Silk Stream Forest

Silk Stream Forest, a new pocket forest, will kickstart the regeneration of Rushgrove Park, an underused green space in Barnet, north-west London. It takes its name from the Silk Stream, which runs along the edge of the park and will sit right behind the forest once planted. Native trees and understorey will grow up alongside the water, creating a richer habitat for wildlife and a greener, cooler, more inviting place for the local community.

The project is a collaboration with Rooted City, a grassroots initiative led by Gen Z women who reclaim neglected, overgrown urban spaces and transform them into biodiverse community sanctuaries.

Students from Colindale Primary School and North London Grammar School will join the planting day. Beyond the planting itself, the pocket forest becomes a long-term anchor for community stewardship, drawing residents back to a park they can now tend, share, and grow with.