16.
WILDLIFE SURVEY OF WANSTEAD PARK. 1975 to 1977.
Wanstead Park is the most southerly portion of Epping
Forest, containing a large area of deciduous woodland,
grassland and 341/2 acres of water, (with 10 acres of
islands). Although extensively used and abused by
members of the public, it is seemingly abundant in wild
life, so that the question that immediately springs to
mind is 'How does this extensive usage of the park
by the public affect the wildlife contained therein?'
To answer this, a full scale investigation is required,
along similar lines to the B.T.O.'s Atlas Project.
With this in mind, the Wren Conservation Group have
begun this project.
It is planned to record flora and fauna over a period
of three years, 197S to 1977 inclusive, within the
park and to repeat it in ten years time, 1985 to 1987.
(One year is obviously too short a period for such a
survey and five years was considered too long. Three
years was taken as a suitable compromise).
During 1974 a pilot survey was carried out to test
the feasibility of such a project. The results are
comforting in as much as they show the project is a
viable proposition provided that every person who
obtains any records of any description sends these
into the Wren Conservation Group. The Pilot Survey
recorded only one group - birds. This group was chosen
because of the ease with which birds can be spotted
and identified, plus the fact that the author is a
fanatical ornithologist! Resits can be Precied as follows:
a) Only 18 observers contributed records, probably due
to lack of publicity. Conclusion: more publicity.
b) 74 species were recorded in one year by only 18 rec-
orders, showing the viability of the project.
c) Certain records in particular show clearly the need
for a survey of this nature.
The following items of interest are extracted from
the report: