WILD TOLWORTH with Citizen Zoo and The Community Brain

The SHEDx project in Tolworth raised awareness of the borough’s largest nature reserve, Tolworth Court Farm Fields. Surveys and conversations with local residents revealed that many were unaware of the reserve's existence, despite its proximity to homes, Tolworth Station, and Tolworth Broadway.

In response, 121 and the SHEDx team collaborated with the community to renovate a key entrance to the reserve. The redesigned entrance incorporates several enhancements built around the existing infrastructure: a welcoming new gate with signage, totem posts representing the reserve's fauna, and a bug hotel inspired by the form of Tolworth Tower.

More recently, Citizen Zoo, The Community Brain, and Kingston Council have established a vision for inclusive rewilding at Tolworth Court Farm. Following extensive ecological surveys, community consultations, and feasibility studies, this initiative will implement significant changes to transform the site into a flagship rewilding project for London. Since the project's inception, 121 Collective has led the design and construction of all built interventions and managed community engagement, employing participatory, hands-on approaches.

Although the 43-hectare site comprises seven meadows with ancient hedgerows, a locally significant population of brown hairstreak butterflies, and a small area of wetland, its ecological potential remains largely untapped. The shared vision is to create a dynamic, diverse nature reserve that supports a richer and more abundant wildlife population. Through innovative rewilding measures, inspired by rural projects such as mixed grazing regimes, the aim is to restore and enhance the site’s ecological balance while respecting its rich cultural heritage.