Local Wildlife Site

Wildlife

Churchfield wood consists of oak and sycamore, with outgrown coppice of hazel, ash, hornbeam and field maple. The ground layer is dominated by bluebell and bramble, with yellow archangel, dog's mercury, wood anemone and hairy woodrush. The wood supports a good range of breeding birds, and the abundance of dead wood is of high value for insects. An extension to the woodland was recently planted with similar species and semi-improved neutral grassland underneath. This supports a good population of ringlet, meadow brown and skipper butterflies. Churchfield Meadows consists of several semi-improved neutral grassland fields with some scattered trees and scrub. Some of the meadows are heavily grazed while others are left unmanaged. A small area of acid grassland in the southeast of the site supports the London notable hare's-foot clover. The meadows are also likely to support small mammals. The site is occupied by the three reptile species found in Bexley - slow worm, common lizard and grass snake. St Mary's Churchyard is managed for nature conservation and it contains a moderately herb-rich grassland, including the rare London plant Harebell.

Facilities

Walking routes