and I loved learning that in spite of the threat of climate change, we are always better off planting historic native species.”
– SUGi Walks participant, October 2026
Nature brings people together
SUGi Walks connect people with nature, but they also connect people with each other. They offer a space where a community can gather around a shared interest and simply spend time together. Ten of our twelve walkers came on their own, yet 11 made new connections on the walk, and half have stayed in touch with someone they met. One walker had just moved to London and left with a new friend.
“The SUGi walk brought me into contact not just with urban nature in London but with those who love it. It can feel sometimes like I'm alone in longing for more nature in the city and cherishing each little inroad I see. To find others so passionately supportive of urban forests was very inspiring. I still feel happy thinking about the walk.”
– A. Smith, SUGi Walks, May 2026
The walk stays with you
Walkers came away inspired, excited to share what they’d learned and keen to discover more. For many, it was a reminder to pause and notice the nature that might once have passed them by. One walker told us they now notice birds, trees and small gardens everywhere they go. Another is always on the lookout for spots that could become the next SUGi Pocket Forest.
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Shared what they learned with friends or family
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Started noticing trees, birds and wildlife more
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Went back to a SUGi pocket forest or green space
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Joined a local planting, volunteering or community group
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Started recording wildlife on iNaturalist or a similar app
“SUGi Pocket Forests are amazing evidence based climate adaptations which bring peace and joy to the communities lucky enough to be near them.”
– IL, SUGi Walks, August 2026
Every walk plants a seed
This is why SUGi Walks matter. Most of our walkers were discovering pocket forests for the first time, and they left as advocates for them. Each one is now someone who tells a friend about the Miyawaki method, revisits a forest or signs up to a planting. The more people who know these forests are there, the more people will care for them, and the more pocket forests we can grow together.
“Not just pocket forests on the street, but ordinary people on the street, can make the change for a better city environment and a better world for all. If we rely on governments, change will happen too late. We can all do a little bit and change the world in just one year!”
– SUGi Walks participant, July 2026
Join a SUGi Walk
The 2027 SUGi Walks season opens in May. Sign up to hear the dates first or book a walk when tickets open.
