Maturing of London's Minet Country Park

Haymaking at Minet with volunteers John Beaven and Muriel Gervais - July 2008

Habitat management at Minet

Minet Country Park (area: 36 ha) is located in a heavily urbanised, culturally diverse area in Hayes, West London. Although designated Greenbelt land and a Grade 1 Site of Metropolitan Borough Importance, much of the site had deteriorated by the year 2001, having largely become wasteland. Vegetation loss owing to illegal vehicle use and dumping of waste had reduced the site to dereliction and it was avoided by many local people.

A Rocha Living Waterways was instrumental in the transformation of the site, providing the ecological expertise to contribute towards the re-development led by the London Borough of Hillingdon. By 2003 the site had been transformed into the safe and attractive Minet Country Park, an oasis of green in a densely populated, urban area. British Waterways land adjacent to the park is also of great significance to local wildlife; it is not managed and though closed to the public is included in A Rocha Living Waterway’s Minet Site Working Area. (For more details see Science Review 2003-2005.)

Minet Country Park is now maturing, with local species re-colonising previously disturbed areas. Locally uncommon plants such as Red Bartsia Odontites verna and Grass Vetchling Lathyrus nissolia are flourishing and he handful of Bee Orchids phrys pifera that were present in 2004 increased to 127 plants in 2006. The number of bird species recorded has increased from 60 in 1998 to 113 in 2005. Twenty-three species of butterfly have been recorded, the Small Heath Coenonympha pamphilus thriving particularly well on the abundant dry grassland. Weekly butterfly transects are completed between April and September. An annual moth trap event assists in gathering an indication of species present and it is hoped that this data collection will increase.

Moth trapping at Minet

Birds are monitored by recording species seen during weekly visits and by ringing in partnership with Runnymede and Maple Cross ringing groups. Encouraging records include the first breeding Grasshopper Warblers Locustella naevia, a wintering Dartford Warbler Sylvia undata and first records of Common Buzzard Buteo buteo, Nuthatch Sitta europaea and Wryneck Jynx torquilla, a rare passage migrant. In 2006 territory mapping showed the presence of at least 10 breeding pairs of Sky Lark Alauda arvensis.

Habitat management is carried out by Green Team volunteers, local people serving Community Service orders and volunteers from surrounding churches. Visitors to the A Rocha centre in Southall provide valuable assistance, especially during the summer.

A Rocha Living Waterways is providing environmental education for thousands of school children visiting Minet Country Park and for local faith communities in the surrounding area. Local residents are encouraged to gain a sense of ownership of the park through activities run by the team, often in partnership with other local organisations, particularly with the London Borough of Hillingdon. These include nature walks, holiday playschemes, Art in the Park and Minet Community Festival. Visitor numbers have increased as a result. Minet Country Park has become a focus for transforming local people’s attitudes to the environment.

Project leader: Sian Hawkins

Partners: London Borough of Hillingdon, Friends of Minet Country Park