Each season, the Rangers for Spring park and Wickham Common share their latest news. They cover what to look out for now, and the work that’s been going on over the season…
Species to see this Summer
On West Wickham Common, the heather is in bloom with insects, including dazzling Common Blue butterflies, whose bright blue wings are a welcome splash of colour as they flit from flower to flower. Keep an eye around the woodland edges too, where Emperor dragonflies patrol tirelessly, hunting smaller insects in fast, powerful flights.
Look up and you may spot Buzzards circling on rising warm air or the increasingly familiar Red Kite drifting overhead with its distinctive forked tail. Spring Park is one of the best places to look for the elusive Brown Hairstreak butterfly, while each summer also brings the possibility of rarer visitors with 2026 already a bumper one for migrants such as Clouded Yellow and Painted Lady butterflies.
New byelaw boards
Visitors to Spring Park and West Wickham Common may have noticed a fresh new look at many of the site’s entrances, with the installation of new signs now nearing completion as part of a two-year capital project.
The new signs replace the traditional black byelaw boards, many of which had deteriorated over time or were missing and had to be removed. The replacement signs are constructed from sustainable Accoya, a high-performance modified timber sourced from responsibly managed forests that is highly resistant to rot.
Three different sign designs have been installed to suit a variety of entrances. Large boards welcome visitors at roadside entrances, smaller monolith signs mark quieter access points, and larger noticeboards that provide space for seasonal information, events, and visitor notices throughout the year.
Fencing repairs at Spring Park
With this summer’s warm, dry weather, it’s hard to believe that back in early June our volunteers were dodging torrential rain while carrying out fencing repairs at Spring Park! Despite the downpour, the West Wickham and Spring Park volunteers got stuck in, replacing sections of the cleft split chestnut rail fence along the boundary between Spring Park and Sparrow’s Den.
The fixed fencing will help guide visitors along the designated footpaths, reducing the creation of informal “desire lines” through the woodland. By keeping people on the marked routes, we can help protect the woodland floor and the plants and wildlife that depend on this sensitive habitat. A huge thank you to everyone who braved the weather to get the job done!
Volunteering
If you are interested in joining our monthly practical conservation work tasks at Sping Park and West Wickham Common, or want to know more about what we get up to, please email us. The West Wickham Common and Spring Park volunteers (otherwise known as the WWaSPs) are a welcoming group that meet once a month and carry out a range of different practical tasks to help with the conservation and protection of the West Wickham Commons.
Green Flag award for both sites!
We’re proud to share that both Spring Park and West Wickham Common have once again been awarded the Green Flag Award and for West Wickham Common the Green Heritage Award too!
This year was a mystery shop year, meaning visiting judges could attend our sites at any point during the Spring and Summer, keeping us very much on our toes! It goes without saying, but maintaining each and every part of the West Wickham Commons to a high standard is truly a team effort. We’d like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who plays a role in keeping these spaces special—from our hardworking Rangers to the incredible volunteers who give their time and energy so generously, thank you all.
Coney Hall Village Residents' Association (CHVRA) 