Urban Ecology Walk - from William Curtis to Stave Hill Ecological Park
Event Information
Event description
Description
William Curtis, Britain's first urban ecology park, was set up on a former lorry park by the Trust for Urban Ecology in 1977. When it closed in 1985, a new piece of land was identified on the Rotherhithe peninsula, which became Stave Hill Ecological Park.
This walk takes us from one site to the other, exploring their impact on biodiversity in the city and the development of urban ecology worldwide. We will listen for the impact of these interventions on the peninsula's soundscapes. We are joined by David Goode, former Director of the London Ecology Unit, Jon Best, Southwark Ecology Officer and artists from soundCamp, who have been researching the history of Stave Hill over the past year.
We will review Flora Londinensis - an illustrated guide commissioned by William Curtis in 1777 to assist lay people in identifying urban plants, and work with historical images and maps to identify the original site of the William Curtis Ecological Park.
We plan to stop for tea on the way and finish at the SHED at Stave Hill, 10 minutes from Canada Water.