Footwear and fashion retailer Timberland has launched a nature reserve at Westfield London as part of a three-year ‘sustainability’ partnership with the shopping centre.
The space has been designed to feature a range of diverse horticultural areas and forms part of Westfield’s ongoing commitment to the local area.
Timberland’s nature reserve includes a wild flower meadow, insect hotels, a beehive, fruit trees, vegetable beds, and a pond area. It is located behind the Southern Terrace at Westfield London, and it will showcase different methods for growing fruits and vegetables to help visitors learn about sustainable food growing.
In September, Timberland announced a goal for its products to have a net positive impact on nature by 2030 – and, like many a fashion retailer, Timberland has set the target of giving back more than it takes from the environment. The Westfield tie-up is also viewed as an appropriate brand association, with the company having a long-established association with outdoor pursuits.
The company has long placed green matters at the heart of its operations, with its stores built with nature in mind, including its flagship Westfield store which is fitted out with natural materials. Timberland also said in 2019 it wanted to plant 50 million trees by 2025, and it encourages its shoppers to choose slower online delivery by promising to plant a tree each team shoppers pick five to eight-day delivery.
As part of the Westfield London nature reserve partnership, Timberland will run workshops in collaboration with Urban Planters, the company that curated the nature reserve.
Andrea Simmen, marketing manager at Timberland, commented: “The space itself is a great place for local schools to learn about why being in nature is so important, not only for the future of our planet, but also our mental and physical health.
“This space gives us a platform to educate the local community on how they can make small changes on a grassroots level which together contribute towards a greener London.”
Visitors to the Westfield London nature reserve will be made up of students from local specialist schools such as Jack Tizard School and Queensmill School which support young people with severe learning disabilities and autism.
