Opening Up London’s Outdoors

The job title “park ranger” conjures images of national parks and wilderness, not a dense city like London. Yet across the British capital, more than a thousand National Park City rangers are reimagining what stewardship of nature can look like in an urban setting. These rangers, most of them volunteers, work within their own neighborhoods to connect people with nature, improve well-being, and help make London greener, healthier, and more inclusive.

In July 2019, London became the world’s first National Park City. The designation reflects the city’s remarkable return to nature: nearly half of London consists of green and blue spaces, including parks, rivers, canals, and wetlands. The city is home to an estimated 8.4 million trees — almost one per resident. The ranger program helps ensure that this abundance of nature is actively shared.

Getting People Outdoors

One of these National Park City rangers is Ingrina Shieh, who has served in the role since May 2020. Based in South London, she organizes monthly walks that extend across the city and into the surrounding counties. Her aim is to give people opportunities to get outdoors, meet others, and explore green and blue spaces in ways that support both physical and mental well-being.

“Our walks are usually three to four hours long and take place on the weekend,” she says. “There is growing research about the increased benefits of being active in green versus gray spaces, so we walk through spaces that offer respite from noise and air pollution. Anyone, regardless of their walking experience, can come along.”

But Ingrina’s role goes well beyond organizing walks. She believes that by telling stories, both during the walks and in articles sharing her experience, and being a woman of color in a leadership position, she can help people see themselves as belonging in these spaces.

“The journey to being confident in the outdoors is filled with a lot more steps — and therefore obstacles — than people might think,” she explains, adding that everything from lack of representation to practical worries cause people to avoid getting into nature. “That’s why I love seeing the growth of group walks. They can offer a safe space for people to explore and find what they love about urban nature.”

Access and Belonging

In a city like London, access to nature remains a challenge: The city’s vast public transportation system can be difficult to navigate, especially for people who need step-free access or are unfamiliar with certain routes. Almost 40% of people from the global majority live in England’s most green space–deprived neighborhoods, according to Friends of the Earth. 

As a ranger, Ingrina tries to offer practical support, helping participants feel confident about getting to and from green spaces. Like all London National Park City rangers, she charges nothing for her guided walks, ensuring that cost is not a barrier to participation. 

Together with London National Park City, Ingrina hopes to encourage more Londoners to walk and cycle when they can, both as a climate solution and as a way to experience the city more intimately. The organization’s website offers resources and tools that translate the idea of a “National Park City” into everyday experiences.

The Librarians of Parks

Looking ahead, Ingrina hopes to see many more pocket parks — small, local green spaces — particularly in neighborhoods that currently lack access to nature. She also envisions a future where city park rangers are more formally recognized as part of London’s civic infrastructure.

“The rangers will be people known by local authorities and included in local newsletters as the points of contact — in a way, the librarians of parks in each borough.”

More broadly, she dreams of a city where residents feel empowered to engage meaningfully with local government and grassroots organizations — for example, to advocate for biodiversity projects, safer walking and cycling corridors, or better access to green and blue spaces. “I wish for a more inclusive London where spaces and facilities are made and maintained for the public good.”