Chestnuts Field

Chestnuts Field

Chestnuts Field, a former grass field in the heart of Walthamstow, has become the site of an exciting newly constructed wetland project running from November 2024 to May 2025. Located in the heart of Waltham Forest borough, just behind the Walthamstow Town Hall, the wetland has been designed to help mitigate flood risk in the area and increase biodiversity.

The technical term for the wetland is a sustainable urban drainage system (SuDS). These provide many benefits, such as the below.

  • Improve water quality: SuDS contain plants and sediments that act as a natural filtration system, helping remove pollutants from the air and dirty water coming from road runoff. They also reduce air pollution and contaminants reaching our river systems, in this case, the Dagenham Brook which runs at the end of the Chestnuts Field.
  • Enhance biodiversity and encourage wildlife: as SuDs are planted with wildlife-friendly plants, they attract pollinators and other local species including Yellow Wag Tails, Orange Tipped Butterflies and Southern Hawker Dragonflies.
  • Improve green spaces: SuDs provide not only sanctuaries for wildlife, but also improve green spaces for the wider benefit of communities too. By having interesting ecosystems on people’s doorsteps, it provides learning and new wellbeing opportunities.
  • Reduce surface water flooding: areas of Walthamstow lie in high risk flood areas, and many homes and businesses faced devasting floods in 2021.

 

Community Engagement on Chestnuts Field

The first community planting day held was held on the site in early November.

The area will offer new kinds of recreation opportunities for the local community. Thames21, in partnership with SWIRE, is rolling out a series of educational and creative workshops as part of our community engagement programme. These initiatives focus on SuDS education, creative workshops, and citizen science activities, and there are even opportunities for residents to help maintain the wetland through planting and water monitoring.

Our Community Planting Day was a huge success, with 50 local residents coming together to learn about SuDS and contribute to the creation of the wetland.

Keep an eye out for more opportunities to get involved in Spring 2025!

 

Training Opportunities on Chestnuts Field

Local volunteers planting riparian species in the first community event.

In addition to community events, we’re offering free, NCFE-accredited training through our flagship course, Leading Action for Healthy Rivers. This course equips you with the skills to organize your own river events, helping you lead initiatives that improve not only Chestnuts Field but also nearby tributaries like Dagenham Brook and the River Ching.

If you are interested in attending this course or any of the events please contact lula.wattam@thames21.org.uk

 

Keep up-to-date with latest events and learn more about SuDS here.