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Woodland Marker #4 part of the Woodland Trail installed by the Friends of Burgess Park
Owls have always been present in London, but are rarely heard, let alone seen. As the park’s trees mature perhaps we will be lucky enough to attract a couple?
About Glengall Road Woodland
Originally a bridge crossed over the canal at this point, but was filled in by the 1960’s using old industrial and other waste with a thin layer of topsoil. More info about the history of this area can be found here.
This area leads onto the Surrey Canal Walk and was planted with woodland tree species in the 1990’s by Groundwork London. The main path rises up to the top of the bank and follows the edge of the woodland overlooking long grassland. Common species here are Field Maple Acer campestre, Ash Fraxinus excelsior, Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna and Blackthorn Prunus spinosa. Lime Tilia spp were planted across the bank, but have struggled to get a foothold in what is essentially landfill.
What to look out for
A beautiful and sunny west facing bank with a little scrub has proved a great spot for common Whitethroats Sylvia communis. This end of the park also hosts a large and noisy colony of Sparrows Passer domesticus.
A magnificent Oak Quercus robur stands near the start of the path and in the woods, and an ancient stump is covered in giant bracket fungi.
Woodland Maintenance
Southwark council will be improving the meadow area on the bank and also planting further tree species within the woodland area in the next year.
We also have thought to maintain a main path through the full length of the woodland. In the middle third of the woodland a main and clear route to walk through isn’t currently always clear once plants begin to rapidly grow in the spring. A number of trodden routes potentially cause confusion, yet they all go in the same direction. A clear route to tread will held keep human footfall from hindering the many habitats we have in Glengall Road Woodland.
Things to do
The edge of Glengall Road Woodland is a lovely spot for people watching during sunset. A number of benches are available.
Woodland Wellbeing
- Forest Bathing
- Natural Exercise
Impact Reporting
We recently crowdfunded a report from London Wildlife Trust on the overshadowing of Southampton Way Woodlands & St George’s Way Copses. We hope to expand our future studies to more of our woodlands.
London Wildlife Trust have told us the Burgess Park woodlands have a special value:
- The woodlands have ecological value to the broader parkland, reflecting the recognition of Burgess Park’s potential biodiversity value for local people.
- The significance of the local bat population and the role the park plays in supporting that bat population foraging and the impact of building lighting.
- The building shading on the ecological area immediately to the north of the proposed development site are not insignificant and may have considerable long-term effects on woodlands, woodland species and pollinators.
- The cumulative effects from proposed developments along Parkhouse Street.
- Negative long-term habitat and species impacts on protected and/or priority species.
- Burgess Park is a Site of Borough Importance for Nature Conservation in Southwark, it is of authority-wide value.
Welcome to Burgess Park Woodland Trail!
Explore Burgess Park Woodland - Follow our Woodland Trail!
Look out for our wooden woodland markers throughout Burgess Park and follow them on a route through the woodlands. Scan the QR codes on each with the camera on your smartphone and find out interesting facts about the woodlands and the history of the area.
