Just outside the south eastern corner of the Wren Wildlife Recording Area is a small pocket park sandwiched between two major roads (including Orient Way), a train track, residential housing and warehouses. The Pocket Park contains 125 trees, some scrub area, some unmown verges and, and some landscaped lawns.
The whole area, including 122 of the 125 trees are under threat of destruction to build new housing. The local residents held a community activity and protest day on Bank Holiday Monday (30 August) which members of the Wren Group visited to show solidarity.
Orient Way Park Friends are concerned that they they are about to lose some green and tree-filled space in this highly urban area. They are concerned about the destruction of trees during this time of climate crisis, the loss of community space, and increased flood risk.
In a brief, informal survey, the Wren Group recorded at least seven species of tree growing in the area; including some mature specimen trees that have previously been subject to Tree Preservation Orders.
James Heal, Chair of the Wren Group, said: “I met a number of passionate community spirited residents – effectively neighbours of the Wren Group – desperately trying to save a precious green space on their doorstep. Whilst I am very aware of the challenges that come from housing shortages, it surely cannot be right to be destroying green space and removing hundreds of trees during this time of climate crisis. Whilst we visited my son played with other children in amongst the trees, making banners, and collecting fallen leaves to make leaf crowns; its seems a tragic shame that this is all due to end. On the bus journey back from the action day my wife and I saw derelict warehouse space which would surely be more suited to redevelopment than destroying a tree-lined park?”
Let’s hope that Waltham Forest Council listen carefully to the concerns raised by the local residents.