Here are two heartening stories of community projects - one is of trees growing for nearly 40 years by a railway, the other of new planting along a north London shopping street.
First up, Railway Fields is a nature reserve tucked up a cobbled rise opposite Harringay Green Lanes Station.
Replacing a redundant coal yard in 1985, it originated when imaginative residents saw what a good place it would be to let trees grow, both for wildlife and local people.
Haringey Council was supportive, making Railway Fields one of their first nature reserves. Silver birches and white poplars were planted early on, but there was also a lot of natural self-seeding of trees such as oak, ash, sycamore, and even, remarkably, of Service Trees.
Ever since then, with occasional ups and downs, volunteers have kept a sufficient check on abundant nature to allow access paths, places to sit, and a meeting house for various uses. Education has always been to the fore, with many children going there with their schools.
The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) are now in charge of the maintenance, with The Friends of Railway Fields organizing regular and special events to invite people in.
The Friends have recently been awarded a ‘Heart of the Community’ award as part of The Conservation Volunteers’ annual celebrations - the TCV Hero Awards - for their projects to encourage visitors who might not have known that, only steps away from busy Green Lanes, a peaceful green space awaits them.
Getting away from the thrum of London is not the point of the community planting scheme in Myddleton Road, Bowes Park. Rather, it is to enhance this shopping street with small, pretty trees.
Spencer Viner, a garden designer who is one of the three prime movers behind the initiative, thinks that there may formerly have been a row of flowering cherries along the street but that most had failed and not been replaced.
Now, after a period of decline, the street has some new independent shopkeepers and things are looking up. What it is lacking, thought Spencer, is greenery: “I’m a big believer,” he says, “in your environment making you feel better." So the time had come for some trees.
With the help of the organisation, Trees for Streets, the project is being supported by Haringey Council, which will pay three-quarters of the costs, undertake the work and, crucially, ensure that the young trees are watered in their first season.
It was up to the shopkeepers and locals to raise the rest of the funds. And they have, in time for the work to start this winter.
There are about 20 green dots on the pavement, marking where, all being well, Cercis canadensis Forest Pansy, Magnolia ‘Susan”, Amelanchier “Robin Hill” and Clerodendrum trichotomum will soon appear, in all their varied leaves, flowers and loveliness.
Railway Fields Nature Reserve in N4 is open weekdays 9.00 – dusk, and some weekends. They are having a Tree Fest 2-5pm on December 2 with lantern making and parade. Contact Cassandra.li@TCV.org.uk
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