Local Wildlife Site

Wildlife

No one species of grass dominate the wildflower meadows, although red fescue, false oat-grass and creeping bent are common. Wildflowers, many of them insect attracting, include common knapweed, wild carrot, teasel, lady's bedstraw and bird's-foot-trefoil. There is a small pond next to the railway partly enclosed by willows and alder. A number of marginals are present e.g. meadowsweet, lesser pond-sedge, yellow iris, hard rush, purple loosestrife and common reed. There are native hedges and areas of scrub of hazel, dogwood, dog rose, guilder rose and hawthorn (amongst others) and mostly young scattered trees including poplar, oak and ash. The area is attractive to a variety of insects including butterflies, grasshoppers and dragonflies. Birds found here include song thrush, blackcap, blue tit and chiffchaff. This site was upgraded from Local to Borough Grade II in 2013. The large wildflower meadow, which is scythed each year after flowering and seeding, was established in 2015 and the wildlife pond was renovated in 2017. As part of the Mayor's Go Rewild Project 2022-2023, there are plans to establish a wildlife orchard and plant native hedgerow in the reserve and restore the historic pond in the allotments.

Facilities

Nature trails, outdoor cinema (seasonal)