Local Wildlife Site

Wildlife

The two golf courses have some nice semi-natural grassland communities and a mix of other habitats to add variety. Some uncommon plants including harebell and sand spurrey are found in the acid grassland communities especially in the south of West Middlesex Golf Course. Betony, a scarce plant in London characteristic of unimproved grassland, can also be found on the golf course. The river has a mixture of wooded banks and more open areas providing a variety of niches for plants and animals favouring wet habitats. Dormers Mill Pond is the largest water body in the Borough (apart from the lake at The Aviary) attracts waterfowl and several dragonfly species. Parts of Brent Lodge Park and Churchfields are managed for nature conservation with grassland being cut annually for hay, hedges allowed to grow out and up and areas of rough vegetation left to their own devices. The hay meadows are dominated by meadow foxtail and contain a good diversity of wild flowers, including cuckooflower. Other areas in the park are more formally managed with planted trees and shrubs and closely-mown grassland. Valuable neutral grassland occurs at Dormer's Wells and Brent Meadow. The large pond at Dormer's Wells has well-developed marginal vegetation and abundant submerged aquatic plants including horned pondweed. Other habitats of interest occur at Hanwell Springs (woodland with a natural spring and wetland habitats), Half Acre, and the woodland on the embankment by Wharncliffe Viaduct, which has recently been opened to public access.

Facilities

No information available