Thank you for all of your help during 2021. It was lovely to have a relatively normal year after the cancellations of 2020.
Happy Christmas from Nature’s Gym
Lewisham has the best parks in London
This year the London Borough of Lewisham came out top which a a great testament to all of the hard work of Friends Groups, volunteers, Glendale and the Nature Conservation team put in over the last year. We are always grateful for all of this hard work and this award would not be possible without their help.
LATEST – Dacres Wood – Extra Open Day
Due to the success of the Dacres Wood Open Day, the friends have added another open date for this year. We would therefore like to invite you to an extra day this Saturday 27th October between 1pm-4pm. The Friends are looking for extra help on site and with the open days and so if you are willing and bale to help, please let them know.
LATEST – Lewisham wins highest-ever number of Green Flag Awards
Lewisham’s parks and green spaces have been awarded their highest-ever number of Green Flags, the award given to the very best green spaces in the UK. The latest green spaces in Lewisham to be given prestigious Green Flag Community Awards are Garthorne Road and Dacres Wood, managed by Lewisham Council with the help of the Friends Groups
LATEST – Lewisham Council endorse new Biodiversity Action Plan
Local Councillors voted at a meeting last week to endorse the new plan called, ‘A Natural Renaissance 2021-2026’. The plan sets out how Lewisham's Biodiversity Partnership (LBP) will work with the Council, the local voluntary and community sector and other partners over the next five years to help protect local wildlife, plants and natural habitats.
LATEST – Join the Lewisham Climate Conversation “#climatechat”
The Council has produced a step-by-step guide as part of the Lewisham Climate Conversation campaign, which shares some inspiration and positive actions that residents can take to decrease their carbon footprint. This includes advice to help start a climate conversation and ten practical and easy ideas that can benefit the planet.
LATEST – Volunteering opportunities at Iona Close Orchard
A small group of volunteers has been looking after the site over the last few years on the basis of the Council’s management plan, leaving most of the site largely undisturbed. New fruit trees were planted c.2014 to maintain orchard use, and they are thriving. We have a series of volunteer sessions arranged over the next few months as follows:
Froglife London Tails of Amphibian Discovery (T.O.A.D)
T.O.A.D is a new Froglife project and is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The project aims to benefit the UK’s beleaguered common toads through a range of engagement and practical conservation activities.
London Rivers Week – Saturday 23 October – Sunday 31 October 2021
London Rivers Week is a week-long annual campaign inspiring the public to celebrate London’s rivers and the projects taking place to rewild and renaturalise them and connecting them with their local communities.
SATURDAY 25TH SEPTEMBER Dacres Wood Open Day – CANCELLED
Due to unforeseen circumstances, we have to cancel the open day on Saturday 25th September. We hope to be open again on Saturday 30th October. Apologies for those who were hoping to come.
Nature Conservation Lewisham 