Category Archives: Wildlife

Area of outstanding natural beauty could include… Croydon

Proposals are out for consultation to extend the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty by almost 25,000 acres – and include Happy Valley and Farthing Downs in Croydon. AONBs represent some of England’s most treasured landscapes, whose unique qualities … Continue reading

Posted in City Commons, Coulsdon, Croydon parks, Environment, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

You can help save the bees, just like Jeremy Clarkson…

When even Jeremy Clarkson, the king of Britain’s petrolheads, says that we’re heading for an “insect annihilation”, then you know there must be something wrong. Clarkson, on his Amazon TV show Clarkson’s Farm, vowed to do something about the loss … Continue reading

Posted in Activities, Croydon Friends of the Earth, Environment, Gardening, Wildlife | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Woodland Trust is offering free trees to fight climate crisis

Schools and community groups across Croydon are being urged to join the fight against climate change and nature loss by taking advantage of the Woodland Trust’s latest tree-pack giveaway. Applications for the charity’s free tree-packs scheme are open now and … Continue reading

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Get orf moy laaand! Posh hotel declares parkland a no-go zone

Michelin-starred chef to use foraged ingredients in Birch Selsdon’s two restaurants, as fences go up to keep local residents from walking their pooches across the former golf course The new owners of the luxury hotel that used to be known … Continue reading

Posted in Birch (Selsdon), Business, Croydon parks, Environment, Selsdon Vale and Forestdale, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Council’s once-prized listed building Heathfield House left to rot

CROYDON IN CRISIS: The borough’s built heritage is crumbling into a worrying state of disrepair, with no one at the council seemingly aware of the seriousness of the situation. By PEARL LEE, our south of the borough correspondent Any Croydon … Continue reading

Posted in Addington, Art, Croydon Council, Croydon parks, Environment, Gardening, Heathfield House, History, Property, Riesco Collection, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Community campaigning raises £12,000 to green Portland Road

In our bankrupt borough, money doesn’t grow on trees… but it can certainly help buy some, as a community initiative by residents in Woodside has amply demonstrated, culminating with a celebratory planting day this month “What are you doing to … Continue reading

Posted in Community associations, Environment, People for Portland Road, South Norwood, Wildlife, Woodside | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Local Birds illustrated talk, Honeywood Museum, Mar 23

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Hutchinson’s Bank nature reserve: 2023 expert guided walks

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Ranulph Fiennes: Get your MP to vote for trophy hunting Bill

In a first for Inside Croydon, Sir RANULPH FIENNES, Britain’s best-known explorer, has written to this website to call on our readers to lobby all Croydon’s MPs to support a private Member’s Bill due to go before Parliament this month … Continue reading

Posted in Chris Philp MP, Croydon Central, Croydon North, Croydon South, Environment, Sarah Jones MP, Steve Reed MP, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Help precious pollinators by getting your own Bee Saver Kit

There are unprecedented challenges facing the world, but our fragile food system would be put under even more strain if we lose our bees. Bees pollinate 75per cent of our main food crops worldwide, but right now they are dying … Continue reading

Posted in Charity, Community associations, Croydon Friends of the Earth, Environment, Gardening, Wildlife | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Take an hour this month to monitor your garden’s bird life

The conservation charity the RSPB is appealing for as many volunteers as possible to give up one hour of their day later this month to take part in 2023’s Big Garden Birdwatch. The Big Garden Birdwatch is an annual event … Continue reading

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Firefighters stage a cliff-hanger to save Gandalf the goat

Firefighters using a drone rescued a goat that was stranded more than 100 feet up on a cliff edge at the disused Riddlesdown quarry. The usually sure-footed goat, named Gandalf by City Commons rangers, found itself in trouble after becoming … Continue reading

Posted in City Commons, Croydon parks, Environment, Purley Oaks and Riddlesdown, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Fire, thunder and ice – real life drama up on Roundshaw Downs

NATURE NOTES: A year-long photo-diary of an area of exceptionally important wildlife habitat on our doorsteps is coming to a close, with nature so far resilient against the impact of the global climate crisis. But for how long? By STEVEN … Continue reading

Posted in Climate Crisis Commission, Croydon parks, Environment, Nature Notes, Walks, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Take a walk on the wild side in Shirley with Wilderness Sundays

A historic Croydon garden is opening its doors today and once every month to offer skills-building sessions and an opportunity to visit the venue. The Wilderness is a seven-acre garden in Shirley, situated within MHA Hall Grange, a care home … Continue reading

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Riddlesdown goat dies after vicious attack by off-lead dog

Just a few weeks after the City Commons rangers released a flock of six goats to graze the rocky quarry at Riddlesdown, one of the animals has had to be put to sleep by vets, after it had been savaged … Continue reading

Posted in City Commons, Croydon parks, Environment, Kenley, Purley Oaks and Riddlesdown, Walks, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments

Take a walk on the wild side with fungal foray in the woods

NATURE NOTES: Loyal reader ANTHONY MILLS takes a walk on the wild side – or what he calls a ‘fungal foray’ – with the City Commons Rangers through Croydon’s autumn woodland A fungal foray at Riddlesdown, part of the City … Continue reading

Posted in City Commons, Coulsdon, Croydon parks, Environment, Nature Notes, Wildlife | 2 Comments

Rivers Trust seeks help in mapping precious chalk streams

Environmentalists, conservationists and nature lovers across south-east England are being asked to help compile the first comprehensive list of the area’s chalk streams, many of which have never been categorised. The South East Rivers Trust is seeking the help of … Continue reading

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Trust appeals against dumping of pumpkins in the woods

The Woodland Trust has issued a Halloween plea to witches, wizards and spooks everywhere not to endanger wildlife by dumping pumpkins in woodland. The country’s largest woodland conservation charity has noticed Halloween pumpkins being taken to the nearest wood and … Continue reading

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Riddlesdown’s rangers have some new kids on the block

The annual visit of a herd of goats at Riddlesdown Common saw half a dozen nannies released last week to graze the steep slopes of the old quarry. “The quarry is an amazing habitat with chalk wildflowers, reptiles and butterflies … Continue reading

Posted in City Commons, Environment, Purley Oaks and Riddlesdown, South London Downs NNR, Wildlife | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Whitehorse Road and its ‘critical’ bees to get an upgrade

The council has decided to spend the bulk of a £85,000 government grant on “updating” Whitehorse Road Recreation Ground in Selhurst. The Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities provided the modest amount of funding to improve parks and green … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Croydon parks, Environment, Gardening, Mayor Jason Perry, Selhurst, Wildlife | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Time to wipe out wet wipes from our rivers says Thames21

The government needs to ban plastic in wet wipes immediately in order to help tackle this sewage-based pollution ending up in the River Thames, environmental charity Thames21 has urged today. The charity made the call as it launched its second … Continue reading

Posted in Charity, Community associations, Croydon parks, Environment, Friends of South Norwood Country Park, South Norwood, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Shale Trail walk of resistance, Horse Hill to Brockham, Oct 1

Posted in Activities, Climate Crisis Commission, Croydon Friends of the Earth, Environment, Extinction Rebellion, Fracking, Surrey, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Arrival of wheatears and whinchats mark the end of the summer

The weather has turned. And the City Commons Rangers have begun to notice the difference in the wild birds arriving on Farthing Downs, and noted in their latest newsletter. September signifies a change in birdlife with many species on the … Continue reading

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Podcast: Will Travers on climate challenges and the Mane Event

Will Travers has been involved in wildlife conservation all his life, from the moment when his parents, actors Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers, took him as a youngster off to Kenya for a year-long adventure to film the acclaimed movie … Continue reading

Posted in Activities, Charity, Cinema, Environment, Inside Croydon, Under The Flyover, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Rivers and environment are at peril from nation’s lawmakers

CROYDON COMMENTARY: Public outrage and an MP’s letter to the water companies won’t keep our waterways clean, argues IAN KIERANS, who says that the weak regulatory system exists to protect big business and the status quo Thames Water dumps effluent … Continue reading

Posted in Environment, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments