Wickham Commons Newsletter – August

Ageing Well Bromley – 24th August
18th August 2018
West Wickham Common Newsletter – September 2018
16th September 2018
Ageing Well Bromley – 24th August
18th August 2018
West Wickham Common Newsletter – September 2018
16th September 2018
The latest news from the West Wickham Commons team

August 2018

Welcome to the West Wickham Commons Newsletter covering West Wickham Common and Spring Park.

Fire hits heath

Parts of West Wickham Common were engulfed in flames on two occasions in July. Days of high temperatures and a complete absence of rain provided the perfect conditions for fire to spread rapidly across the grassland and heath. Fortunately, on both occasions quick thinking visitors called the fire brigade who brought the fires under control before much damage was done. Patches of burnt grass will soon green over, but it will take a few years for the heather to regain its former glory. It’s not known how the fires started on West Wickham Common so please let the rangers know if you see anyone acting suspiciously and call the fire brigade on 999 if you come across any flames.

Butterfly bonanza

Silver-washed fritillary, purple hairstreak as pictured above and marbled-white butterflies have put on a colourful display at Spring Park in recent weeks, aided by the warm sunshine and light winds. Gatekeepers will be the dominant butterfly through early August, enjoying nectar-rich flowers at the base of the hedgerows in the meadow. Hopefully this year there’ll be joined by an abundance of peacocks and small-tortoiseshells, which have been a little allusive in recent years.

Green Flag Award

The West Wickham Commons have been proudly raising their new Green Flags. The Green Flag Award scheme is the national standard for parks and recognises the best green spaces in the country. Applicants are judged against eight criteria including overall management, conservation and heritage, maintenance, sustainability and community involvement.
We are also delighted to announce that West Wickham Common has once again attained Green Heritage Award status for the management of the sites unique historical features.

Events

BioBlitz at Spring Park
Saturday 18 August, 1pm-3pm
Meet the ranger in front of the pond

Become a wildlife explorer and together we will find and identify as many different species of birds, bugs, plants and beasties as we can. Just like a real scientific expedition, everything you find will be documented and passed on to local and national wildlife databases.
Tea, coffee and biscuits are provided for a suggested donation.
No booking required.

Volunteering

WWaSP volunteers summer recess – no August task 

For further information:
Tel: 01372 279083

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *