SEEING lots of people sign up to a project dedicated to accommodating wildlife would be “magical”, says its founder.

Susie Knox, who lives in Wanstead, launched Wild Wanstead this week in a bid to get people thinking about how they could be kinder to nature.

The 48-year-old, who is joined by five others wanting to make the town more habitable for plants and animals, has also created a website to inform people about how they can make a change.

Ms Knox also plans to set up a Facebook page and issue a survey asking participants how they have altered their gardens.

The environmentalist relishes the prospect of mass participation and wants people to make changes on their own and as a community.

Ms Knox says: “I feel passionate about nature and nature’s in trouble in our country. Conservation problems make us feel powerless but we can make a difference.

“For Wanstead to stay as it is we have to nurture the wildlife we have got and make life easier for the birds we share our space with. The one area we can make a difference is the area we have control over. 

“If we saw lots of people getting involved and making changes individually and collectively it could make a real difference. 

“It would be magical to see people getting involved and planting plants that will attract more insects and bees.

“Wanstead is a tight-knit community and we want to see if people will buy into making a change.”

Participants will have a list of 10 ways they can make their gardens more wildlife-friendly, from keeping a log pile to keeping the grass long. Advice will be available on how best to implement those changes.

Ms Knox says: “We need to think about wildlife more so we can make changes that are sympathetic to the creatures in our area.

“What we say is for people to look at that list, pick one or two things that suit you and do them.

“We hope the project touches a nerve and makes people think they can make a difference in suburban London.”

Ms Knox wants to widen the project over the next two-to-three years to involve schools.

Wild Wanstead launches today, Thursday, March 22.