Sutton Nature Conservation Volunteers Sites

The London Borough of Sutton manages numerous sites for nature conservation throughout the borough.

Anton Crescent Wetland LNR

Anton Crescent Wetland was officially opened as a Local Nature Reserve in June 2007 by Deputy Mayor Cllr Brendon Hudson.

Belmont Pastures LNR

Belmont Pastures is an area of around 1 hectare of unimproved chalk / neutral grassland that used to belong to Belmont Hospital. Belmont Pastures was declared as a Local Nature Reserve in October 2006.

Carshalton Road Pastures

Carshalton Road Pastures is an area of chalk grassland to the south of the borough. It covers over 6ha and forms part of the Sutton Countryside Walk and the LOOP.

Cuddington Meadows LNR

Cuddington Meadows was declared a Local Nature Reserve in January 2004, based on the diversity of its chalk grassland. Although at only 1.42ha (3.5 acres), Cuddington Meadows is a small site, it contains a number of scarce and important species within the chalk grassland.

Devonshire Avenue Nature Area LNR

Devonshire Avenue Nature Area (DANA) is a small site of around 0.42ha (1 acre) in a residential area in South Sutton. It was declared a Local Nature Reserve in January 2004.

Roundshaw Downs LNR

Roundshaw Downs, at 38 ha, is the largest area of unimproved chalk grassland in the borough. As such, it provides an extremely valuable nature conservation resource for insects, birds and wild flowers.

The Spinney LNR

The Spinney is a small, 'L'-shaped Local Nature Reserve that is also known as Nightingale Road Bird Sanctuary.

Therapia Lane Rough

Therapia Lane Rough is now a fraction of its former size and glory. In the early 1990's, this site was one of the most botanically diverse in Greater London, boasting at least 230 different species of vascular plants, a huge number for London.

Wandle Valley Wetland

Links below may open in a new window Wandle Valley Wetland (this link opens in a new window) is around two thirds of a hectare and comprises open water, scrub, lots of marginal vegetation and seasonal pools. It was declared a Local Nature Reserve in January 2004.

Wellfield Plantation and Grasslands Complex

Wellfield Plantation and Grasslands are a set of roughly linked sites that form a complex of secondary woodland and chalk grassland over approximately 2 hectares (5 acres), at the very northern-most part of the North Downs on Upper Chalk deposits.

Education Downloads

Education PDF documents to download. These can be used by schools or other not-for-profit organisations to teach children about a variety of wildlife that may be on a local nature reserve or school grounds.

Sutton Ecology Centre

The grounds are an excellent place for a stroll and to find out about wildlife habitats, alternative energy, recycling, composting, organic and wildlife gardening. The Centre runs educational visits for schools and community groups, as well as events for adults, families and children, volunteer days and much much more.

Ruffett and Bigwood LNR

Ruffett & Bigwood is the largest area of continuous woodland within the London Borough of Sutton, at around 7ha (17.5 acres). Although the site is secondary woodland, there are a number of features of ancient woodland (in continuous existence since at least 1600 AD), which is another UK wide threatened habitat. This Local Nature Reserve is actually two blocks of woodland joined at one corner, with Ruffett wood (2.5ha; 6.4 acres) to the north and Bigwood (4.5ha; 11.1 acres) to the south.

The Warren

In 1847, a railway line from West Croydon to Epsom was opened. This was followed in 1868 by another line running from Peckham Rye to Sutton. These two lines now converge just to the east of Sutton town centre railway station and form a triangle of land between the two lines. This area of land is now known as The Warren. The Warren is a Borough Grade II Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC).