Lambeth’s wildlife is as diverse as its people and communities, and every species makes an important contribution to Lambeth’s richness and vibrancy. Many wild plants and animals are important for the health of the environment – pollinating plants in our gardens, parks and allotments, helping control pests and weeds, soaking up air and water pollution.
Our environment and theirs
You might not think it at first, but Lambeth’s packed with an amazing diversity of wildlife living in parks, housing estates, allotments and private or communal gardens. Some are rare or even threatened with extinction, not just in London but across the UK – like swans, stag beetles, mistletoe, sparrowhawks, bee orchids, grass snakes and bats. We need to protect and encourage them to stay.
Building the big picture
So we’re asking you, the public, to tell us what wildlife you see, when and where. We’re working with Greenspace Information for Greater London (GIGL), London’s biological recording centre, to assemble all the information. And we’ll use it not just to help the council look after green spaces, but also to help you with advice like making gardens wildlife-friendly.
Rare or everywhere – we don’t care!
We’re not just interested in the rare or unusual – common species like poppies, blackbirds, butterflies, oak trees and even foxes matter. We’d love your photos (from your phone or a camera), and location (address of your garden, name of a park or estate), how many of each plant or animal you saw, and what they were doing (e.g. feeding on flowers or sitting on your windowsill).
Send your sightings
Email your sightings, especially with pictures and location details, to Lambeth Landscapes; we’ll acknowledge each report, and will contact you if we need more details, etc. We’ll treat all your details in strict confidence, and we will never share your name or contact details – but we’ll thank you personally.
Or you can send your wildlife sightings direct to GiGL using their online form.
For more information
For more on encouraging wildlife in Lambeth, or to recruit volunteers to record Lambeth’s wildlife, please email Lambeth landscape Team or call 020 7926 6209
For more about Greenspace Information for Greater London see their information pages.
