Protecting London’s wildlife for the future SPRING 2014 I 103 I WAKING FROM WINTER
News in brief Wild London spring 2014 Welcome to the spring issue of Wild London. After a wet, windy and challenging winter we are looking forward to the warmth of spring and enjoying London’s green spaces. We are hugely grateful to the many volunteers who worked with us during the worst of the winter weather; we couldn’t do our job without you. Even with the support of our volunteers, we have to fundraise if we are to protect London’s wildlife and wild spaces. The Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 mile cycle challenge in August is one of the many ways we can raise money to support our work. We have room for up to ten sponsored cyclists to compete and I hope you will give them your support. I’ll be taking part myself – a challenge I am happy to accept for London’s wildlife. Find out more on the back page. London’s green space isn’t just essential for wildlife, it is hugely important for people as well. Access to nature makes people feel happier and healthier; what’s good for wildlife is also good for us, our families and friends. London’s green spaces clean our air, absorb excess rainfall and provide cooling shade in summer – they are an essential part of our city – and we will do all we can to protect them.
Munitions site explodes with nature
Carlo Laurenzi OBE Chief Executive of London Wildlife Trust
In January a new floating platform – Viewpoint – was installed on the Regent’s Canal at Camley Street Natural Park, a ten minute walk from King’s Cross station. Produced in partnership with The Finnish Institute and the Architecture Foundation, Viewpoint is a great spot from which to study and enjoy the wildlife of the Regent’s Canal, where Daubenton’s bat, mute swan and kingfisher can all be seen. The platform provides a new public area for our education and public engagement programmes, giving us more space without disturbing habitats within the park.
We are on the move!
After 16 years in Southwark, we are moving to Westminster. From March our new address will be: London Wildlife Trust, 2nd Floor, Dean Bradley House, 52 Horseferry Road, London, SW1P 2AF Our phone numbers, email and website remain the same. 2
Thamesmead residents were thrilled to see their nature reserve win a whopping £50,000 from the Big Lottery Fund, as part of a project overseen by London Wildlife Trust. The Wild about Thamesmead campaign will renovate Tump 53, a neglected, former munitions testing site which was reclaimed by nature in the 1970s. It now supports mixed woodland, a glade, a pond, and is surrounded by a reed-fringed moat. Over 60 bird species have been spotted here, including kingfisher, willow warbler and redpoll. Tump 53 is a fantastic site but a lack of resources has meant that the reserve remained locked up and poorly used. Working with our partners, Trust Thamesmead and Gallions
Housing Association, we can now invest in this unique reserve, enriching the wildlife and opening the site up to local people, school groups and volunteers, allowing them to enjoy this green oasis.
Pond dipping at Tump 53 © News Shopper.
Wilding Streatham Common
Viewpoint at Camley Street
London Wildlife Trust is leading a ground breaking new project which will help to offset the loss of habitats resulting from the development of Network Rail’s Thameslink service. Working with London Borough of Lambeth and local community groups we are planting native trees, shrubs and other plants at carefully selected areas on Streatham Common (most of which was declared Lambeth’s first ever Local Nature Reserve in 2013). The management of existing habitats will also enhance biodiversity on the Common, as well as improving the site for local residents and visitors. The project, which is funded by Thameslink, will enhance biodiversity within the locality. Biodiversity offsetting in an urban environment is complex and challenging, but it has the potential to enrich our natural spaces and increase opportunities for wildlife, if approached with due rigour. This pioneering project should help to enrich the Common and allow us to expertly appraise the offsetting process.
All change for nature?
Following the publication of Government’s Natural Environment White Paper in 2011, the delivery of nature conservation in London has undergone significant changes, predominantly driven by public funding cuts, revised priorities, and a new focus to underpin economic growth. The Trust has worked with Greenspace Information for Greater London (GiGL) to conduct a snapshot of activity in 2013, and to assess the key themes for conservationists to address, which were outlined at a debate at The Guardian’s offices in November. Our report, All change?, suggests that the frameworks developed over the past 30 years appear vulnerable to disintegration. However, new localised actions on foodgrowing, urban bee keeping and meadow planting are providing platforms for different audiences becoming involved. bit.ly/1mgVMPy
Planting black poplar in Kidbrooke
Black poplar is Britain’s rarest native timber tree, with only a few thousand veterans remaining. Other than recently planted cuttings, most black poplars are thought to average 100 years in age. To help conserve this increasingly scarce species, we teamed up with Berkeley Homes and the children of Holy Family Catholic Primary School to plant a new avenue of black poplar in Kidbrooke Village. The Village is a new development in the Royal Borough of Greenwich replacing the Ferrier Estate, once regarded as one of the largest and most deprived estates in London.
New reserve in Crayford
Our latest reserve is Braeburn Park, a site which has previously been used for sand extraction, landfill, as an orchard and a firing range for the Old Crayford Gun Club, and now surrounds a residential estate. The Park has an interesting ecology, especially for brownfield invertebrates, and also supports a geological Site of Special Scientific Interest. Funding has been provided to manage the reserve through an endowment, and a formal launch with our partners, The Land Trust and Bexley Council, will be announced later in 2014. Front cover: orange-tip butterfly on lady’s smock © Susan Robinson Top: wood anemones © Penny Frith Left: Viewpoint © Finnish Institute Right: planting black poplar © London Wildlife Trust Far right: wren © Margaret Holland
Seething over the Wells?
We recently attended an appeal hearing to help fight a proposal to build housing on the disused Seething Wells Filter Beds in Surbiton. This is the largest area of standing open water in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and a crucial feeding and roosting site for bats and birds, and designated as a Site of Borough Importance for Nature Conservation. We are supporting local objectors to this damaging scheme. Last year the 47 Wildlife Trusts ensured 3,000 planning applications and 330 development plans were made better for nature. A decision will be made on the future of the Wells later in 2014.
Wrens and robins prefer the suburbs
The landmark Bird Atlas 2007-11, published by British Trust for Ornithology, shows some clear trends for different bird species in Greater London. Unsurprisingly, some species favour the city while others shun it. Detailed maps indicate significant increases in numbers (compared to neighbouring counties) for species such as mute swan, pochard, tufted duck, grey heron, ringnecked parakeet, swift and starling. Wrens and (to a lesser extent) robins have a low distribution in central London but a ring of high density in the suburbs before decreasing again further out. Species that have undergone significant relative declines include kestrel, woodpigeon, tawny owl, green woodpecker, house martin, chiffchaff, chaffinch and yellowhammer. bto.org
join us online @wildlondon LondonWildlifeTrust flickr.com/groups/londonwildlifetrust
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Wildlife on the home front Common frogs and disappearing hogs
Hedgehogs under pressure Is it time to give the urchin a helping hand?
Karen Hall shares the joys of a pond full of frogs If you’re lucky enough to have a garden in central London, it feels good to share it with as many visitors as possible. It’s a refuge for me, alongside an army of frogs, a range of garden birds, the occasional dragonfly and a host of other wildlife that likes to drop in from time to time. I even have a solitary bat which swoops over the garden during the summer months, munching on the insects that frequent the evening sky. I’m no gardening expert, yet my small garden teems with wildlife. It thrives with little attention on my part, other than a few simple, wildlife friendly adjustments. Central to the garden is the pond where frogs and toads return each spring to breed, notifying their arrival with a cacophony of croaking. The pond is simple but effective, made from a pond liner, with added stones and recycled bricks to allow planting at different depths. A smattering of plants such as water mint, marsh marigold and yellow flag iris provide cover and a welcome splash of colour in the summer months. The joy of watching tadpoles turn into frogs has inspired me to seek further guidance on how to make the whole garden a haven for wildlife. Small frogs love my lawn so I have been leaving the grass long and letting wildflowers blossom. Over the winter, leaves are left where they fall, helping to insulate and enrich the ground. Invertebrates hide from the worst of the winter frosts below the leaves, and in turn provide food for foraging birds. The majority of the planting is native species, appealing to insects such as bees and butterflies. Piles of dead logs have been placed around the borders to attract beetles and a compost heap slumbers in the corner. These are all easy things to create and maintain. It’s also fun to experiment and see what works; last year I created a moss garden. This year I will add a fringe of wildflowers around the pond – a perennial and annual mix of seed suitable for the heavy clay soil that London is famous for. Then I’ll just sit back and see what happens. Karen is Business Development Manager for London Wildlife Trust 4
Free wildflower seeds
Here’s a great opportunity, open to London Wildlife Trust members and their friends. Just send us a stamped, self-addressed envelope and we will give you a free packet of wildflower seeds, perfect for your garden, flower pots or a window box. Write to London Wildlife Trust (seed offer), 2nd Floor, 52 Horseferry Road, SW1P 2AF.
Support wildlife
Donations are an important source of income for London Wildlife Trust, allowing us to maintain our reserves and protect London’s wild spaces and wildlife. If you would like to help, visit wildlondon.org.uk/donate or write to us. Top: common frog © Richard Bowler Above: flowerpots © Johanne Daoust
In 2013 a BBC poll voted the hedgehog (or Western European hedgehog, Erinaceus europaeus, to give it its full name) as Britain’s natural emblem. Nevertheless, all evidence appears to show that this much-loved spiny icon is in real trouble. Not just in the countryside but also in London. Recent studies suggest that hedgehog numbers in Britain are declining alarmingly quickly. Sightings are falling by 3 to 5% each year (both in towns and the wider countryside), with the losses most apparent in the south-east, eastern and south-west of the country, according to the results of a 10-year trend analysis by People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES). In addition, records of hedgehogs in urban and suburban green spaces fell by 37% between 2003 and 2012 according to annual Living with Mammals surveys. This data supports the widespread and consistent anecdotal evidence of a decline – one that has not gone unnoticed by the many people who once enjoyed seeing hedgehogs in their gardens. It was estimated there were many millions of hedgehogs in
Britain in the 1950s. By the mid-1990s data suggested a more modest population of 1.5 million, but surveys since then suggest that in some regions of Britain numbers have collapsed by a half. In London hedgehogs have disappeared from the inner city. Less than half of the places in the capital where they were recorded in the mid-1960s now have them. The reasons may be simple; habitat loss, poor management of hedgerows and fragmentation of habitat appear to be prime candidates. Development pressure around towns – including construction on brownfield sites - inevitably helps to fragment and sever habitats, significantly restricting the roaming ability of hedgehogs. In London the growth in night-time traffic and general hubbub has been another driving force; it plays havoc with the midnight ramblings of these inquisitive insectivores. Where once upon a time the early hours were quiet across most of the city’s roads – allowing the hedgehogs to roam freely and safely – this is now no longer the case. And what we’ve been doing to our gardens hasn’t helped either; concreting over the fronts, decking over the backs, tidying up the scruffy corners, and installing superefficient fencing to mark our territories (that doesn’t give room for a beetle to squeeze between the gaps let alone a larger mammal) all help to incrementally reduce the room for hedgehogs to manoeuvre. Meanwhile, the slug pellets which we liberally sprinkle
across our gardens kill the slugs and snails that are a significant part of the hedgehog diet, and can also poison hedgehogs making them sick and vulnerable to predation. However, much of this is conjecture – it is difficult to accurately link landscape changes and pesticide use to overall hedgehog population trends. And there is still a lot of suitable habitat present in London. As Dr Nigel Reeve, a hedgehog expert succinctly puts it: “Hedgehogs love the interstices in cities, the rough brambly places, where they can hide up in the daytime or in winter. We need to defragment the cities for these animals, leave more of the mess for them.” Whilst we aren’t absolutely sure why hedgehog numbers are declining, we do know what we can do to help reverse the trend. Cut back on the slug pellets, let nature back into your garden, and give the much loved hedgehog a fighting chance. You can also visit wildlondon.org.uk/adopt to help us safeguard the hedgehog’s future with a special gift membership offer. References: The state of Britain’s hedgehogs, 2011. David Wembridge, PTES ptes.org hedgehogstreet.org Left: Hedgehog © Gillian Day
© Amy Lewis species to spot this spring song thrush These pretty speckle-breasted birds are famous for their rich, varied song best heard in early spring. Listen for loud, repeated phrases in the early morning or late evening. When not belting out a song from a perch, they can be found rummaging under bushes or on lawns, looking for tasty worms and snails. Look out for smashed snail shells, a sign that a song thrush has been snacking. 5
Bats in an urban landscape
Isleworth Ait
The wild nightlife of London
Hairy snails and dead man’s fingers
It’s not easy being a small bat in a big city London is a growing city. Already home to over 8 million people, the capital’s population is expanding fast. As it becomes ever more crowded, there is less and less room for wild animals and plants. Whilst still a relatively green city, London’s natural habitats are often small and fragmented, separated by ‘barriers’ of densely built-up development. Bats, like many other species, need corridors and networks of natural habitat which allow them to move freely around an area in search of food, mates and shelter. As such, they are especially vulnerable to the processes of urban densification. 6
Increased street lighting, depleted insect prey, high noise levels and 24 hour road traffic can also have a detrimental impact upon bats in London. However, some species do adapt to city life and they can be found in even the most built-up parts of London. A scattered network of gardens, parks, hedgerows and wilder areas provides space for commuting, foraging and sheltering bats, whilst areas of open water and stretches of canal provide feeding and drinking resources. London’s canal network fulfils the role of a wildlife corridor, allowing bats to move deeper into the city. Bats are widely regarded as providing a good indicator of overall landscape health and quality, being particularly sensitive to landscape change. Although bat activity is undoubtedly reduced in heavily urbanised landscapes, the presence of nine species of bat in London (out of 17 breeding species living in Britain) indicates that the city still harbours bat-friendly habitats. Daubenton’s bats are particularly sensitive to higher urban densities and yet they can be seen flying in low, wide circles over water bodies all across London. Meanwhile, pipistrelles are common in the suburbs, utilising gardens, woodland fragments and other semi-natural habitats found in outlying areas. Gardens play an especially important role for bats in the urban landscape. They provide rich landscapes for foraging, whilst being ideally located to provide roosting opportunities in adjacent housing. Additionally, whilst lighting can be detrimental to bats, species such as noctule, Leisler’s, serotine and pipistrelle have all been shown to swarm around street lighting, feasting on the insects drawn to the light. Words by Tom Hayward Left: brown long-eared bat © Hugh Clark Right: pipistrelle bat © Amy Lewis
What do bats eat?
Candlesnuff, artist’s and oyster fungi can be found alongside dead man’s fingers, but the most unusual fungus is the rare Mycena maculata. More surveying needs to be done, especially as far as bats and other mammals are concerned, to gain a true picture of the diversity of this remarkable reserve. Up to 15 volunteers ferry across to the Ait every month to carry out tasks ranging from building kingfisher banks, to recording changes to the island through fixed point photography.
All British bats are nocturnal, coming out at night to feed on midges, mosquitos, flies, moths, beetles and other flying insects which they find by using echolocation. Even the smallest of bats can eat several thousand mosquitos in a single night.
Seeing bats for yourself
Bats can generally be seen from late March until early November in London, but this does depend on weather conditions. During the colder months bats hibernate, slowing their heart rate right down until they are in a state of torpor. They prefer to roost in older buildings and bridges, making use of cracks, crevices and roof spaces. Modern buildings tend not to be very bat friendly.
Bats to spot in London • Common pipistrelle • Soprano pipistrelle • Nathusius’ pipistrelle • Noctule • Leisler’s • Serotine • Brown long-eared • Daubenton’s • Natterer’s • Brandt’s and whiskered bat have also been spotted, but only on rare occasions. We run several bat spotting evenings throughout the year at our reserves. Check wildlondon.org.uk/whats-on to find out when the next Bat Walk is.
Viewing Isleworth Ait
An island sanctuary for wildlife in the middle of the River Thames With its populations of German hairy snail and two-lipped door snail, ring-necked parakeet, heron and rare beetles, Isleworth Ait is a valuable wildlife refuge isolated from west London by the Thames tides. Broad leaved woodland, including large Italian/black poplar, ash, willow and sycamore dominates the island, while the understory has stands of nettle, cow parsley and Himalayan balsam together with stunted hawthorn.
On the east of the Ait is a large osier bed, used commercially for basket making up until the end of the Second World War. As the surrounding area was London’s fruit basket, especially for apples and pears, willow baskets were in great demand. Nowadays the osiers are harvested on an annual basis for use as willow sculptures, fencing and garden features. Although famed for its rare snails, the Ait is bristling with other interesting wildlife. Large amounts of dead wood and a variety of habitats are home to a number of rare and unusual fungi and beetles. Out of a total of 193 recorded species of beetle on the island, 22 are categorised as nationally threatened or scarce such as Oxypoda nigrocincta, Clambus palidulus and Cossonus linearis which are found at only a handful of sites in Britain. Top: a view of Isleworth Ait © Rob Lee Left: German hairy snail © Mathew Frith
To conserve the unique wildlife, access to Isleworth Ait is not encouraged but we hope to hold an open day in 2014, weather and river conditions permitting. You can also get excellent views of the island from Isleworth waterfront and the popular local pubs. Words by Cliff Watson, reserve warden
species to spot this spring sand martin For many, the return of sand martins to Britain in mid-March from their wintering grounds in Africa, marks the arrival of spring. These small, pale brown birds can often be seen flitting over rivers, marshes and reservoirs as they hunt airborne insects.
© Margaret Holland 7
Your wild London Wildlife events London Wildlife Trust runs a range of events each year. Find out more at wildlondon.org.uk/whats-on or call on 020 7803 4272. Join our mailing list via membership@wildlondon.org.uk Conservation work and newt spotting Park Road Ponds, Uxbridge Thursday 8th May, 7.00pm - 9.00pm Contact Ann Rix 01895 466804 Dawn chorus and evening bird walks Sydenham Hill Wood Friday 9th May, 4.45am Thursday 15th May, 7.00pm Contact dgreenwood@wildlondon.org.uk Bird watching in Ten Acre Wood Hillingdon Sunday 18th May, 2:00pm - 4:00pm. Meet at Charville Community Centre Pushchair/wheelchair friendly. * Guided walk in Frays Valley Uxbridge Sunday 8th June, 2:00pm - 4:30pm * Contact Roger Taylor on 01895 448028 or lwthillingdon@aol.com
On your bike
The Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 mile cycle ride is a great opportunity to raise funds in support of wildlife whilst undertaking a significant personal challenge. The ride starts in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on the morning of 10th August 2014 and follows a 100-mile route on closed roads through the capital and into Surrey’s stunning countryside. With leg-testing climbs and a route made famous by the world’s best cyclists at the London 2012 Olympics, it’s a truly spectacular event for all involved. You will need to be fit to take part in this challenge, as all riders must reach the finish line at The Mall in central London within eight and a half hours.
London business, London wildlife
Every year London businesses donate thousands of pounds and hundreds of volunteer hours to London Wildlife Trust. We have no room to thank them all, but their support is incredibly important to us. If your business, college or school would like to support our work, contact our Business Development Manager Karen Hall on khall@wildlondon.org.uk or 020 7803 4284.
Wildflower walk Sydenham Hill Wood Sunday 8th June, 2.00pm Contact dgreenwood@wildlondon.org.uk
Registered charity number 283895
Wildlife workouts
Get closer to the natural world as a volunteer with London Wildlife Trust. It’s a great opportunity to enjoy some fresh air, get fitter and help look after the capital’s wildlife. There are lots of different ways to get involved, from one off events to regular volunteering sessions, in locations all across London. You don’t have to be experienced or a wildlife expert – everyone is welcome, whatever your age, ability or fitness. We are always keen to recruit new volunteers and our local groups would love to hear from you. For information see wildlondon.org.uk/volunteer or call Jane Clarke on 020 7803 4289.
Join a local group
London Wildlife Trust is the only charity dedicated solely to protecting the capital’s wildlife and wild spaces, engaging London’s diverse communities through access to our nature reserves, campaigning, volunteering and education. Contact us 2nd Floor, Dean Bradley House, 52 Horseferry Road, London SW1P 2AF www.wildlondon.org.uk enquiries@wildlondon.org.uk Tel: 020 7261 0447
London Wildlife Trust has ten spaces reserved and we are looking for more cyclists to join our team. If you think you’ve got what it takes, we’ll provide you with all the support we can. For more information see wildlondon.org.uk or call Ryan Chown on 020 7803 4272 before the end of March.
Above: corporate volunteers from Mace at Yeading Brook © London Wildlife Trust
London Wildlife Trust has over 15 local groups, providing opportunities to take part in walks and talks or help us with practical work on nature reserves. Some groups also look at local planning applications, work with local authorities and other wildlife groups and fundraise for local projects. Find out more at wildlondon.org.uk/volunteerfor-your-local-group