Opened in 1878, Mayow Park was originally named Sydenham Recreation Ground and is Lewisham borough’s oldest municipal park. The site’s main wildlife interests are the fine old trees and the birds and insects that they support.
Local Wildlife Site
Accessible Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation
Mayow Park
Borough: Lewisham
Grade: Borough Grade II
Access: Free public access (all/most of site)
Area: 6.98 ha
Description
Wildlife
The park has more than 20 veteran pedunculate oaks, which represent the finest collection of such trees in the borough of Lewisham outside Beckenham Place Park. Very old trees, especially oaks, are particularly valuable for wildlife as they provide a tremendous variety of different niches, including sap runs, dead wood, holes, rot and fissures in the bark. A high diversity of insects is usually associated with such trees, including many beetles whose larvae feed on dead wood. Among these is Britain's largest - the stag beetle. This impressive beetle is often seen in the park on summer evenings. A number of other scarce insects have been recorded here, including two rare sycamore fungus beetles and the brown ant.A good range of birds is attracted to the site. A number of these nest here, including nuthatch, great spotted woodpecker and coal tit.Facilities
Playground.
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