Local Wildlife Site

Wildlife

There are scattered veteran oaks throughout the site, probably surviving from the time when the Common was grazed parkland. Other trees include wild cherry, rowan and beech. The clearings contain various grasses, including creeping soft-grass, and wood and rough meadow-grasses. The small remaining areas of acid grassland in the sports field support heath bedstraw, tormentil, heather, heath wood-rush, slender St John's wort and lesser stitchwort. In the north, on the chalk, calcicolous grassland has developed beneath the trees and there is more beech. There are large swathes of bluebells and other interesting species include moschatel and early dog-violet. The flat valley floor in the extreme north of the site contains many chalk grassland species, including marjoram, wild basil and the rare and protected greater yellow-rattle. Both purple and white-letter hairstreak butterflies can be found here. Coulsdon Common is an important site for breeding birds, and hawfinch and spotted flycatcher have been reported. Common frogs, newts and dragonflies breed in the pond.

Facilities

Information; guided walks; way-marked walking routes; car parking; horse riding; cycle paths; refreshments; events