London Rivers Week takes place this year between Saturday 9th July and Sunday 17th July and seeks to inspire the public to celebrate all of London’s rivers and the many projects taking place to re-naturalise (rewild) them.
The festival has something for everyone, from walks, talks and events showing off waterway improvements across the capital to a series of webinars discussing key topics around our canals, rivers and wetlands.
What is the key theme for London Rivers Week?
This year’s theme focuses on natural recovery or rivers and wetlands—an opportunity to support wildlife and people. More than 40 river restoration (or rewilding) projects have taken place since 2000 in London.
River restoration is all about allowing rivers to flow as naturally as possible. This can involve small steps such as adding woody material, or bigger steps like breaking rivers out of concrete and giving them more space. It can mean creating water meadows and wetlands, or even bringing once buried stretches of river back above ground (see third section of newsletter below for more info on our river restoration map).
Events to get involved in?
Every part of London is covered from North to South and East to West. Find a full line-up of events.
- Engage in a London Lost Rivers Club debate
- take your dog for a nature-friendly walk along the Hogsmill River
- visit Hogsmill sewage treatment works whilst you are there
- take part in family fun on a wetland, River Quaggy project
- take part in a clean up on the River Wandle
- honouring the river deity Mama Osun with a clean up and collective offering on the Thames foreshore at Battersea Bridge
- Visit Henry VIII’s old pad and see how he used to relax in Home Park Water Meadows.
- join us and nature-writer Dr Amy-Jane Beer Thames21 for a guided walk of the final meandering reaches of the River Lea
- discover the Pymmes Brook with a guided walk and talk
- take part in a Tidal Thames fish survey using seine net
- ask questions about natural recovery of rivers and wetlands in a keynote panel debate
- learn about some of the challenges of plastic pollution rivers face
- Greenwich is also brilliant to explore
- And don’t forget Fulham
There are more than 50 events we have helped to arrange with our partners at the London Rivers Restoration Group. Many events are free to join, but you need to register. So, hurry and book now! Find a full line-up of events.