Helping nature to thrive at Canada Water

Stave Hill Ecology Park is 5.2 acres of wild green space in the middle of the Rotherhithe Peninsula. The park was created back in the mid-1980s and was one of the first urban ecology parks in the UK. It is a community park in every sense, built and looked after by a team of volunteers helped by school children, young people and workers from the local area.

Ecologist Rebeka Clark is the senior project officer at the park. She has been at Stave Hill for more than 35 years – almost from the very beginning. She knows the area, its history, and its flora and fauna intimately.

We spoke to Rebeka about how she’s working with the Dockside team to link up the green and blue spaces across the peninsula and create flourishing natural habitats in the middle of this urban environment.

What is special about this part of London Rebeka?

Rebeka: This area is one of only four core habitat areas in Southwark, which is one of London’s largest boroughs. There’s so much green space here. Just look at a satellite map. It’s all green. With Stave Hill, I love that you have a patch of genuine countryside in the middle of an urban environment.

Then there’s a lot about the nature and the species found here that is unique and connected to the area’s history as a dockland. For example, timber was once traded here, and the rotting logs that were left behind when the docks were decommissioned mean that we have large populations of stag beetles.

I also love that the people who live and work here are so nature conscious. It has taken time; at first, people didn’t know how to respond to a place like Stave Hill; it wasn’t the manicured green space they were used to. But over time, by explaining what we’re doing and getting people involved, they have come to really embrace it and respect the natural environment. The community is now very knowledgeable about nature. Ideas have spread, and residents are, for example, creating micro meadows in their gardens and balconies, putting up bird boxes and so forth. When this happens, nature follows.

What are you doing to promote biodiversity at Canada Water?

Rebeka: For wildlife to thrive, it needs the opportunity to move and migrate. The Mayor of London’s plan and our status as a National Park City stresses the importance of creating connected wildlife corridors – from the Thames to the outer London boroughs.

For this to happen, we need to stop thinking about individual green sites and isolated pockets and start thinking about connected landscapes. Our work at Stave Hill and collaboration with Art Invest and with British Land directly supports this vision.

As an example – we have the yellow loosestrife bee here at Stave Hill. It’s the first ever record of it in London so it’s really exciting. This tiny black bee collects floral oils and pollen from yellow loosestrife flowers. We’re now planting yellow loosestrife at other sites across the peninsula, and the bee has been recorded at Lavender Pond Nature Reserve for two years running. If we can create a habitat for it at Canada Dock, then we’re in business. We’ve created a connected habitat for this bee to move and migrate from the Thames and outward because, from Dockside, it will be able to reach Southwark Park.

The Dockside team has been excellent in this sense, actively seeking information and cooperation. They understand that we’re not here to object just because they’re putting up buildings. During the planning phase, we provided recommendations and raised areas of concern regarding wildlife. We’re now looking forward to staying involved as the plans for the building terraces and public realm materialise.

Could you tell us how you’re collaborating with the team at Dockside?

Rebeka: We have an ongoing dialogue with the Dockside team, British Land, and the landscape architects involved in the projects. The goal is to create a joined-up landscape where nature and wildlife can thrive.

In practice, this means that the new green infrastructure at Canada Water needs to support the species that are already here. This is my focus, but at the same time, the planting also has to meet other criteria.

Inside the ecology park, it doesn’t matter if things require a bit of babying or extra maintenance. On the other hand, a communal planting scheme needs more structural and attractive plants that are less vulnerable to damage and easier to maintain.

It’s kind of a juggling act between form and function. There are a range of plants that the landscape architects can use. I make suggestions, like: “Have you considered this? It’s great for this type of butterfly.” So instead of planting for ‘autumn colour’, you’re asking, “What value will this be to wildlife? Will this tree be suitable for nesting and roosting? Will it provide a food source?”.

Dockside is a commercial quarter. Why would businesses be interested in ecology and biodiversity, and what are you doing to encourage engagement?

Rebeka: People need time out from their working day. Take lunchtime, for example, what’s nicer? A bench in a windswept square with nothing but buildings looming over you? Or a bench backing onto a bed of wildflowers surrounded by fruit trees and bird song? When people spend time outside and absorb the natural environment, they also start to engage with it.

Part of this is about education and awareness – communicating what we’re doing and why. This can be as simple as putting up information boards so people can identify what they’re seeing and hearing.

It can also be about inviting people to become involved. We run a volunteering program that’s become very popular with corporate teams. Last year, we had 2,000 volunteers working with us on everything from art projects to cutting shrubs, planting trees, and building natural play equipment. It’s a really rewarding experience; we’ve received so much positive feedback.

People who interact with nature on a daily basis are more likely to start thinking about our global natural environment and making lifestyle changes. It seems like such a small thing, but it has long-term and broad impacts.

The big benefit is that we will see a more cohesive community because that’s what happens when people engage with their local green spaces.

How do you feel about the future of this part of London?

Rebeka: I’m actually quite optimistic. Everyone here – the local community, Art-Invest, British Land, and the new people and businesses coming into Canada Water – we all have an opportunity to create something remarkable here and to leave a better legacy. Something where we can all turn around and say: “If you want to see an area that embodies London National Park City, come here.”

Stave Hill Ecology Park is looked after by The Conservation Volunteers. The park is open to the public at all times.