Nature Near London: December 2013

Rounding off 2013 in the borough of Richmond, the Environment Trust's volunteers made a return visit to the London Wildlife Trust's Crane Park Island Nature Reserve. This is a nice gentle task ahead of Christmas, where volunteers trim back the hedge that borders the wheelchair accessible path, and opens up views across the reed bed. Ash, hawthorn, spindle, beech, and hornbeam were amongst the species trimmed back.

Volunteers trim the hedge.

In other areas, the hedge has been laid.

The view across the reed bed is opened up again.

Willow sculptures add a new dimension to the woodland.

The trimmed hedge will need cutting again in 12 months time.

The view across the ruins of the gunpowder works towards the Butts Farm Estate.

The Shot Tower is seen through the leaf-less trees on the island.

The village pond at Old Malden, known as Plough Pond, is at least 500 years old, and is the one surviving pond of three that originally occupied the site. Once a rural pond alongside the village green and public house, now, surrounded by housing and traffic of southwest London. Urbanisation is not kind to sensitive habitats such as ponds, and proximity of the pond to a busy road, in the past resulted in contaminated silts entering the pond. Some years ago the pond was dredged and the connection with the road was sealed up. Previously, a pump circulated the water, but this broke a number of years ago, and would cost £15,000 to replace. This has resulted in a build-up of duck weed, which can make the pond unattractive, although a recent water quality test found the water to be very clean.

In an effort to improve the pond for wildlife and in terms of its aesthetics, the Environment Trust visited the pond to remove previously cut vegetation, remove rubbish and prune a goat willow tree that contributes excess leaf litter to the pond.

There's more to do, but a start has been made. Future improvements could include skimming some of the duck weed off the pond, and perhaps laying the perimeter hedge. Ash poles from the nearby Manor Park could be used for this purpose.

We hope to have the results of a pond invertebrate survey conducted by Linda P. in the near future. Thanks for the photos Linda.