Mayow Park is a site of importance for nature conservation within the borough of Lewisham. The Friends of Mayow Park take that responsibility seriously in their activities.
ORCHARD: During 2025 the Friends held orchard pruning workshops, volunteers removed unwanted grasses round those trees and planted bulbs which should produce a floral display this year. Fruit blossom on the trees attracted bumble bees and other pollinating insects. Ladybirds were busy eating aphids. Lady’s Smock (a small delicate flower) made its annual appearance in late March. The orchard trees produced many fruits with some left on the ground for wildlife. We worked with Glendale in autumn to cut back scrub (mainly brambles and ivy) behind the orchard to allow grass to grow – grassland is an important habitat for invertebrates.
POND: Built with help from Froglife, The Orchard Project and local volunteers, the pond was first constructed with a liner in March 2025 but later in the summer it was re-shaped as a natural clay pond surrounded by a wildlife friendly dead hedge. Over time we hope it will attract dragonflies, frogs and other creatures. Nearby we have created a bee bank for wildflowers to attract pollinators and we would be so happy to see many different types of butterfly.
ANIMALS: We held two evening bat walks in 2025 –enjoyable for all ages. We regularly see crows and magpies, sometimes jays, hear the occasional woodpecker. Common birds include robins, blue and great tits and many parakeets. We have been lucky in recent months to watch the activities of a pair of Egyptian geese that have visited us from time to time.
TREES: With many old and veteran trees, over
time their limbs die and they can present potential hazards to the public. During the past year (2025) tree surgeons cut down dead
trees and removed heavy limbs from other trees with safety a priority. Trunks
were left lying on the grass for park visitors to use as additional seating and as habitats for
insects and fungi. Do visit and look at the different fungi that grow on dead
wood. Can you name any?
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| Before surgery |
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| After surgery Nov 2025 |
IN OTHER NEWS: Friends of Mayow Park (FOMP) have a
new Chair. At the recent Annual General Meeting, (January 2026) the Friends elected Robert Hero
as Chair. We are delighted. Robert has a keen interest in the park and knows many park users. He cares about the
wildlife, the upkeep of the park and the way that humans treat the park. He is
an animal lover and walks his dogs in the park almost daily. He and the FOMP committee will plan for
activities to make the park the best it can be, working closely with Glendale,
the company that manages the park for Lewisham. Robert intends to reach out to more park users and encourage them to join us so that FOMP will become a strong and influential park user group.
And to finish off, here is a fungus beauty on an oak log on 20th Jan 2026
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| warty jelly fungus (Exidia glandulosa) |
