This area of restored gravel pits beside the River Thames contains a mosaic of habitats, including flower-rich grassland, scrub and woodland. In the northwest is a low-lying area of original flood meadow, which today floods only rarely. The rest of the site is higher and therefore drier having been raised by landfill. Grassland areas, which in some places are fast losing ground to scrub, support a plant community of remarkable diversity, with numerous London rarities.Included within the site is the Thames Young Mariners Base, with a willow-fringed lagoon and sluice to the Thames. This is a Local Nature Reserve.
Local Wildlife Site
Accessible Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation
Ham Lands
Borough: Richmond upon Thames
Grade: Metropolitan
Access: Free public access (all/most of site)
Area: 72.27 ha
Description
Wildlife
The flood meadow supports diverse plant life, including meadow saxifrage and dropwort (both rare in London), as well as more typical species such as false fox-sedge and cuckooflower. Other uncommon plants include hairy vetchling, dyer's greenweed, hoary cinquefoil, bee orchid and two nationally scarce species - yellow vetchling and dittander. Beneath scrub may be found a highly unusual form of sweet violet with peach-coloured flowers.The scrub areas support a diversity of birds and mammals. Breeding birds include spotted flycatcher, lesser whitethroat and tawny owl. The Thames Young Mariners Base supports a range of common water birds, including breeding reed bunting and kingfisher.Facilities
No information available
Roosting tawny owls © Nigel Reeve
Bee orchid © Mike Waite
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