Plashet Park Community Nature Trail

The Plashet Park nature trail project aims to be a “celebration of our community”. Bringing together people from local schools, health providers like the NHS and community groups to co-create a sensitively landscaped, interactive trail that enhances the green space within the park. Increasing the activities on offer for families and adults and improving under-used areas of the park, helping local residents to get the most out of time spent outdoors and in nature. 

As people move from one area of the trail to the next we aim to stimulate different senses, transporting people through different natural environments from the butterfly and bee garden, to the sensory garden to the woodland fernery. The trail will increase biodiversity and natural play through diverse planting and a variety of landscaped features which will also add visual interest. We aim to use sustainable, recycled and natural materials where possible, linking with Applecart and Patch Cafés to recycle their coffee grounds. We hope to include wild planting indigenous to the UK as well as pockets of plants found in other countries-reflecting the diversity of Newham.

Offering people “5 minutes peace” in an urban space and a chance to learn more about our environment we hope that the trail will bring our community together to share their skills and ideas. Creating support networks and reducing isolation which has resulted from the pandemic, and having a lasting impact on both physical and mental wellbeing.

People will have a chance to learn more about how looking after our environment is an important part of looking after ourselves and through co-production between Applecart Arts and local residents we will make a positive sustainable difference to our local area and longer-term the trail will become a living exhibition that celebrates the diverse cultural heritage within Newham.