List of local nature reserves in Greater London facts for kids
Greater London is one of the largest urban areas in Europe, with an area of 1,572 km2 (607 sq mi). Its boundaries were set in 1965 when Greater London, which covers the 32 London boroughs and the City of London, was created. Almost two-thirds of it is green space and wetlands. Its population according to the 2011 census was 8.17 million.
Local nature reserve (LNR) is a statutory designation by local authorities which gives protection to wildlife habitats and natural features. It allows local authorities to apply local bye-laws to manage and protect sites. The local authority must have a legal interest in the site, by owning or leasing it or having a nature reserve agreement with the owner. As of January 2016, Natural England gives details of 144 local nature reserves declared by local authorities in Greater London, which are listed below.
The largest site, at 97.31 hectares (240.5 acres), is Brent Reservoir, most of which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest for its breeding wetland birds, especially great crested grebes, and for its marsh plant life. The smallest is Burnt Ash Pond at 0.13 hectares (0.32 acres), an old farm pond in the middle of a residential area. The longest is Parkland Walk, a linear site of 7.2 kilometres (4.5 mi) along the route of an old railway line. Perivale Wood is one of the oldest nature reserves in Britain. It has been managed by the Selborne Society since 1902, and was designated an LNR in 1974. The newest LNRs are Coldfall Wood, Alexandra Palace and Park and Masons Field, all declared in 2013. Several sites, including Camley Street Natural Park in Kings Cross and Frays Valley, are managed by the London Wildlife Trust.
Sites
| Top - 0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z |
| Site | Photograph | Area | Location | Map | Details | Other classifications | Free public access | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abney Park Cemetery |  |
12.54 hectares (31.0 acres) | Hackney 51°33′50″N 0°04′37″W / 51.564°N 0.077°W TQ 334 868 |
Map | Details | Yes | This is one of London's Magnificent Seven cemeteries. It was closed to burials in 1978 and is now managed as a nature reserve. | |
| Ackroyd Drive Greenlink |  |
0.87 hectares (2.1 acres) | Tower Hamlets 51°31′08″N 0°01′23″W / 51.519°N 0.023°W TQ 368 818 |
Map | Details | Yes | The Greenlink is a green corridor between Tower Hamlets Cemetery and Mile End Park. | |
| Adelaide |  |
0.90 hectares (2.2 acres) | Camden 51°32′35″N 0°09′40″W / 51.543°N 0.161°W TQ 276 843 |
Map | Details | Public access at limited times | This nature reserve slopes down to a railway line. It is mainly neutral grassland, with areas of scrub and woodland. | |
| Ainslie Wood |  |
2.06 hectares (5.1 acres) | Waltham Forest 51°36′40″N 0°00′40″W / 51.611°N 0.011°W TQ 378 921 |
Map | Details | Yes | This is ancient woodland which has mature oaks and wild service trees. It is known locally as Bluebell Wood on account of its spring display. | |
| Alexandra Palace and Park |  |
62.66 hectares (154.8 acres) | Haringey 51°35′38″N 0°07′48″W / 51.594°N 0.130°W TQ 296 900 |
Map | Details | Yes | The park has a wide range of habitats for an urban area, and is particularly noted for its varied bird species. | |
| Anton Crescent Wetland |  |
1.04 hectares (2.6 acres) | Sutton 51°22′19″N 0°12′11″W / 51.372°N 0.203°W TQ 252 652 |
Map | Details | No | The wetland is used as a flood storage area by the Environment Agency. It has open water, reed beds and willow trees. | |
| Barnes Common |  |
41.68 hectares (103.0 acres) | Richmond 51°28′12″N 0°14′17″W / 51.470°N 0.238°W TQ 225 760 |
Map | Details | Yes | The common is mainly wooded, with areas of grassland. Plane, lime and horse chestnut trees were planted in the late nineteenth century | |
| Barnsbury Wood |  |
0.32 hectares (0.79 acres) | Islington 51°32′31″N 0°06′54″W / 51.542°N 0.115°W TQ 308 842 |
Map | Details | Public access at limited times | The wood was the garden of a vicarage. It is mainly sycamore, ash and lime. | |
| Battersea Park Nature Areas |  |
2.90 hectares (7.2 acres) | Wandsworth 51°28′48″N 0°09′04″W / 51.480°N 0.151°W TQ 285 773 51°28′52″N 0°08′56″W / 51.481°N 0.149°W TQ 286 774 |
Map | Details | Yes | The nature areas have mixed woodland and scrub, four glades and a pond. There are twenty species of butterflies. | |
| Beam Valley |  |
39.29 hectares (97.1 acres) | Barking and Dagenham 51°32′17″N 0°10′23″E / 51.538°N 0.173°E TQ 508 844 |
Map | Details | Yes | A park on the bank the River Beam. Historic features include tanks traps and pillboxes. | |
| Beam Valley (Environment Agency) | .JPG) |
11.86 hectares (29.3 acres) | Barking and Dagenham 51°32′17″N 0°10′23″E / 51.538°N 0.173°E TQ 508 844 |
Map | Details | Yes | Part of Beam Valley is owned by the Environment Agency, and it has been designated a separate LNR. | |
| Beckenham Place Park |  |
95.14 hectares (235.1 acres) | Lewisham 51°25′05″N 0°00′43″W / 51.418°N 0.012°W TQ 383 707 |
Map | Details | Yes | The park has extensive ancient woodland, diverse acid grassland, a natural stretch of river and an old pond. | |
| Bedfont Lakes Country Park |  |
31.59 hectares (78.1 acres) | Hounslow 51°26′35″N 0°26′56″W / 51.443°N 0.449°W TQ 079 727 |
Map | Details | Yes | The park has lakes created from a former landfill site, together with areas of grass and woodland. | |
| Bedfords Park |  |
106.35 hectares (262.8 acres) | Havering 51°36′29″N 0°11′31″E / 51.608°N 0.192°E TQ 519 922 |
Map | Details | Essex Wildlife Trust | Yes | This site has wildflower meadows, diverse woodland, several ponds and a lake, as well as a herd of red deer. |
| Belmont Pastures |  |
1.26 hectares (3.1 acres) | Sutton 51°20′46″N 0°11′56″W / 51.346°N 0.199°W TQ 255 623 |
Map | Details | Yes | The pastures are grassland and scrub, and they have a wide variety of crickets, butterflies and grasshoppers. | |
| Belsize Wood |  |
0.27 hectares (0.67 acres) | Camden 51°33′11″N 0°09′50″W / 51.553°N 0.164°W TQ 274 854 |
Map | Details | Free public access to part of the site | This is a sloping wooded site with mature oak trees. It has a wide variety of insect species. | |
| Bennett's Hole |  |
1.22 hectares (3.0 acres) | Merton 51°23′28″N 0°10′12″W / 51.391°N 0.170°W TQ 274 674 |
Map | Details | Yes | Diverse habitats including woodland, marsh and scrub. The north has a variety of tree species, and the south has mainly crack willows and oaks. | |
| Bentley Priory |  |
59.25 hectares (146.4 acres) | Harrow 51°37′16″N 0°19′55″W / 51.621°N 0.332°W TQ 156 927 |
Map | Details | SSSI | Yes | This is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, principally for its meadows. It also has extensive woods and two ponds. |
| Big Wood and Little Wood |  |
8.29 hectares (20.5 acres) | Barnet 51°34′59″N 0°11′24″W / 51.583°N 0.190°W TQ 255 887 51°35′10″N 0°11′35″W / 51.586°N 0.193°W TQ 253 890 |
Map | Details | Yes | These two small woods are the remnants of the forest which once covered north London. It has birds rarely seen in London, such as the green woodpecker. | |
| Blondin Park, Northfields |  |
2.34 hectares (5.8 acres) | Ealing 51°29′42″N 0°19′12″W / 51.495°N 0.320°W TQ 167 787 |
Map | Details | Yes | The nature area of this park has a pond, an orchard and a wildflower meadow. | |
| Bonesgate Open Space |  |
5.07 hectares (12.5 acres) | Kingston 51°21′40″N 0°17′28″W / 51.361°N 0.291°W TQ 191 638 |
Map | Details | Yes | This is a path along the bank of the Bonesgate Stream. It is parkland with areas of hazel, and has a wide variety of breeding birds. | |
| Bramley Bank |  |
10.30 hectares (25.5 acres) | Croydon 51°21′14″N 0°03′29″W / 51.354°N 0.058°W TQ 353 634 |
Map | Details | London Wildlife Trust | Yes | Bramley Bank has oak and ash woodland with a large pond, and areas of acidic grassland. |
| Brent Reservoir/Welsh Harp |  |
97.31 hectares (240.5 acres) | Barnet Brent 51°34′16″N 0°14′42″W / 51.571°N 0.245°W TQ 217 873 |
Map | Details | SSSI | Yes | Most of the site is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, especially for its large number of breeding birds, including the great crested grebe. |
| Brookmill Road |  |
0.44 hectares (1.1 acres) | Lewisham 51°28′05″N 0°01′12″W / 51.468°N 0.020°W TQ 376 762 |
Map | Details | No | A steeply sloping disused railway embankment. It is woodland, with the main trees being hornbeam and hazel. | |
| Burnt Ash Pond |  |
0.13 hectares (0.32 acres) | Lewisham 51°26′28″N 0°01′12″E / 51.441°N 0.020°E TQ 405 733 |
Map | Details | No | A small pond in the middle of houses, which has an extensive variety of aquatic animals, including many breeding toads, and plants, including great and hoary willowherb. | |
| Camley Street Natural Park |  |
0.84 hectares (2.1 acres) | Camden 51°32′06″N 0°07′44″W / 51.535°N 0.129°W TQ 299 834 |
Map | Details | London Wildlife Trust | Yes | This nature reserve on the bank of Regents Canal in Kings Cross has ponds and areas of meadows and woodland, with birds such as reed warblers and kingfishers. |
| Cannon Hill Common |  |
14.16 hectares (35.0 acres) | Merton 51°24′00″N 0°13′19″W / 51.400°N 0.222°W TQ 238 683 |
Map | Details | Yes | The common has meadows with plants such as meadow barley and meadow foxtail, and woodland dominated by ancient oak trees. | |
| Castle Hill |  |
3.48 hectares (8.6 acres) | Kingston 51°21′29″N 0°17′28″W / 51.358°N 0.291°W TQ 191 635 |
Map | Details | Scheduled monument | Yes | This is the site of a medieval hunting lodge. It is woodland mainly of oak and hazel, with varied ground flora, including wood anemone and hairy St John's-wort. |
| The Chase - Barking |  |
44.15 hectares (109.1 acres) | Barking and Dagenham 51°33′00″N 0°11′02″E / 51.550°N 0.184°E TQ 515 857 |
Map | Details | Yes | The Chase is a footpath along the River Rom. It has diverse habitats and wildlife includes water voles. | |
| The Chase - Havering |  |
1.39 hectares (3.4 acres) | Havering 51°33′29″N 0°11′02″E / 51.558°N 0.184°E TQ 515 866 |
Map | Details | Yes | This is a continuation of The Chase in Barking. It has black poplar trees. | |
| Cherry Wood |  |
1.76 hectares (4.3 acres) | Merton 51°23′49″N 0°12′54″W / 51.397°N 0.215°W TQ 243 680 |
Map | Details | Yes | The main trees are pedunculate oak, ash and horse chestnut. There are over twenty-five species of birds. | |
| Chiswick Eyot |  |
0.83 hectares (2.1 acres) | Hounslow 51°29′13″N 0°14′46″W / 51.487°N 0.246°W TQ 219 779 |
Map | Details | No | This is a small wooded island in the Thames. The main trees are willows, and the island is surrounded by reed beds. | |
| Coldfall Wood | .jpg) |
13.43 hectares (33.2 acres) | Haringey 51°35′49″N 0°09′43″W / 51.597°N 0.162°W TQ 274 903 |
Map | Details | Yes | This is ancient woodland, mainly of hornbeam, oak, birch and sycamore. There are a number of ground plants which are rare in London, such as pale sedge, trailing St John's wort and lady-fern. | |
| Coombe Hill Wood |  |
2.19 hectares (5.4 acres) | Kingston 51°25′08″N 0°15′04″W / 51.419°N 0.251°W TQ 217 703 |
Map | Details | Yes | This wood is mainly oak, with an understorey of hazel coppice. | |
| Coppetts Wood and Glebelands |  |
20.00 hectares (49.4 acres) | Barnet 51°36′32″N 0°09′32″W / 51.609°N 0.159°W TQ 276 916 51°36′14″N 0°10′12″W / 51.604°N 0.170°W TQ 268 910 |
Map | Details | Yes | Coppett's Wood is mainly oak and hornbeam, and has a number of rare insects. Glebelands is a remnant of Finchley Common, and has woodland and ponds. | |
| Covert Way |  |
6.77 hectares (16.7 acres) | Enfield 51°39′36″N 0°10′23″W / 51.660°N 0.173°W TQ 265 973 |
Map | Details | Yes | Covert Way is deciduous woodland. Animals include muntjac deer, green and greater spotted woodpeckers, and white-letter and purple hair-streak butterflies. | |
| Crane Park Island |  |
2.67 hectares (6.6 acres) | Richmond 51°26′31″N 0°22′44″W / 51.442°N 0.379°W TQ 128 727 |
Map | Details | London Wildlife Trust | Yes | This is an island in the River Crane. It has wet woodland, grassland and reed beds and fauna include kingfishers and water voles. |
| Cranebank, Hatton |  |
6.69 hectares (16.5 acres) | Hounslow 51°28′34″N 0°24′58″W / 51.476°N 0.416°W TQ 101 764 |
Map | Details | Yes | Cranebank is flood meadows by the River Crane, which are under water in winter. There are twenty-six species of butterflies and twelve of damselflies and dragonflies. | |
| Cranham Brickfields |  |
8.69 hectares (21.5 acres) | Havering 51°33′50″N 0°16′41″E / 51.564°N 0.278°E TQ 580 875 |
Map | Details | Yes | Cranham Brickfields has pasture, a pond, scrub and woodland. Invertebrates include the great crested newt and slowworm, and plants dyer's greenweed. | |
| Cranham Marsh |  |
12.97 hectares (32.0 acres) | Havering 51°32′49″N 0°15′47″E / 51.547°N 0.263°E TQ 570 855 |
Map | Details | Essex Wildlife Trust | Yes | This site's habitats include marshes, ponds and ancient woodland, and a tributary of the River Markyke runs through the site. |
| Cranmer Green |  |
3.22 hectares (8.0 acres) | Merton 51°23′53″N 0°09′47″W / 51.398°N 0.163°W TQ 279 681 |
Map | Details | Yes | The green has a pond, woodland and grassland. The pond is probably late eighteenth century in origin. | |
| Crossness |  |
25.50 hectares (63.0 acres) | Bexley 51°30′04″N 0°08′53″E / 51.501°N 0.148°E TQ 492 802 |
Map | Details | Free public access to part of the site | This is a network of open water and ditches, with areas of rough grassland. There are over one hundred and thirty species of birds. | |
| Cuddington Meadows |  |
1.39 hectares (3.4 acres) | Sutton 51°20′02″N 0°12′50″W / 51.334°N 0.214°W TQ 245 610 |
Map | Details | Yes | Cuddington Meadows is chalk grassland, and its most important feature is the variety of flowering plants. Sixteen butterfly species have been recorded. | |
| Dacres Wood |  |
0.70 hectares (1.7 acres) | Lewisham 51°25′55″N 0°03′07″W / 51.432°N 0.052°W TQ 355 721 |
Map | Details | Public access at limited times | The wood has some massive turkey oaks, and ornamental shrubs which are probably inherited from a time when it was a Victorian garden. There are also marshes and a pond. | |
| Dagenham Village Churchyard |  |
0.87 hectares (2.1 acres) | Barking and Dagenham 51°32′20″N 0°09′43″E / 51.539°N 0.162°E TQ 500 845 |
Map | Details | Yes | The old gravestones and walls in the churchyard provide a habitat for lichens and mosses, and woodpeckers feed in an avenue of lime trees. | |
| Danson Park Bog Garden, Welling |  |
1.07 hectares (2.6 acres) | Bexley 51°27′14″N 0°06′50″E / 51.454°N 0.114°E TQ 470 749 |
Map | Details | Yes | Danson Park has a large lake, and a marshy area at its western end has been converted into a nature reserve. | |
| Denham Country Park |  |
19.82 hectares (49.0 acres) | Hillingdon Buckinghamshire 51°34′26″N 0°29′06″W / 51.574°N 0.485°W TQ 051 872 |
Map | Details | Yes | Three rivers go through the park, the Colne, the Misbourne and the Frays. Birds include herons and kingfishers. | |
| Derwent Floodwash |  |
1.83 hectares (4.5 acres) | Merton 51°23′31″N 0°13′34″W / 51.392°N 0.226°W TQ 235 674 |
Map | Details | Yes | This is designed to store water during flooding of Pyl Brook, to prevent flooding downstream. It is wet grassland with a number of uncommon plant species. | |
| Devonshire Avenue Nature Area |  |
0.42 hectares (1.0 acre) | Sutton 51°21′14″N 0°11′20″W / 51.354°N 0.189°W TQ 262 632 |
Map | Details | Yes | This is mainly chalk grassland. It has the locally rare small blueall blue butterfly, and the butterfly's food plant, kidney vetch. | |
| Downham Woodland Walk |  |
2.82 hectares (7.0 acres) | Lewisham 51°25′48″N 0°00′07″E / 51.430°N 0.002°E TQ 393 720 |
Map | Details | Yes | The walk is ancient woodland. Trees include pedunculate oaks, hornbeams and field maples, and there are invertebrates such as stag and fungus beetles. | |
| Duke's Hollow |  |
0.27 hectares (0.67 acres) | Hounslow 51°28′23″N 0°15′22″W / 51.473°N 0.256°W TQ 212 763 |
Map | Details | Yes | Duke's Hollow slopes steeply down towards the Thames. It is woodland mainly of willow. | |
| Dulwich Upper Wood |  |
1.74 hectares (4.3 acres) | Southwark 51°25′26″N 0°04′41″W / 51.424°N 0.078°W TQ 337 712 |
Map | Details | Yes | This is a remnant of the Great North Wood. It is mainly oak, and animals include stag beetles and bats. | |
| Eastbrookend Country Park |  |
67.39 hectares (166.5 acres) | Barking and Dagenham 51°33′07″N 0°10′37″E / 51.552°N 0.177°E TQ 510 860 |
Map | Details | Yes | The park is former derelict land planted with 50,000 small trees, and with grass and flower seeds suitable for poor soil. | |
| Edith Gardens |  |
0.44 hectares (1.1 acres) | Kingston 51°23′20″N 0°17′02″W / 51.389°N 0.284°W TQ 195 669 |
Map | Details | No | The site is abandoned allotments next to Tolworth Brook. Most of it is low diversity grassland, and there is also a thicket of young elms areas of brambles and some large mature trees. | |
| Elmbridge Open Space |  |
9.35 hectares (23.1 acres) | Kingston 51°23′31″N 0°16′26″W / 51.392°N 0.274°W TQ 202 673 |
Map | Details | Yes | This is a green walk along the bank of the Hogsmill River. There are willow trees by the river bank and plants such as meadowsweet and comfrey. | |
| Fishpond Wood and Beverley Meads |  |
5.92 hectares (14.6 acres) | Merton 51°25′19″N 0°14′53″W / 51.422°N 0.248°W TQ 219 707 |
Map | Details | London Wildlife Trust. | Yes | Fishpond Wood has wetlands and oak and hazel woodlands, while Beverley Meads is a mosaic of woods and pastures. |
| Foots Cray Meadows |  |
30.32 hectares (74.9 acres) | Bexley 51°25′30″N 0°07′26″E / 51.425°N 0.124°E TQ 478 717 |
Map | Details | Yes | The River Cray runs through the meadows. They have a diverse landscape, including ancient woodlands and wildflower meadows. | |
| Fox Wood |  |
2.25 hectares (5.6 acres) | Ealing 51°31′34″N 0°17′56″W / 51.526°N 0.299°W TQ 181 822 |
Map | Details | Yes | Fox Wood was a reservoir which was drained in World War II to stop it being used as a navigational aid by German bombers. It is now sloping woodland. | |
| Foxley Wood |  |
11.36 hectares (28.1 acres) | Croydon 51°19′41″N 0°06′50″W / 51.328°N 0.114°W TQ 315 605 |
Map | Details | Yes | Foxley Wood has chalk grassland and woods. There are badgers and roe deer, and over forty species of birds have been observed. | |
| Frays Valley |  |
71.87 hectares (177.6 acres) | Hillingdon 51°34′05″N 0°28′44″W / 51.568°N 0.479°W TQ 055 865 |
Map | Details | London Wildlife Trust, SSSI | Yes | The Frays River goes through the wildlife rich valley. Flora include kingcups and ragged robin, and there are mammals such as harvest mice and water voles. |
| Fryent Country Park |  |
106.97 hectares (264.3 acres) | Brent 51°34′26″N 0°16′37″W / 51.574°N 0.277°W TQ 195 875 |
Map | Details | Yes | The park has a varied landscape, including lakes, woodland and meadows. Over 800 species have been recorded, including 80 birds and 21 butterflies. | |
| Gillespie Park |  |
3.03 hectares (7.5 acres) | Islington 51°33′32″N 0°06′25″W / 51.559°N 0.107°W TQ 313 862 |
Map | Details | Yes | Gillespie Park has an ecology centre, and it is mainly grassland. Bird species include reed bunting and song thrush, and there are also ponds with many invertebrates. | |
| Grove Farm |  |
8.07 hectares (19.9 acres) | Ealing 51°33′14″N 0°20′28″W / 51.554°N 0.341°W TQ 151 852 |
Map | Details | Yes | Grove Farm has ancient woodland with wild service trees and a variety of wild flowers. | |
| Gunnersbury Triangle |  |
2.57 hectares (6.4 acres) | Hounslow Ealing 51°29′38″N 0°16′16″W / 51.494°N 0.271°W TQ 201 786 |
Map | Details | London Wildlife Trust | Yes | This has a varied habitat, including woodland and marshes. It has amphibians such as toads, newts and frogs. |
| Hainault Lodge |  |
5.60 hectares (13.8 acres) | Redbridge 51°36′25″N 0°07′48″E / 51.607°N 0.130°E TQ 476 919 |
Map | Details | No | Hainault Lodge is ancient woodland and pasture. Butterflies include orange tips and speckled woods, and birds long-tailed tits, robins. | |
| Ham Common |  |
40.27 hectares (99.5 acres) | Richmond 51°25′55″N 0°17′53″W / 51.432°N 0.298°W TQ 184 718 |
Map | Details | Yes | The main trees in Ham Common are birch and oak, and there are also areas of acid grassland. | |
| Ham Lands |  |
60.01 hectares (148.3 acres) | Richmond 51°26′06″N 0°19′30″W / 51.435°N 0.325°W TQ 165 720 |
Map | Details | Yes | This is a former gravel quarry filled with soil types from across London, thus creating an unusual mosaic of habitats. | |
| High Elms |  |
102.33 hectares (252.9 acres) | Bromley 51°20′46″N 0°04′19″E / 51.346°N 0.072°E TQ 444 628 |
Map | Details | SSSI | Yes | Most of this country park is secondary woodland, but it retains much of the original ground flora with some rare species. |
| Hogsmill River Park |  |
22.26 hectares (55.0 acres) | Kingston 51°23′53″N 0°16′34″W / 51.398°N 0.276°W TQ 200 680 51°22′59″N 0°15′50″W / 51.383°N 0.264°W TQ 209 663 |
Map Map |
Details | Yes | This is a linear park along the Hogsmill River. The landscape is varied, with pasture and mature willow and oak woodland. | |
| Hounslow Heath |  |
83.14 hectares (205.4 acres) | Hounslow 51°27′25″N 0°23′06″W / 51.457°N 0.385°W TQ 123 743 |
Map | Details | Yes | The heath has extensive acid grassland with some hay meadows, marsh and woodland. | |
| Hutchinson's Bank |  |
21.77 hectares (53.8 acres) | Croydon 51°20′13″N 0°01′08″W / 51.337°N 0.019°W TQ 381 616 |
Map | Details | London Wildlife Trust | Yes | Hutchinson's Bank is a sloping meadow bank, with a diverse ecology including pyramidal and common spotted orchids and the rare greater yellow-rattle. |
| Ingrebourne Valley |  |
146.62 hectares (362.3 acres) | Havering 51°32′06″N 0°12′25″E / 51.535°N 0.207°E TQ 532 841 51°31′26″N 0°11′49″E / 51.524°N 0.197°E TQ 525 828 |
Map | Details | Essex Wildlife Trust, SSSI | Yes | The site has a wide range of habitats, rough grassland, woodland, marshes, river, reedbeds and wet grazing. There are fauna such as great crested newts, slowworms and harvest mice. |
| Isleworth Ait |  |
3.49 hectares (8.6 acres) | Hounslow 51°28′05″N 0°19′12″W / 51.468°N 0.320°W TQ 168 757 |
Map | Details | London Wildlife Trust | No | This is an island in the Thames. It has poplar and willow woodland on land which is often flooded. Rare species include the two-lipped door snail and the German hairy snail. |
| Islip Manor Meadows |  |
23.75 hectares (58.7 acres) | Ealing 51°32′53″N 0°23′17″W / 51.548°N 0.388°W TQ 119 845 |
Map | Details | Yes | This is a diverse wet meadow site with over twenty grass and ten leguminous species. There are ponds with the protected great crested newt. | |
| Jubilee Country Park |  |
28.67 hectares (70.8 acres) | Bromley 51°23′35″N 0°03′47″E / 51.393°N 0.063°E TQ 436 680 |
Map | Details | Yes | The park has chalk grassland and woods with oaks, hawthorns and field maples. Some species are rare in London. | |
| Jubilee Wood |  |
2.24 hectares (5.5 acres) | Kingston 51°20′35″N 0°19′37″W / 51.343°N 0.327°W TQ 166 618 |
Map | Details | Yes | Trees in this wood include birch, pedunculate oak, field maple, goat willow and wych elm. | |
| Kempton |  |
22.80 hectares (56.3 acres) | Hounslow 51°25′26″N 0°23′35″W / 51.424°N 0.393°W TQ 118 707 |
Map | Details | SSSI | No | This site is disused reservoirs which has many bird species. It is of national importance for wintering gadwall. It also has feeding bats and mammals include water voles. |
| Lavender Pond |  |
0.70 hectares (1.7 acres) | Southwark 51°30′18″N 0°02′17″W / 51.505°N 0.038°W TQ 363 803 |
Map | Details | Free public access to part of the site | This used to be part of the Surrey Commercial Docks, now converted to a small wildlife pond. | |
| Lesnes Abbey Woods |  |
73.13 hectares (180.7 acres) | Bexley 51°29′10″N 0°07′55″E / 51.486°N 0.132°E TQ 481 785 |
Map | Details | SSSI | Yes | This site has ancient woodland, parkland, heath, wetland and hedgerows. A survey found 906 invertebrate species, 46 birds, 12 mammals, 59 fungi and 292 plants. |
| Litten |  |
10.7 hectares (26 acres) | Ealing 51°31′55″N 0°21′04″W / 51.532°N 0.351°W TQ 145 827 |
Map | Details | Yes | Litten has a pond, woodland and a wildflower meadow. | |
| Long Wood |  |
1.20 hectares (3.0 acres) | Ealing 51°29′49″N 0°20′17″W / 51.497°N 0.338°W TQ 155 789 |
Map | Details | Yes | This is ancient woodland which has varied tree and wildlife species. | |
| Lonsdale Road Reservoir (Leg of Mutton Reservoir) |  |
8.19 hectares (20.2 acres) | Richmond 51°28′55″N 0°14′49″W / 51.482°N 0.247°W TQ 218 774 |
Map | Details | Yes | This disused reservoir has a wide variety of water birds, including tufted ducks and wigeons. | |
| Lower Wandle |  |
2.52 hectares (6.2 acres) | Merton 51°25′59″N 0°11′31″W / 51.433°N 0.192°W TQ 258 720 |
Map | Details | Yes | This is a stretch of the River Wandle, which is lined with mature trees, grassland and patches of herbs. | |
| The Manor |  |
67.96 hectares (167.9 acres) | Havering 51°36′50″N 0°14′13″E / 51.614°N 0.237°E TQ 550 930 51°36′29″N 0°14′38″E / 51.608°N 0.244°E TQ 555 923 |
Map | Details | Yes | The Manor comprises several parks and diverse habitats. Plants include the common spotted-orchid and square stemmed St John's wort. | |
| Maryon Wilson Park and Gilbert's Pit (including Maryon Park) |  |
17.52 hectares (43.3 acres) | Greenwich 51°29′13″N 0°02′31″E / 51.487°N 0.042°E TQ 419 784 |
Map | Details | SSSI | Yes | Gilbert's Pit is a geological SSSI. Maryon Wilson Park is a hilly wooded site, which has a stream with rare plants. Maryon Park is acid grassland, scrub and secondary woodland. |
| Masons Field |  |
2.87 hectares (7.1 acres) | Brent 51°35′00″N 0°16′25″W / 51.5833°N 0.27367240°W TQ 197 886 |
Map | Details | Yes | This is a former London Underground sports ground next to Fryent Country Park, which has been converted to a wildflower meadow. | |
| Mayesbrook Park South |  |
7.55 hectares (18.7 acres) | Barking and Dagenham 51°32′24″N 0°06′29″E / 51.540°N 0.108°E TQ 463 844 |
Map | Details | Yes | The park has a nature reserve with two large lakes, rough grassland and woodland. | |
| Merton Park Green Walks |  |
1.49 hectares (3.7 acres) | Merton 51°24′43″N 0°12′00″W / 51.412°N 0.200°W TQ 253 697 |
Map | Details | Yes | This site has a variety of habitats, including grassland and an inaccessible area of elm scrub and brambles. | |
| Morden Park |  |
28.19 hectares (69.7 acres) | Merton 51°23′35″N 0°12′43″W / 51.393°N 0.212°W TQ 245 675 |
Map | Details | Yes | This park has woodland with 300-year-old oak trees. Birds include coal tits and spotted flycatchers. | |
| Mudchute Park and Farm | .jpg) |
13.31 hectares (32.9 acres) | Tower Hamlets 51°29′31″N 0°00′43″W / 51.492°N 0.012°W TQ 381 789 |
Map | Details | Yes | This is a city farm and nature reserve, with varied habitats including wetlands. There are invertebrates such as smooth newts and slowworms. | |
| Myrna Close |  |
0.75 hectares (1.9 acres) | Merton 51°24′58″N 0°10′26″W / 51.416°N 0.174°W TQ 271 701 |
Map | Details | Yes | This is a linear park on the route of a former railway. It has a small stream and two ponds, and wetland plants include brooklime. | |
| New Cross Gate Cutting (Brockley Nature Reserve) | |
4.2 hectares (10 acres) | Lewisham 51°28′12″N 0°02′20″E / 51.470°N 0.039°E TQ 405 733 |
Map | Details | London Wildlife Trust | No | This sloping railway cutting is mainly woodland with some areas of grassland, reeds and herbs. There are over 170 plant species, some unusual in the area. |
| Northolt Manor |  |
1.79 hectares (4.4 acres) | Ealing 51°32′38″N 0°22′08″W / 51.544°N 0.369°W TQ 132 841 |
Map | Details | Scheduled Monument | Yes | This was a fourteenth century moated manor. It has wetland, scrub, woodland and grassland. The wetland has a wide range of species, such as thread-leaved water-crowfoot and narrow-fruited water-cress. |
| Nunhead Cemetery |  |
20.23 hectares (50.0 acres) | Southwark 51°27′43″N 0°03′07″W / 51.462°N 0.052°W TQ 354 755 |
Map | Details | Yes | This is one of London's Magnificent Seven cemeteries. It has a wide range of plants, and sixteen species of butterflies have been recorded. | |
| Oak Avenue, Hampton |  |
1.85 hectares (4.6 acres) | Richmond 51°25′41″N 0°23′17″W / 51.428°N 0.388°W TQ 122 711 |
Map | Details | Yes | This is former wasteland, where some new habitats have been created, including meadows and a pond, and others have grown up naturally. | |
| Oak Hill Wood |  |
9.88 hectares (24.4 acres) | Barnet 51°38′24″N 0°09′04″W / 51.640°N 0.151°W TQ 280 951 |
Map | Details | London Wildlife Trust | Yes | This medieval oak wood has wild service trees, woodland flowers such as wood anemones and yellow archangels, and pipistrelle and brown long-eared bats. |
| Oakleigh Way |  |
0.64 hectares (1.6 acres) | Merton 51°24′43″N 0°08′56″W / 51.412°N 0.149°W TQ 288 698 |
Map | Details | Yes | Oakleigh Way is a former railway depot converted to a nature reserve, which has birch woodland and wildflower meadows. | |
| One Tree Hill |  |
6.95 hectares (17.2 acres) | Southwark 51°27′04″N 0°03′04″W / 51.451°N 0.051°W TQ 355 743 |
Map | Details | Yes | Queen Elizabeth I is said to have picnicked under an oak at the top of the hill. It has many ancient trees. | |
| Oxleas/Shooters Hill Woodlands |  |
119.60 hectares (295.5 acres) | Greenwich 51°28′08″N 0°03′25″E / 51.469°N 0.057°E TQ 430 764 51°27′36″N 0°04′23″E / 51.460°N 0.073°E TQ 441 755 |
Map | Details | SSSI | Yes | The woods have a wide variety of fungi and invertebrates, including the rare palmate newt. Oxleas Wood is over 8,000 years old. |
| Parkland Walk |  |
14.31 hectares (35.4 acres) | Haringey Islington 51°34′26″N 0°07′16″W / 51.574°N 0.121°W TQ 303 878 |
Map | Details | Yes | This is a 4.5 mile walk along the route of a former railway line. It has an area of acidic grassland with rare plants and insects. | |
| Parsloes Park Squatts |  |
4.28 hectares (10.6 acres) | Barking and Dagenham 51°32′42″N 0°07′48″E / 51.545°N 0.130°E TQ 478 851 |
Map | Details | Yes | This is an area of neutral and acidic grassland in the park which has been set aside as a nature reserve. It has ancient hedgerows. | |
| Perivale Wood |  |
8.02 hectares (19.8 acres) | Ealing 51°32′24″N 0°19′44″W / 51.540°N 0.329°W TQ 160 837 |
Map | Details | No | Perivale Wood is ancient woodland of oak and ash. It also has rough grassland, and ponds and streams. | |
| Pevensey Road |  |
10.21 hectares (25.2 acres) | Hounslow 51°26′53″N 0°23′24″W / 51.448°N 0.390°W TQ 120 733 |
Map | Details | Yes | This is an area of scrub, woodland and wetland next to the River Crane. | |
| Pyl Brook |  |
1.31 hectares (3.2 acres) | Merton 51°23′13″N 0°12′07″W / 51.387°N 0.202°W TQ 252 669 |
Map | Details | Yes | This is a stretch of Pyl Brook and adjacent land. It is mainly mature hawthorn and elm scrub. | |
| Queen's Wood |  |
21.07 hectares (52.1 acres) | Haringey 51°34′52″N 0°08′31″W / 51.581°N 0.142°W TQ 288 885 |
Map | Details | Yes | The wood is mainly oak and hornbeam. Over a hundred species of spider have been recorded. | |
| Raeburn Open Space |  |
5.00 hectares (12.4 acres) | Kingston 51°23′35″N 0°16′48″W / 51.393°N 0.280°W TQ 198 674 |
Map | Details | Yes | The Tolworth Brook flows through this site, which has young woodland, old hedgerows and rough grassland. | |
| Railway Fields |  |
0.87 hectares (2.1 acres) | Haringey 51°34′34″N 0°06′04″W / 51.576°N 0.101°W TQ 317 881 |
Map | Details | Public access at limited times | Railway Fields has varied habitats, including a pond, marshland, a meadow and woodland. Over 200 species of wild flowers have been recorded. | |
| Rainham Marshes |  |
79.19 hectares (195.7 acres) | Havering 51°29′28″N 0°13′26″E / 51.491°N 0.224°E TQ 545 792 |
Map | Details | RSPB, SSSI | Yes | The grasslands on this site have rare plants, insects and birds, and a large population of water voles. |
| Ravensbury Park |  |
7.04 hectares (17.4 acres) | Merton 51°23′49″N 0°10′48″W / 51.397°N 0.180°W TQ 267 680 |
Map | Details | Yes | The park is next to the River Wandle and it has wetland bird species such as kingfishers and grey wagtails, together with woodland areas. | |
| Ripple Nature Reserve |  |
3.68 hectares (9.1 acres) | Barking and Dagenham 51°31′16″N 0°06′54″E / 51.521°N 0.115°E TQ 468 824 |
Map | Details | Yes | Much of the Ripple is damp grassland, while drier areas have rare species such as yellow vetchling. There are a number of scarce insect species including the emerald damselfly. | |
| Rose Walk |  |
2.69 hectares (6.6 acres) | Kingston 51°23′53″N 0°16′41″W / 51.398°N 0.278°W TQ 199 680 |
Map | Details | Yes | Rose Walk is unmanaged grassland with wild flowers. The main grasses are oat grass, tall fescue and rye-grass. | |
| Roundshaw Downs |  |
19.61 hectares (48.5 acres) | Sutton 51°21′04″N 0°07′26″W / 51.351°N 0.124°W TQ 307 630 |
Map | Details | Yes | Roundshaw Downs is chalk downland and woodland which has a wide variety of bird species, including great spotted woodpeckers. | |
| Rowley Green Common |  |
5.82 hectares (14.4 acres) | Barnet 51°39′04″N 0°14′38″W / 51.651°N 0.244°W TQ 216 961 |
Map | Details | Yes | The common is mainly oak and birch woodland, with some grassland, but it also has a sphagnum bog, which is rare in south-east England. | |
| Ruffett and Big Woods |  |
7.01 hectares (17.3 acres) | Sutton 51°19′34″N 0°09′40″W / 51.326°N 0.161°W TQ 282 602 |
Map | Details | Yes | Ruffett Wood has many sycamores and some old wild cherries, while Big Wood is dominated by sycamores. The ground flora is diverse. | |
| Ruislip Local Nature Reserve |  |
4.42 hectares (10.9 acres) | Hillingdon 51°35′49″N 0°25′41″W / 51.597°N 0.428°W TQ 090 899 |
Map | Details | National nature reserve, SSSI | No | The woods have a diverse mixture of woodland, willow carr and open heath. |
| Scadbury Park |  |
117.02 hectares (289.2 acres) | Bromley 51°24′40″N 0°05′38″E / 51.411°N 0.094°E TQ 457 701 |
Map | Details | Yes | Scadbury Park has extensive ancient woodland, neutral grassland, and pasture which is let to a tenant farmer. | |
| Scratchwood and Moat Mount Open Space |  |
55.16 hectares (136.3 acres) | Barnet 51°38′10″N 0°15′36″W / 51.636°N 0.260°W TQ 205 945 |
Map | Details | Yes | Scratchwood has areas of ancient oak and hornbeam woodland. Moat Mount has open pasture and woodland. | |
| Scrattons Ecopark and extension |  |
1.92 hectares (4.7 acres) | Barking and Dagenham 51°31′44″N 0°08′02″E / 51.529°N 0.134°E TQ 481 833 |
Map | Details | Free public access to part of the site | This is former allotments converted to an ecopark to provide a range of habitats for plants and animals. | |
| Selsdon Wood |  |
78.96 hectares (195.1 acres) | Croydon 51°20′17″N 0°02′35″W / 51.338°N 0.043°W TQ 364 617 |
Map | Details | Yes | Selsdon Wood is a former shooting estate, which is now open pasture and woodland with a Memorial Pond. | |
| Sir Joseph Hood Memorial Wood |  |
1.66 hectares (4.1 acres) | Merton 51°23′24″N 0°14′24″W / 51.390°N 0.240°W TQ 226 671 |
Map | Details | Yes | The wood has a varied range of birds and tree species. | |
| South Norwood Country Park |  |
43.55 hectares (107.6 acres) | Croydon 51°23′53″N 0°03′25″W / 51.398°N 0.057°W TQ 353 683 |
Map | Details | Yes | The park has a lake and meadows. Over a hundred bird species have been recorded. | |
| Southwood Open Space |  |
12.91 hectares (31.9 acres) | Kingston 51°23′06″N 0°16′12″W / 51.385°N 0.270°W TQ 205 665 |
Map | Details | Yes | This is a linear park along the Hogsmill River. It is mainly meadow with elm scrub. | |
| Spencer Road Wetlands |  |
1.05 hectares (2.6 acres) | Sutton 51°23′06″N 0°09′47″W / 51.385°N 0.163°W TQ 279 667 |
Map | Details | London Wildlife Trust | No | The wetland is next to the River Wandle. Habitats include reed swamp, willow Carr, a sedge bed and a pond. |
| The Spinney, Carshalton |  |
0.40 hectares (0.99 acres) | Sutton 51°22′30″N 0°09′43″W / 51.375°N 0.162°W TQ 280 656 |
Map | Details | No | This is mainly sycamore and London plane. Breeding birds include dunnocks and wrens. | |
| Springfield Park |  |
13.59 hectares (33.6 acres) | Hackney 51°34′12″N 0°03′32″W / 51.570°N 0.059°W TQ 346 875 |
Map | Details | Yes | The park is a Regionally Important Geological Site. It has diverse habitats and fifty-six species of birds. | |
| St. John's Wood Church Grounds |  |
1.99 hectares (4.9 acres) | Westminster 51°31′55″N 0°10′08″W / 51.532°N 0.169°W TQ 271 830 |
Map | Details | Yes | This closed cemetery has a wildlife area, trees and a formal garden. | |
| Stanmore Common |  |
49.2 hectares (122 acres) | Harrow 51°37′55″N 0°19′41″W / 51.632°N 0.328°W TQ 158 939 |
Map | Details | Yes | The common has heathland and woodland. It also has two former village ponds, one of which still has a pump. | |
| Stanmore Country Park |  |
30.73 hectares (75.9 acres) | Harrow 51°37′19″N 0°18′25″W / 51.622°N 0.307°W TQ 173 928 |
Map | Details | Yes | The park has large areas of acidic grassland, mainly common bent and Yorkshire fog. It also has woodland which is relatively young. | |
| Streatham Common | _-_geograph.org.uk_-_1639440.jpg) |
13.77 hectares (34.0 acres) | Lambeth 51°25′19″N 0°07′08″W / 51.422°N 0.119°W TQ 309 709 |
Map | Details | Yes | The common has woodland mainly of oak, with other trees such as sycamore and beech. A damp area has rare plants. | |
| Sue Godfrey Nature Park |  |
0.60 hectares (1.5 acres) | Lewisham 51°28′44″N 0°01′23″W / 51.479°N 0.023°W TQ 374 774 |
Map | Details | Yes | This site became a nature park in 1984 after a campaign by local residents. It has over two hundred species of flowers, trees and shrubs. | |
| Sutcliffe Park |  |
5.86 hectares (14.5 acres) | Greenwich 51°27′18″N 0°01′44″E / 51.455°N 0.029°E TQ 411 748 |
Map | Details | Yes | The River Quaggy flows through this park, which also has wetlands and a lake with extensive reed beds. | |
| Sutton Ecology Centre Grounds |  |
1.33 hectares (3.3 acres) | Sutton 51°21′58″N 0°09′58″W / 51.366°N 0.166°W TQ 278 646 |
Map | Details | Yes | The centre has a plane tree which is listed as one of the Great Trees of London. A pond has damselflies and dragonflies. | |
| Sydenham Hill Wood and Fern Bank |  |
28.17 hectares (69.6 acres) | Southwark 51°26′06″N 0°04′26″W / 51.435°N 0.074°W TQ 340 724 |
Map | Details | Yes | This is a mixture of ancient and modern woodland, and Victorian garden plants including a monkey puzzle tree. | |
| Ten Acre Wood |  |
N/Av | Hillingdon 51°32′31″N 0°25′12″W / 51.542°N 0.420°W TQ 097 838 |
Map | Details | London Wildlife Trust | Yes | This is an oak plantation, with some hawthorns and blackthorns which provide a source of berries for birds. |
| Tolworth Court Farm Fields |  |
43.31 hectares (107.0 acres) | Kingston 51°22′23″N 0°16′44″W / 51.373°N 0.279°W TQ 199 651 |
N/Av | Details | Yes | The site has been farmed since Domesday, and is currently managed as neutral hay meadows. The damp northern field has plants typical of periodically waterlogged fields, such as creeping bent and marsh foxtail. | |
| Totteridge Fields |  |
6.92 hectares (17.1 acres) | Barnet 51°37′55″N 0°14′02″W / 51.632°N 0.234°W TQ 223 940 |
Map | Details | London Wildlife Trust | Yes | The fields are ancient hay meadows with hawthorn and blackthorn hedgerows, which provide nesting sites for birds. |
| Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park |  |
11.60 hectares (28.7 acres) | Tower Hamlets 51°31′23″N 0°01′48″W / 51.523°N 0.030°W TQ 368 823 |
Map | Details | Yes | This closed nineteenth century cemetery has ancient woodland and pastures sown with wild flowers. | |
| Wandle Meadow Nature Park |  |
3.44 hectares (8.5 acres) | Merton 51°25′26″N 0°10′59″W / 51.424°N 0.183°W TQ 264 710 |
Map | Details | Yes | This site has woodland, wet grassland and temporary ponds. Breeding birds include bullfinches, whitethroats and reed buntings. | |
| Wandle Valley Wetland |  |
0.63 hectares (1.6 acres) | Sutton 51°23′02″N 0°09′54″W / 51.384°N 0.165°W TQ 278 666 |
Map | Details | No | The wetland has frogs, toads and newts, and brown hawker dragonflies. | |
| Westbere Copse |  |
0.39 hectares (0.96 acres) | Camden 51°33′11″N 0°12′25″W / 51.553°N 0.207°W TQ 244 853 |
Map | Details | Public access at limited times | The main trees in Westbere Copse are sycamore, oak, ash and aspen, with an understorey including snowberry, elder and elm. | |
| Wilderness Island |  |
2.73 hectares (6.7 acres) | Sutton 51°22′19″N 0°09′36″W / 51.372°N 0.160°W TQ 282 653 |
Map | Details | London Wildlife Trust | Yes | This is an island in the River Wandle. It has diverse habitats, with woods, ponds, wild flower meadows and wetlands. |
| The Wood and Richard Jefferies Bird Sanctuary |  |
1.46 hectares (3.6 acres) | Kingston 51°23′24″N 0°18′11″W / 51.390°N 0.303°W TQ 182 670 |
Map | Details | Free public access to part of the site | This used to be the garden of a large Victorian house. It has ancient woodland, and insects including stag beetles. | |
| Wormwood Scrubs | .JPG) |
13.40 hectares (33.1 acres) | Hammersmith & Fulham 51°31′16″N 0°14′13″W / 51.521°N 0.237°W TQ 223 817 |
Map | Details | Yes | The nature area in the park has a wide variety of trees, including pedunculate oak and silver birch. Rare birds include marsh harrier and whinchat. There are also meadows with a large population of butterflies. | |
| Yeading Brook Meadows |  |
17.00 hectares (42.0 acres) | Ealing Hillingdon 51°31′44″N 0°24′40″W / 51.529°N 0.411°W TQ 103 823 |
Map | Details | Yes | This is a meadow site along the Yeading Brook managed by the London Wildlife Trust. Invertebrates include Roesel's bush-crickets and shield bugs. | |
| Yeading Woods (Gutteridge Wood and Meadows) |  |
25 hectares (62 acres) | Hillingdon 51°32′42″N 0°25′37″W / 51.545°N 0.427°W TQ 092 841 |
Map | Details | London Wildlife Trust | Yes | This site has ancient oak and hazel woodland and wildflower meadows. |
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See also
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List of local nature reserves in Greater London Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.