Local Wildlife Site

Wildlife

The central section of the site is poorly vegetated at ground level with ivy dominating due to trampling. In the northern areas, which now have limited public access, the understorey is chiefly tall specimens of hawthorn and elder with regenerating ash, field maple and wild cherry. Bramble dominates the ground flora in the northern area with herbs of greater willowherb, enchanter's nightshade and bittersweet. Trees of ash, sycamore, wild cherry and common lime are the most common canopy trees in the north and central areas with a large Swedish whitebeam prominent in the central area. There is an amazing difference in the southern part of the reserve where access is limited. The area is relatively species rich with a canopy of wild cherry, sycamore, field maple, ash and oak, and an understorey of hazel, English elm and dogwood. The ground flora of tall herbs is diverse with shade-tolerant species such as wood avens, enchanter's nightshade, cow parsley and tutsan, with species of more open habitat including greater stitchwort, red campion and sanicle. A small pond supports yellow iris and marsh marigold on the margins, with the floating aquatic species lesser duckweed and water-starwort. The site regularly hosts numbers of birds such as great tit, blue tit, long-tailed tit, wren, robin, great spotted woodpecker, blackbird and the song thrush which has dramatically declined in London.

Facilities

Information (on signs); car parking; events