This large and very popular park is in the densely built-up north of Southwark borough. It features trees, amenity grassland, a small lake and a nature garden. The nature garden was created in 2003 on an old playground, funded largely by the Heritage Lottery Fund. This small area is managed by Southwark Council and accessible on request only. The park is a Grade II listed landscape of considerable arboricultural interest and has held a Green Flag award since 2006. This site is used by the Southwark Health Walks project as part of the Walking the Way to Health (WHI) scheme.
Local Wildlife Site
Accessible Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation
Southwark Park
Borough: Southwark
Grade: Borough Grade II
Access: Free public access (all/most of site)
Area: 26.59 ha
Description
Wildlife
There is very good tree cover, almost forming a closed canopy over much of the northern part of the park. The trees are mostly London planes and other exotics, but they support a good bird population, including breeding spotted flycatchers, and the park holds perhaps the closest speckled wood butterflies to central London. A small lake with a wooded island supports breeding tufted duck, mallard, coot and moorhen; it has little marginal vegetation, but concrete planters support emergent flora and other habitat enhancements are being made. The pond supports marginal vegetation and common amphibians. A small numbers of pipistrelle bats are regularly seen. The nature garden includes a wildflower meadow which has become overgrown and comprises herb-rich roughland, dense scrub, hedges and scattered trees, which are slowly turning into woodland. The area has bug hotels, a bee observation hive, and two ponds.Facilities
Playground; playroom; cafe; toilets; baby changing facilities; disabled toilets; art gallery; open-air events
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