Aims
- Raise awareness of the importance of parks and open spaces in the conservation of Waltham Forest's biodiversity
- Increase biodiversity and encourage good conservation practice in the boroughs parks and open spaces
- Work alongside local people to promote enjoyment of wildlife and semi-natural landscapes in parks and open spaces
Introduction
This is a mixed group of green space which includes semi-natural habitats included in other habitat action plans. Parks and open spaces include intensively managed and artificial areas such as communal gardens associated with schools, hospitals and housing development; species poor, frequently cut, drained and fertilised playing fields; open grassland around reservoirs; urban parks dating from the Victorian period with a high proportion of non-native species, areas of ornamental planting and hard landscaping, and old parks with specimen trees.
Many of these habitats are often of limited value for biodiversity, however, parks in particular, may represent the largest area of accessible green space for wildlife and many of the boroughs residents. Great opportunities exist for sensitive habitat creation and management in these areas.
This action plan also includes brownfield sites, these are often extremely rich in plants and insects, and particularly those that prefer disturbed or open ground. Urban wastelands develop on areas that were previously in industrial use, but have since been re-colonised by a range of species. Sites which have been left for a long time may have developed into important sites for wildlife.
Current Status
Table 1: Shows the distribution of green space within Waltham Forest
E10 - 181.62
E11 - 15.34
E15 - 4.62
E17 - 316
E4 - 222.04
IG8 - 39.67
Waltham Forest comprises approximately 780 acres of parks and green spaces. Much of this is managed by the borough and represents a major opportunity for residents to come into contact with the natural world and enjoy wildlife.
Several parks and open spaces are recognised for their nature conservation importance. The London Ecology Unit have classified Banbury Reservoir, The Lea south of the Filter Beds, Temple Mills Wasteland, Mansfield Park Rough and Sewardstone Road Rough as Sites of Borough Importance for Nature Conservation. Lloyd Park, Low Hall Farm, Pimp Hall and The Copse are recognised as Sites of Local Importance.
The borough's largest brownfield site is at Temple Mills has been designated as a site for the International Train Maintenance Depot. There are no similar sites on such a significant scale left within the borough. There are a few small isolated areas of urban wasteland which represent temporary sites of wildlife value. These lie mainly within the Lea Valley.
Biological Status
Over three quarters of the area within parks and open spaces is occupied by species poor grassland. The grassland is usually dominated by ryegrass and species with creeping runners or basal rosettes such as meadow buttercup (Ranunculus acris), daisy (Bellis perennis), and self heal (Prunella vulgaris).
Mansfield Hill has a designated conservation area where mowing has been relaxed pockets of scrub favoured by whitethroats have developed. Sorrel (Rumex acetosa), meadow vetchling (Lathyrus pratensis), and black knapweed (Centaurea nigra) can be found. Over 120 invertebrates including some which are nationally scarce have also been recorded from this site.
Urban parks can contain good numbers of trees, including native and exotic veteran trees and a wide variety of shrubs, although the biodiversity benefits of these are often lost through over-tidiness and concerns over public safety.
Around 40 schools have conservation areas, which generally include native plants and often a pond, although some are neglected. Outside these conservation areas non-native species are mostly planted to ensure that shrub beds etc have minimal maintenance requirements.
Associated birds include green woodpecker; kestrel; sparrowhawk, fieldfare, redwing, whitethroat, long tailed tit, pied wagtail and mistle thrush. Stag beetle and pipistrelle bats have been recorded in the grounds of Whipps Cross Hospital.
A common feature of many brownfield sites is the dominance of species that are considered to be 'weeds', ruderal or pioneer species. These are best able to colonise disturbed or hostile environments, but often succumb to competition once conditions ameliorate or stabilise. The characteristic plant is perhaps the butterfly bush (Buddleia), though common toadflax (Linaria vulgaris); wild pansy (Viola tricolor) and evening-primrose (Oenothera macrocarpa) are also associated with this habitat. The rare (new to London) Little-robin (Geranium purpureum) has colonised the Essex Filter Beds. Bird species commonly found on wasteland include linnet and goldfinch.
Urban wastelands are very important for invertebrates. The varied micro-topography produces a variety of niches, which can be exploited by many invertebrates including rare spiders, beetles, bees and wasps.
Current Factors Affecting the Habitat
Management
While many park users enjoy wildlife in parks, others desire formal landscapes and may consider wildlife habitats to be untidy. Public perceptions of safety can also affect management of green spaces. Actions such as clearing shrubs, filling ponds and levelling land all make the areas less attractive to wildlife.
Grounds maintenance works within parks and open spaces including frequent mowing and use of herbicides can impact affect biodiversity. Contract specifications may include activities harmful to wildlife for instance the requirements to remove leaf litter from shrub beds and the timing of tree and shrub pruning that does not consider nesting birds. Although some habitats in parks and open spaces are managed sensitively for wildlife, lack of management or poor management is a key issue.
Isolation from other habitats
Within Waltham Forest many parks and open spaces are surrounded by urban development which fragments the habitat and isolates populations. Where connections do exist these areas can form useful habitat corridors and refuges, even in the most urban areas.
Fly tipping & vandalism
Fly tipping and dumping of garden refuse makes areas look unattractive and leads to poor perception of these habitats. Vandalism, particularly damaging young trees and planting areas, impacts on the habitat directly. Clearance costs may impact on maintenance or nature conservation budgets.
Disturbance
Heavy usage, trampling, noise and other disturbance affect the wildlife use of the sites. The use of lighting within parks and more particularly sports fields can disturb night flying insects, interrupt nocturnal foraging, and modify behaviour patterns.
Development (No mention of general brownfield site development pressures)
There has been a tendency recently to dispose of parts of playing fields (especially school playing fields) for development. In addition, there has been a trend of replacing grass sports pitches with artificial playing surfaces. The spread of infill type developments has lead to encroachment onto parks, long abandoned sites and large established urban gardens; all have the effect of loss of habitat.
Current Action
Legal status
The boroughs UDP (currently under revision) has identified five areas of Metropolitan Open Land, these include Marsh Lane/ Ive Farm and Oliver Road playing fields and allotments; Land in the Lea Valley south of Coppermill Lane; Land off Eastway and land off Temple Mills, the latter three being additionally within Lee Valley Regional Park.
Other than those listed above, open spaces are protected through open space policies in the borough's UDP but have little or no statutory protection, except that afforded secondarily to specific features e.g. Tree Protection Orders or Conservation Areas.
Local action
The Open Spaces Focus Group has been campaigning for a reduction in herbicide use within the boroughs parks and open spaces. The group has campaigned against developments with excess lighting.
Conservation groups carry out habitat management in sites such as The Copse, Pimp Hall and Waltham Way. Some school grounds have a small wildlife area, usually informally managed, and perhaps with a pond. Some parks have bird boxes, and there are plans to install more of these in parks.
Key Species
Birds - Tawny owl, mistle thrush, linnet, goldfinch
Mammals - Bats, hedgehogs
Invertebrates - Roesels bush cricket (Metrioptera roeselii), 16 spot ladybird (Tytthaspis sedecimpunctata), mallow feeding weevils, spider hunting wasps (Arachnospila minutula), and the smut beetle (Olibrus flavicornis)
Plants- Common Toadflax, wild pansy, evening-primrose, dog rose (Rosa canina), tufted hair grass (Deschampsia cespitosa), birds foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), cuckoo flower (Cardamine pratensis), Little-robin
Objectives, actions and targets
| Action | Target Date | Lead | Other Partners |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identify and survey land currently derelict for wildlife interest | 2004 | NC/TPO | OSFG |
| Undertake survey of conservation value of parks and open space | 2004 | NC/TPO | OSFG |
| Action | Target Date | Lead | Other Partners |
|---|---|---|---|
| Improve the wildlife value of the boroughs parks and open space by increasing the deadwood habitats (both standing & piles); bird & bat boxes; bird feeding stations; hedgehog heaps and introducing more nectar plants within formal bedding areas. | 2005 | Greenspace | NC/TPO |
| Review current management of all 'meadow' and acid grassland areas in parks & establish mowing regimes | 2004 | Greenspace NC/TPO | WFBAPP |
| Investigate costs of mini bailer to collect arisings | 2003 | Greenspace | |
| Survey water features in parks and open space and review management | 2004 | NC/TPO | WFBAPP |
| Action | Target Date | Lead | Other Partners |
|---|---|---|---|
| TPO all important trees or groups of trees on schools and urban wasteland sites | 2005 | NC/TPO | |
| Attach conditions to planning permissions to encourage creation & management of open spaces for wildlife, and use of native plants and plants of local provenance | 2003 | NC/TPO | Developers |
| Identify suitable derelict sites for designation as Sites of Local Conservation Importance | 2004 | NC/TPO | |
| Protect parks and open space as important wildlife habitats by incorporating them into the UDP and nature conservation strategies | 2005 | LBWF | |
| Investigate chemical use in parks and open space. Identify chemical, usage and the need and practicality of alternative method of control | 2004 | Greenspace | OSFG WFBAPP |
| Action | Target Date | Lead | Other Partners |
|---|---|---|---|
| Develop wildlife gardens in communal open space e.g. Housing estates | 2004 | BTCV | Housing |
| Make greater use of parks notice boards to promote conservation projects within the boroughs parks | 2003 | Greenspace | |
| Ensure open space managers are aware of their responsibilities regarding protected species | 2003 | LBWF | WFBAPP |
| Undertake at least one biodiversity/wildlife related walk within parks per year | 2003 | WFBAPP | OSFG |
| Identify wildlife sites within parks available for schools and adult training groups to use for environmental education and encourage schools to adopt these areas | 2004 | NC/TPO | LTL |
| Liase with schools & adult training organisations to identify how to increase wildlife benefits of school fields | 2003 | LTL | NC/TPO |
| Put HAP on website | 2003 | LBWF |
