Surveys
The Friends helped to fund some of the 'baseline surveys' of various aspects of Greenwich Park wildlife commissioned by the Park Manager and the Royal Parks' Biodiversity Manager. These detail the wonderful variety of species found there. This type of survey is invaluable because, as well as giving essential information on the current wildlife status, the array of species found can be used as an indicator of the health of the habitats, and future management plans can be made with this in mind.
The Royal Parks' Biodiversity Manager, Peter Lawrence, is always keen to receive any further wildlife records. Recording sheets which show what sort of information is needed, and how the Park is divided into compartments for the surveys, are available from the Greenwich Park Office, Blackheath Gate, London SE10 8QY Tel: 020 8858 2608.
Greenwich Park wildlife surveys
We are very pleased to be able to provide downloadable PDF files of surveys undertaken so far, so that naturalists and students will be able to enjoy increased awareness of the Park’s amazing biodiversity.
Bats 2003 – Andrew Waller
Park staff and members of the Friends Wildlife Group were provided with bat detectors and assisted in dusk surveys, which resulted in good sightings of the common pipistrelle, which is little bigger than a large moth.
Download the findings The full report
Birds
Patricia Brown has been recording birds throughout the Park for many years, and her impressive observations, with others, can be seen in ‘The Birds of Greenwich Park 1996-2005’
Download
For easy reference, this report can be printed in booklet form (two pages per side) on both sides of a single sheet of paper. Set your printer to print ”multiple pages per sheet”, and two pages per sheet. Then print two pages at a time, reversing the page after the first two.
In addition to this, The Bird Recording Group is a Royal Parks initiative, led by Dr. Nigel Reeve, in which the birds on a number of ‘standard walks’ are identified and counted each month. The three members of the group are responsible (and have been since the scheme’s inception about 7 years ago) for walking the two standard walks (subdivided into 8 sections) on or around the 15th of each month and then submitting the data to Nigel. Number 1 walk is in the Flower Gardens and number 2 walk covers the central area of the Park; between the three walkers, they ensure continuity of cover.
Monthly birdwalk reports can be found here
Fungi Ongoing – Anne Andrews
Every autumn, Friend Anne Andrews leads an annual Fungus Foray in the Park. Up to 2008, 128 different species have been recorded. Some species are theoretically edible, but in view of the large number of dogs using the Park, probably not very appetizing. Anyone intrepid enough to wish to try some will need a Royal Parks licence before picking any fungi at all. Details of future Forays will be advertised.
The spreadsheet of all records to date is in the standard format used to collate records.
Download Anne’s notes Spreadsheet of all records to 2008
Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths) 2004-2006 – Dr Tim Freed
Sixteen species of butterfly and 352 species of moths were recorded, a most impressive total for Inner London. The moths included 8 Red Data Book and 10 Nationally Scarce species. The Deer Park, being a mature and relatively undisturbed habitat, was particularly species-rich, but good results were also obtained from the moth trap high on the roof of the Royal Observatory.
Download Summary The full report
The summary includes (the beautiful cover) photos. The full version has maps, full survey data and historical background.
Lichen (2017) Joe Beale, Mark Powell, Paula Shipway
Lichen (2008) Amanda Waterfield and colleagues
Four experts (and a dog) surveyed the Park trees and found no less than 39 species of lichen.
Spiders 2002-2003 – Edward Milner
Notwithstanding sabotage by young deer intent on digging up the pitfall traps, a year-long survey found 92 species of spiders within the park, including four Nationally Notables. One of these, the attractive green spider Nigma puella, was discovered during the spider foray organized by the Friends, and was a new record for London.
Download Summary The full report
Flora 2007 - Clare O'Reilly
Download Summary The full report
Invertebrates 2016 - Dr Jonty Denton
A baseline invertebrate survey of the terrestrial habitats across Greenwich Park was carried out in 2016. This concentrated on the dead wood and acid grassland habitats. 355 species were identified, with several new county records, and the relative importance of the compartments sampled recorded.