This small wildlife area occupies the site of six former tennis courts, and a nearby area of young woodland on the embankment of the A3 Kingston by-pass. The tennis courts had been long abandoned when they were dug up and re-surfaced with clay-type material, and the trees have been planted or become established naturally since the widening of the A3 in the 1920s.
Local Wildlife Site
Accessible Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation
Raynes Park Sports Ground Conservation Area
Borough: Merton
Grade: Local
Access: Free public access (all/most of site)
Area: 0.78 ha
Description
Wildlife
The old courts form three terraces falling to the north. The lowest, northern, one has a clay-lined pond with a little Canadian waterweed and breeding frogs. Between the terraces are dry-stone walls, providing shelter and hibernation sites for animals. The upper two terraces have extensive colonising grassy and tall herbaceous vegetation, predominantly of field horsetail, false oat-grass, wild carrot, common mouse-ear, cleavers, red dead-nettle and common nettle, but with a good variety of other species providing a nectar source for bees and butterflies. These include yarrow, Michaelmas daisy, hogweed, common mallow, black medick, ribbed melilot, buttercups and common vetch.The banks of the road have young woodland of sycamore, oak, ash, lime and willows, with hawthorn beneath.Facilities
No information available
Bumblebee on thistlehead © Jason Gallier
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