Dulwich Upper Wood facts for kids
Dulwich Upper Wood is a special place in Crystal Palace, London. It's a 2.4-hectare (about 6-acre) local nature reserve. This means it's a protected area where nature can thrive. It's also recognized as a very important spot for nature in the borough.
The wood is owned by the local council, Southwark Council. It is looked after by a group called the Trust for Urban Ecology. They help keep the wood a great home for plants and animals.
A Look Back: History of Dulwich Upper Wood
Long ago, this wood was part of a much bigger forest. This forest was known as the Great North Wood. It covered a large area around Dulwich.
In 1851, a huge event called the Great Exhibition happened in Hyde Park. A giant glass building, the Crystal Palace, was built for it. After the exhibition, this amazing building was moved. It was rebuilt near the wood, on a place called Penge Common.
The area around the Crystal Palace quickly grew. It became known as Crystal Palace. What is now Dulwich Upper Wood became the gardens of large, fancy houses.
Sadly, the Crystal Palace building burned down in 1936. After this, the whole area became less popular. The big houses were eventually torn down. Their gardens became wild and overgrown.
In 1981, the wood was given to the Ecological Parks Trust. This group is now called the Trust for Urban Ecology. They turned the overgrown gardens into the nature reserve we see today.
Nature's Home: What Lives in the Wood?
Dulwich Upper Wood is mostly an oak woodland. Some of the oak trees are very old. They have been growing there for more than 300 years! Imagine all the history they have seen.
You can also find many sycamore trees here. There are other native trees too. Some plants in the wood are from the old Victorian gardens.
The wood is home to over 200 types of fungi. Fungi are like mushrooms and toadstools. They play a big role in the forest's health.
When spring arrives, the wood becomes very colorful. You can see beautiful flowers like wood anemones and bluebells. There are also ramsons, which are wild garlic, and yellow pimpernels.
Many different kinds of birds also live and raise their young here. It's a great place for birdwatching.
How to Visit Dulwich Upper Wood
It's easy to visit this lovely nature reserve. You can find an entrance on Farquhar Road. It's right across from Dulwich Wood Avenue.
