Leader – Tough climate for new mayor
Action plans are all well and good, but it’s the implementation that counts
Environment
The Citizen Gardener: Taking a leaf
Our resident expert on how to use autumn’s falling bounty to your advantage
The Citizen Gardener: Community orchards
Our resident expert on the important role orchards play in wildlife conservation
‘Real community feel’: New plant-inspired mural set to brighten up Dalston
Artist Claire Ward-Thornton is finishing off a nine-metre-high artwork on Wilton Way
Campaigners hail council’s ‘ambitious and urgent’ new greenprint for Hackney
The plans highlight seven areas of the borough in need of more green space
Spending up on Church Street as Town Hall hails LTN’s ‘positive impact on retail’
Anonymous bank card data shows a recent 200 per cent increase in Mastercard payments
‘Destination of choice’: Hackney Central’s pull with visitors to get major boost as council secures £19m cash injection
Money will be spent on new green space, tree-planting, and revamps for Pembury Circus and the Town Hall square
‘Truly inspiring precedent’: East London’s first wild swimming pond inches closer as campaign group glides past £500k crowdfunding target
East London Waterworks Park campaigners now have their sights set on purchasing the land for their ‘brownfield rainforest’
‘Best form of transport’: New walking map of Hackney Central celebrates borough’s ‘fascinating and diverse’ history
Hackney Central Footways, available online and in print for free, is designed to encourage people to explore on foot
The Citizen Gardener: Foraging to help, not hinder
Our gardening expert on the growing popularity of an ancient practice, and how to do it responsibly
‘Easy and intuitive’: Meet the locals saving money and helping the environment by borrowing from the Library of Things
Venues in Hackney Wick and Dalston are thought to have saved people around £33k – and their DIY skills are improving
Residents report ‘demoralising’ vandalism of new street trees across Hackney
Those responsible for damaging saplings are being urged to think about the climate emergency
The Citizen Gardener: Scythe in pleasure
Kate Poland on the joys of sweeping a blade through the blades, and why it’s actually kinder and more efficient than a machine
Mixed reviews for Low Traffic Neighbourhood on Church Street – with traders unhappy and others praising health benefits
Cars are banned from using the popular shopping street between 7am and 7pm
How green is Hackney?
In the wake of the COP26 climate conference, Lizzie McAllister looks into how Hackney fares on major environmental issues
The Citizen Gardener: Worms are a sign of a healthy environment
Kate Poland on the crucial role earthworms play in our ecosystem