Barfield Allotments Nature Park facts for kids
Barfield Allotments Nature Park is a special green space in Whetstone, a part of the London Borough of Barnet. It's known as a Site of Local Importance for Nature Conservation. This means it's a really important place for local wildlife and plants.
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Barfield Allotments Nature Park
What is Barfield Allotments Nature Park?
Barfield Allotments Nature Park is a small, quiet park. It's located in Whetstone, which is in the London Borough of Barnet. This park is officially recognized as a "Site of Local Importance for Nature Conservation." This title shows how valuable the area is for nature. It helps protect animals and plants that live there.
From Allotments to Nature Park
This park wasn't always a nature reserve. It used to be an area with "allotments." Allotments are small plots of land that people rent to grow their own fruits and vegetables. When these allotments were no longer used, there were plans to turn the area into a regular playground.
However, local people disagreed with this idea. They found important wildlife living there, like slow worms and common lizards. These discoveries showed how valuable the land was for nature. Because of this, the plans changed. A small playground was built in one corner. The rest of the area was saved for wildlife.
Amazing Wildlife and Plants
Even though it's now a nature park, you can still see signs of its past. Some plum and apple trees remain from when people grew food there. The park has changed a lot over time. It used to be mostly grassy, but now it has more "scrub." Scrub is an area with small trees and bushes.
To make the park even better for wildlife, some areas have been carefully cleared. This creates a mix of different habitats. A new hedgerow has been planted along the park's edge. This hedge provides shelter and food for many creatures. A pond and a marshy area were also created. These wet spots are perfect homes for amphibians, like frogs and newts. They were made possible by a natural spring that flows in the park.
Visiting the Park
The main entrance to Barfield Allotments Nature Park is through the playground. You can find this playground off Barfield Avenue. However, the park itself is not open to the general public. This helps protect the delicate wildlife. Only school groups can visit the nature park, and they need to arrange it beforehand.
