Morden Park includes 5 hectares of woodland in a borough that contains very little woodland. The park has therefore been designated a Site of Borough Importance for Merton (Grade II) and part of it is a Local Nature Reserve.
Woodland Ecology
The woodland area is part of a Local Nature Reserve that includes part of Morden Park. The woodland area forms a boundary around much of the park, including oak copses that surround the two ponds, and a number of ancient oaks that extend into the park. These form part of the original field boundaries and are particularly important in terms of conservation and aesthetics, providing much of the character of the parkland. The structure of the woodland is high canopy dominated by native broadleaf species with some exotic species.
Threats prior to Capital Woodlands
While Morden Park is used extensively throughout the year by local people, the woodland is underused in comparison and this represents the main threat to its future. Community consultation in 2005 attributed this under use to a lack of interpretation and promotion to encourage use of the woodland in its own right.
Capital Woodlands Programme
Woodland management largely comprises a programme of selective thinning to remove weak and dangerous trees and unwanted non-native species, followed by replanting to increase the native flora. This planting will involve volunteers from local groups including school children who take part in seed gathering events from year 1.
A woodland trail is also in development with involvement of local schools. This work is complemented by the development of a new Morden Education Pack and the development of a new Forest Schools cluster group in Merton.
Visit the Merton council website by clicking here, to download the Morden Park Education packs
Photograph © Trees for Cities
New information boards and directional signs follow the general pattern of existing signs within Merton, with the directional signs placed to direct visitors to areas of interest.
Morden Park Playing Fields Association
There is an active resident's group that helps fund minor projects in the Park, such as improvements to gates, and Merton Tree Warden Scheme is currently involved in tree management.
