Local Wildlife Site

Wildlife

The mosaic of wasteland habitats include parched communities in the centre surrounded by tall herbs leading to scrub on the edges. Soil and rubble have been dumped here to a depth of a few metres over the site. This has provided a very good substrate for encouraging a very wide variety of plants and plan communities to thrive. In the centre of the site, conditions appear to be very free-draining so in prolonged periods of dry weather the vegetation becomes very parched. This suits a particular group of species including white stonecrop, flattened meadow-grass, small-flowered crane's-bill and squirreltail fescue. Black medick and spotted medick are particularly abundant in this area. Common restharrow, which is an uncommon species in London, also grows here. Damper areas support tussocks of pendulous sedge and tufted hair-grass. Nearer the edges, vegetation growth is more vigorous and supports a variety of ruderals and tall herbs. Members of the pea family are particularly prominent, with frequent goat's-rue, medicks, melilots, clovers, bird's-foot trefoil and vetches and tares. Beyond this again scrub is gradually developing comprised of buddleja, bramble, grey willow and roses including sweet briar which is uncommon in London, occurring more usually on the chalk. This diversity of plant species and mixture of habitats provides excellent conditions for a wide range of invertebrates. Flocks of seed-eating birds such as finches use the site for foraging. Small mammals also use the site and provide food for hunting kestrels.

Facilities

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