Local Wildlife Site

Wildlife

The northern end of the Gores Brook begins life as a damp patch just north of the District Line. The area is planted with poplars and willows. It continues southwards through allotments and Goresbrook Park, then through more built surrounds. The banks of the brook, particularly through the park, have been planted with trees such as willows, alder and hawthorn over tall herbs and semi-improved neutral grassland. A number of wetland plants occur in the stream itself, including fool's watercress, branched bur-reed, reed canary-grass, galingale, lesser pond-sedge and yellow iris. South of the railway the Gores Brook widens and as a result is quite sluggish. Plants characteristic of brackish water make an appearance including dittander, sea aster and sea club-rush. Common reed is abundant and branched bur-reed frequent. In the water is fennel-leaved pondweed and ‘blanket-weed'. The brook splits into two forks, which rejoin just before entering the River Thames. Within this area an island of reeds has formed. At the northern end succession is beginning with the reed being joined by tall herbs. The Ship & Shovel Sewer joins the Gores from the west just south of the railway. It has a very modest flow and has been counted as ‘standing water' here. It is the richest ditch in the borough. Wetland plants include common reed, gypsywort, common duckweed, floating sweet-grass, reed sweet-grass, common club-rush and branched bur-reed. The western end of the Sewer has been planted with alder, willows and hawthorn over neutral grassland and tall herbs. Elsewhere naturally occurring scattered trees and scrub replace planted trees. The brook supports a population of water vole, as well as interesting invertebrate communities. Himalayan balsam is a major problem along the entire length of the Gores Brook.

Facilities

Playground (Goresbrook Park)