This site follows a winding section of the River Brent. The river here has, for the most part steep, heavily-wooded banks. The main pathway leads through a mixture of amenity grassland with trees, scrub and tall herbs.Along the east of the site runs the Canal Feeder. Formerly used to supply the Grand Union Canal from Brent Reservoir, this narrow watercourse appears to have semi-natural banks here. Near the railway is Chalkhill Sports Ground, including a former BMX track now overgrown with scrub.
Local Wildlife Site
Accessible Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation
Quainton Street Open Space
Borough: Brent
Grade: Borough Grade I
Access: Free public access (all/most of site)
Area: 6.28 ha
Description
Wildlife
The dense tangle of trees and scrub on the riverbank includes field maple, hawthorn, hybrid hawthorn, ash and bramble. These densely vegetated areas, where there is little disturbance, are important for birds, mammals, insects and fungi.Common duckweed blankets much of the water surface of the slow moving Canal Feeder. Aquatic vegetation includes common water plantain, soft rush, pendulous sedge, amphibious bistort, reed canary-grass and great reedmace, all overhung by and willows and alder trees. Southern hawker dragonflies patrol, and moorhens nest on a raft of trapped debris. In the earth hummocks of the former BMX track live ground-nesting solitary bees in bared patches of soil. Meadow brown and gatekeeper butterflies also fly here, along with the day-flying cinnabar moth. Wildflowers include the awesome giant hogweed, zigzag clover and an attractive white-flowered form of musk mallow. Chaffinch and house sparrows may be seen here.Facilities
Information (on signs).
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