Mayesbrook Park

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Mayesbrook Park, on the border between Barking and Dagenham, claims to be Britain's first climate change park. It was a traditional urban park with the Mayes Brook running down its western border, but beginning in 2011 its southern section has been revamped as a 'demonstration of urban river restoration'.

Formerly in a sterile concrete channel, the Mayes Brook has been cleaned up and 're-wilded', and now runs in a natural, meandering channel within a specially created floodplain, so that it can overflow in wet weather without causing damage. Insects and wetland flowers have been quick to colonise the new wetland and already it looks as if it has been there for many years.

Meadow areas have been created, and trees and shrubs have been planted to filter airborne pollution and provide shade.

Alongside the usual mallards and canada geese, mute swans, coot and greylag geese occupy the two large lakes, and green woodpeckers and grey squirrels the wooded areas.