Kensington & Chelsea LONDON, UK

Heritage Forest

A sanctuary in the heart of London

Located in the heart of central London, Heritage Forest will revive the UK’s endangered flora, nurture pollinators vital for food production, and grow medicinal herbs known to bring balance back to body, mind, and spirit.

The forest will be a green space for local neighbours to find quiet moments of respite and to take in the joys of nature in a vibrant and busy city. Heritage Forest will provide a peaceful and restorative experience, where visitors can take in the changing colours of the trees, the aromas of the blossoms and the sound of rustling leaves. Thanks to its urban location, the forest will offer not only an individual experience but a communal one. In so being, we hope this space will help cultivate community bonds and become a recognised source of joy for all.

Forest Maker James Godfrey-Faussett

630

TREES

240

SQUARE METRES

NATIVE SPECIES

The site for the Heritage Forest in London.

Heritage Forest, just after being planted.

"Thanks to its urban location, the forest will offer not only an individual experience but a communal one. In so being, we hope this space will help cultivate community bonds and become a recognised source of joy for all."

— James Godfrey-Faussett, Lead Forest Maker SUGi

Heritage Forest Visualisation (10 years).

Heritage Forest Design

Native Species Selection (sample)

Red Campion — Silene Dioica

Perhaps the best of all wildflowers for bees, pollinators and butterflies. Campion has a long flowering season and provides bountiful nectar.

Sessile Oak — Quercus Petraea

The Oak is the king of biodiversity and a haven for numerous forms of life that can include 38 species of bird, 1178 forms of invertebrates and 31 species of mammal. The Oak can be home to over 500 species that are rarely if ever found living in harmony with any other species of tree.

Hawthorn — Crataegus Monogyna

The hawthorn is steeped in mythology as was much revered by the Celts, who believed the tree to be imbued with magical powers. The small trees are one of the first to blossom and provide a vital early food source for pollinators. The hawthorn is known as the bread and cheese tree as the leaves were seen as bread and the buds as cheese. Both edible and complimentary to eat.