Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Park

The Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Park is a park situated along the River Thames in the Greenwich Peninsula in South London. The park reflects the nature of the original marshland on the peninsula. The park provides a haven for many different species of bird, plants and bugs and acts as an important brownfield land to control urban sprawl. The park is a partnership project of Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and now managed by The Conservation Volunteers (TCV). The area of the park is 11 hectares and is half aquatic and half terrestrial. Development was completed in 2000 and the park opened to public in 2002. In April 2011 the Trust took on the management of a new site nearby, the Meantime Nursery, with aims to create on vacant development land a resource for the community and for nature conservation. The park is a Site of Borough Importance for Nature Conservation, Grade I. The Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Park contains multiple man-made, fresh water habitats within a small area, resulting in high biodiversity and the presence of amphibians, fish, and insects. Two lakes, marshland, shingle beach, alder carr, shallow pools, willow beds and meadow are contained within the park. The two lakes are pumped water from a chalk borehole deep underground to ensure the water quality is suitable for wildlife. Water level is controlled carefully to mimic natural seasonal variations, so that water levels are low in summer and high in winter. The lakes are surrounded by marshes where reeds grow, providing shelter and food for birds, including grebes and warblers. The shingle beach has sandy soil and rocks for dragonflies to breed and butterflies to bask. The carr is a waterlogged woodland dominated by alder, which tolerates submerged roots in wet ground. There is also dead wood in the area, providing habitats for invertebrates. Willow in the park is coppiced on a regular basis and stocked up as mulch to lie on the ground to retain moisture and prevent grass from growing. Shallow…