Category Archives: Wildlife

RSPCA opens entries for its 2025 Young Photographer Awards

The 2025 RSPCA Young Photographer Awards has now opened for entries. Last year, more than 4,000 children and young people with a passion for photography, animals and nature entered the competition. Now, budding photographers aged 18 years and under are … Continue reading

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Ashen Grove is up for auction again – as site for 27 houses

Alarm bells are sounding among concerned residents in Selsdon, after a patch of public open space that sold at auction last month for more than five times its guide price has now been put straight back on the market – … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Stranack, Community associations, Croydon parks, Environment, Housing, Planning, Property, Selsdon Residents' Association, Selsdon Vale and Forestdale, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Time to set the alarm early to make most of the dawn chorus

Right now, birdsong is at its brightest and best. Something called International Dawn Chorus Day falls on May 4 this year, marking a high point in birdsong, according to the RSPB, and making this week an ideal time to get … Continue reading

Posted in Activities, Charity, Croydon parks, Education, Environment, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

‘Quality rivers for all’ – London Rivers Week seeks solutions

London Rivers Week returns from Friday May 30 to Sunday June 8, with a theme for 2025 being “quality rivers for all” – emphasising access to nature and good quality blue and green spaces. “From river restoration to litter-pick sessions, … Continue reading

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Plenty of springtime volunteer opportunities for Wildlife Friends

Animal welfare charity the RSPCA is inviting people to join a million-strong movement by becoming a Wildlife Friend. By volunteering and taking action for animals in their gardens, open spaces and communities, the Wildlife Friend volunteers will not only be … Continue reading

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Selsdon Wood Bat Walk, free event, Farleigh Road, Fri May 30

Posted in Activities, Community associations, Croydon parks, Environment, Friends of Selsdon Woods, Walks, Wildlife | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Reports of another fuel spill into River Wandle chalk stream

Further concerns are being raised about an ‘environmental disaster’, with criticisms of the government agency’s failed clean-up of spill from February being compounded by more pollution on the river this week For the second time in just a few weeks, … Continue reading

Posted in Bobby Dean, Carshalton and Wallington, Environment, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

London Wildlife Trust updates website for people to help nature

The London Wildlife Trust, which manages many of the areas of downland and open space around Croydon and across the capital, is changing the way people can help, with a new volunteer management system coming into use from April 14. … Continue reading

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Selsdon woodland open space offered for sale at just £20,000

A small patch of woodland in Selsdon, used as a public open space for decades, has been put up for sale for just £20,000 – and the local Tory councillor says that there is nothing Mayor Jason Perry or his … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Stranack, Community associations, Croydon parks, Environment, Planning, Property, Selsdon Residents' Association, Selsdon Vale and Forestdale, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Community event at Manor Farm Nature Reserve, Apr 26

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Video nasty has Mayor putting Heathfield up for sale again

CROYDON IN CRISIS: As he makes yet another U-turn, Jason Perry is refusing to provide a list of heritage assets that his council won’t flog off. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Mayor Jason Perry is preparing to put Heathfield House on … Continue reading

Posted in Addington, Croydon Council, Croydon parks, Environment, Gardening, Heathfield House, History, Mayor Jason Perry, Property, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Wandle Forum in legal challenge to council over nature reserve

INSIDE SUTTON: If the council won’t take action against big business for failing to honour its planning commitments, then a coalition of around 150 community groups – backed up by a major legal firm – will. By ROSE HILL The … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Community associations, Environment, London-wide issues, Sutton Council, Waste incinerator, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

RSPCA in public appeal to gardeners to help nurture nature

Experts offer 10 top tips to help turn gardens and open spaces into wildlife havens, after admissions of injured and distressed animals soared in 2024 Animal welfare charity the RSPCA is calling on all Londoners to try to help wildlife … Continue reading

Posted in Activities, Charity, Croydon parks, Environment, Gardening, RSPCA, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

City Commons staging ‘Meet the Calves’ open day, Sun Mar 23

The City Commons rangers are opening up their yard on Coulsdon Common on Sunday March 23 to “Meet the Calves”, this year’s additions to the herd of Sussex cattle that grazes Farthing Downs and the local commons. “This is the … Continue reading

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Birders leave a sign to mark life of RSPB founder Eliza Phillips

Croydon bird-watchers have installed a plaque to commemorate the life and far-reaching works of Eliza Phillips, one of the founders and most generous benefactors of what we know today as the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. Phillips’ home … Continue reading

Posted in Addiscombe East, Charity, Community associations, Environment, History, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Heritage building Heathfield House is pulled from auction

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Mayor Jason Perry’s bungling council has now withdrawn the publicly-owned Grade II-listed building from the auction in their latest embarrassing climbdown Croydon’s bungling Mayor Jason Perry has been forced to withdraw Heathfield House from the controversial auction … Continue reading

Posted in Addington, Croydon Council, Croydon East, Croydon parks, Environment, Gardening, Heathfield House, History, Mayor Jason Perry, Natasha Irons, Property, Ria Patel, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Groups join MP’s call for big fines for River Wandle polluters

An MP has been joined by an organisation representing 150 voluntary groups and a rivers charity in calling for punitive “polluter pays” fines for whoever was responsible for this week’s massively damaging diesel spillage into the River Wandle. Bobby Dean, … Continue reading

Posted in Bobby Dean, Carshalton and Wallington, Environment, Thames Water, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Council caught in new omnishambles over Heathfield House

CROYDON IN CRISIS: The latest contradictory statement issued from Fisher’s Folly has failed to placate petitioners, who say the auction of the Grade II-listed building creates ‘serious legal and ethical concerns and sets a dangerous precedent for green spaces in … Continue reading

Posted in Addington, Croydon Council, Croydon parks, Environment, Gardening, Heathfield House, History, Mayor Jason Perry, Property, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Council looks to flog listed Heathfield House – for just £1m

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Mayor Jason Perry’s efforts to sell the borough’s last remaining heritage buildings has now turned to a Grade II-listed Victorian villa that sits at the top of Gravel Hill – with an asking price well below what … Continue reading

Posted in Addington, Croydon Council, Croydon parks, Environment, Gardening, Heathfield House, History, Property, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 24 Comments

‘Environmental disaster’ on Wandle after diesel spills into river

A Sutton MP has called the latest pollution spill into the River Wandle an “environmental disaster”, after an estimated 4,000 litres of diesel was released into the rare chalk stream yesterday. Officials from Merton Council, crews from the London Fire … Continue reading

Posted in Bobby Dean, Carshalton and Wallington, Environment, Siobhain McDonagh MP, Steve Reed MP, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Calves’ arrival comes right on time for Commons’ GPS herd

The rangers at City Commons, the precious open spaces around Coulsdon, Kenley and Riddlesdown, are celebrating the arrivals of the first new-borns in their herd of Sussex cattle. The rangers have been closely monitoring the cows and calves throughout the … Continue reading

Posted in City Commons, Community associations, Coulsdon, Croydon parks, Environment, Friends of Farthing Downs, Kenley, South London Downs NNR, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Get down to some ‘compost disco-ing’ at Sutton farm’s wassail

Sutton Community Farm will be staging its Winter Wassail 2025 on Saturday February 1, reviving a traditionally English, medieval celebration aimed at blessing the upcoming harvest season. All the family can enjoy the day, where the centerpiece is the wassailing … Continue reading

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Sign up now for the world’s biggest annual wildlife survey

It’s nearly time for the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch, a vital piece of citizen science which is all the time contributing to our knowledge of the changes going on in our environment, and its impact on the wildlife around us. … Continue reading

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RSPCA provides freezing weather safety advice for your pets

With temperatures set to drop and snow and ice forecast in many areas, the RSPCA is urging people to follow its urgent advice to keep pets, livestock and wildlife safe and happy amid the big freeze. The Met Office has … Continue reading

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Officials ignore councillors’ calls for action over Farmlands site

IN-DEPTH AND INFORMED: Sutton’s elected councillors, from across the political divide, are being ignored by the council’s senior staff over enforcement action against Valencia over the Beddington Farmlands nature reserve. It couldn’t have anything to do with Valencia providing energy … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Dave Burton, Ed Parsley, Environment, Helen Bailey, London-wide issues, Ruth Dombey, Sutton Council, Tim Foster, Waste incinerator, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments