Tia, a Jack Russell puppy is missing. Have you seen her?

Tia, a young Jack Russell puppy, went missing from Wimbledon Common on Sunday 17th August. She was spooked by another dog and ran off with her extendable lead still attached. If you have seen Tia or have any information, please call her distraught owners on 07770 483645 or the Ranger's Office on 020 8788 7655.

Water Trough

We apologise for the water fountain being out of order.

We are awaiting parts but as it is no longer made it is proving difficult to get the items we need.

We aplogise for any inconvenience.

Wimbledon & Putney Commons Open Day! Sunday 13th July

Well, what a day it turned out to be! With the weather still very wet on Saturday evening, we were beginning to panic about what the Open Day would have in store for us but lut luck was on our side and the day dawned bright and sunny and, apart from a few cloudy intervals, stayed that way all day.

All the staff would like to thank everyone who helped make the day a success...the charity stall holders, those giving demonstrations in the arena and, most of all, to you, the public for turning out once again to support us!

Here's a selection of photographs from the day:

Grooming demonstration:

Flyball

Shire Horse from Richmond Park

Troops from the Household Division

The dog show and the Dog Race!

Donkey Rides

Wimbledon Village Stables - Musical Ride

Falcon High Birds of Prey

Mounted Keepers strutting their stuff:

We hope you all enjoyed the day and we look forward to seeing you again on the 12th July 2009!

Caterpillars

If you should go down to the woods today and discover a caterpillar or two in your hair or on your clothing don’t worry, it’s perfectly normal for this time of year.

With the rising temperatures of late spring providing a catalyst for growth, the deciduous woodlands of the British Isles increasingly act as a larder for thousands of hidden creatures.

For many of us who enjoy the commons, this situation was recently highlighted by the large numbers of caterpillars that could be seen suspended from their silky life-lines above the commons many woodland tracks.

Among others, one of the most prolific caterpillars to be seen throughout the commons predominantly Oak woodlands has been the green oak tortrix (Tortrix viridana).

Easily identified, the green oak tortrix caterpillar is entirely green in colour and rarely exceeds 12mm in length. Reaching maturity the moth also remains completely green with a wingspan of approximately 20mm.

Coinciding with the initial burst of leaf development, the caterpillars are active as soon as the leaves unfold and steadily feed until the maturing leaves fill with tannin and become unpalatable for the caterpillars consumption. While the damage to leaves is sometimes striking, the trees will survive and no permanent injury is sustained.

For those of you who prefer a little less intimate contact with our woodland inhabitants, it may come as good news that there is only one brood of these caterpillars each year and they are extremely high on the food list for many of our favourite woodland birds.

Grass Cutting on the Plain

As part of the Wimbledon and Putney Commons Conservators' committment to improving the ecological condition of the Commons grassland, the Plain will receive an additional cut this year at the end of May.

Forming part of the area that makes up the Commons' SSSI status (Site of Special Scientific Interest), the Plain has been documented as an area of Acid Grassland. In order to restore the appropriate diversity to this area, Natural England has been instrumental in prescribing that a bi-annual cut of approximately 60% of the area would be the best course of action.

After consultation with local experts and interest groups, the areas to be cut were chosen with the aim of causing as little disturbance to the resident fauna as possible.

If you have any queries, please contact our Wildlife and Conservation Officer, Peter Haldane on 020 8788 7655 or by e-mailing peter@wpcc.org.uk

Barbeques are not permitted on Wimbledon and Putney Commons.

Bye law 10 of the Wimbledon and Putney Commons Act 1871

"No unauthorised personnel shall in anywise injure, damage, or destroy any turf, gorse, furze, heather, fern, grass, timber or other trees, shrubs, brushwood, or other plants upon the Commons, or any part thereof, or dig upon or in, or break up or disturb the surface of the Commons, or of any part thereof, or of any gravel or sand-pit thereon, or light any fire upon the Commons, or wilfully or negligently place, throw or let fall any lighted or combustible substance, article or thing which may cause, or be likely to cause, damage by fire to any gorse, furze, heather, timber or other trees, shrubs, brushwood, or other plants upon the Commons. "

We realise that to many of you, this seems to make us "spoilsports", particularly if you have just put your burgers on to cook and a Keeper comes along and douses the BBQ with water. It's a lovely summer evening and you're just having a harmless BBQ in the sunshine. Where's the problem?

The problem is that, despite the wet weather we have experienced lately, it still does not take very much to set the Commons alight at this time of year. BBQs leave unsightly scorch marks in the grass and, if not attended to or extinguished properly, a fire can soon spread. The Commons are a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest and is home to some rare species of flora and fauna. One careless mistake could wipe out an area of the Commons in minutes if fire takes hold.

Please do not light BBQs on the Common. Someone will report you and your BBQ will be extinguished. Offering a Keeper a sausage will not work!

Do you have a Christmas Card photograph?

Do you have any photographs of the Common during the recent snow that might be suitable as a Christmas card?

The Conservators are about to begin their search for a photograph for their 2008 Christmas card and this year have decided to open the search up to include entries from the general public.

A £50* prize is on offer to the winning submission!

Entries are limited to two per person and can be sent by e-mail to rangersoffice@wpcc.org.uk – please use jpg format and the highest resolution possible.

Alternatively, prints can be mailed to:

The Ranger’s Office
Manor Cottage
Windmill Road
Wimbledon Common
London SW10 5NR

Please mark your envelope "Christmas Cards".

Please include your name, address and a contact phone number with your submission.

CLOSING DATE: Friday 30th May

*subject to the copyright of the image being assigned to the Conservators.

New Reed Bed established on the Kingsmere pond

To improve the environmental and habitat value of the Kingsmere, a small stand of Common reed (Phragmites australis) has been planted along the pond's northern edge, alongside the A3.

Phragmites australis is Britain's tallest species of grass and, when established, forms dense stands of up to 4 metres in height. This perennial reed colonises wetland sites through its ability to form an extensive system of stron roots beneath the muddy surface in which it survives.

Phragmites australis has been traditionally harvested for its use in the thatching of roofs but stands of this this reed also play a very important role for birdlife and for the overall enhancement of wetland sites.

Roxy the Lurcher is missing. - Now safely reunited!

Invasive Species Control on Wimbledon Common Ponds - Tuesday 4th March

On Tuesday 4th March work will be carried out by Mid-Kent Fisheries on behalf of the COnservators on the Rushmere, Seven Posts and Curling Ponds.

The treatment being used is a granular aquatic herbicide designed to safely remove the increasing problem of invasive weeds that affect the ponds.

Whilst the chemicals are harmless tpo both people and animals, it would be appreciated if dogs could be kept away from the water for the duration of this exercise.

Thank you for your co-operation.

If you have any queries, please contact Peter Haldane at the Ranger's Office on 020 8788 7655