Local Wildlife Site

Wildlife

The River Roxbourne is largely secluded and over-shaded by dense brambles and mixed scrub with trees. An area of seasonally wet grassland occurs in the west of the park, with abundant reed canary-grass and tufted hair-grass. A solitary bush of butcher's broom, growing near the west entrance to the site, is presumably a garden escapee. The north of Newton Farm Ecology Park largely comprises secondary woodland, roughland and scrub. The shaded damp areas and decaying timber are home to a range of fungi, and white bryony drapes itself over the woodland canopy. The Roxbourne then flows west under Alexandra Avenue into Newton Park. This large recreation ground contains a number of features of value to wildlife, including the river and areas of rough grassland. The steep banks of the Roxbourne provide a valuable range of habitats. Reed canary-grass, reed sweet-grass, mugwort and bittersweet are amongst the dominant plants, and the river supports small fish. Willows line the edges. A large mixed hedgerow with emergent trees runs along the southern edge of the park. Abandoned hard tennis courts support a good variety of wildflowers, including goat's-beard and mouse-ear hawkweed, with scattered bushes of dog-rose. The site is rich in ground beetles and ground-bugs. The abundant flowering plants can attract numerous bumblebees.

Facilities

No information available