About us
Wilder exists to try to halt biodiversity decline in our cities, and to change mind sets. We want to challenge current urban gardening practices that rely on fossil-fuel powered machinery and spraying, to show that cities can become both friendlier towards wildlife and more liveable for people.
Our projects demonstrate the cooling and carbon-storing properties of urban planting. And food sovereignty is a central part of our work, engaging people with permaculture practices that reduce dependency on imported and packaged food.
Wilder is run by Leanne Werner and Helena Smith, who met when Leanne was chairing Southwark Council's climate emergency scrutiny commission. Leanne put out a call for a videographer to document the drop in pollution during the 2020 lockdown. Helena filmed Southwark Voices in response.
Our combined skills encompass fundraising, policy change, writing, photography and video-making. And we love gardening, and the life-enhancing benefits of connecting with the soil.
Our board
Georgia Smith has worked as Urban Gardener for Better Bankside in Southwark, planting and maintaining the network of green spaces created through Bankside Urban Forest with the help from residents and volunteers. Her work helped secure a Green Flag Community Award for Better Bankside. In 2018 Georgia was recognised as a rising star in the horticulture industry, featuring in Pro Landscaper's '30 Under 30'.
Naomi Terry's work centres around social and ecological reconciliation – where justice, wellbeing and community are cornerstones to an ecologically bright future. She has worked with wildlife ecology, food system resilience and decolonial educational models. Naomi grew up in London and Leeds and is always looking to get her hands in the soil. She holds a master's from the Stockholm Resilience Centre.
Maggie Avison is an artist and freelance researcher, with a background in working and volunteering for animal welfare and environmental charities including World Animal Protection and SPANA. As a child, Maggie spent hours fascinated by the frogs in her family's back garden pond. This ignited a lifelong appreciation for garden wildlife. She thinks every garden should have a pond, no matter how small.
Contact us
The Front Office
56 Southwark Bridge Road
London SE1 0AS
Phone
07956 189171 or 07963 349542
Company number 13012647
VAT number 455487654
‘The future of the planet concerns all of us, and all of us should do what we can to protect it. You don't need a diploma to plant a tree.’
— Wangari Maathai
Artwork by INxSANIxTY