| Marsh gas |
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| This particular sign is directly outside the marina gates. According to the sign: "Walthamstow Marsh Nature Reserver is one of the last surviving marshlands in the London area. Its importance for wildlife was recognised nationally in 1985 when it was designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
"In 1909 a freelance inventor Alliot Verdon Roe rented out two railway arches on the marsh for workshops. In June he made a series of short jumps and then a 100 feet hop in his triplane before, on 23rd July, making several 900 feet flights. He thus became the first person to fly over British soil with a British-designed machine powered by a British engine. He later former his own company and made such famous planes as the Avro Lancaster. "In the 1970s and 80s Walthamstow Marsh was under threat of development. The discovery of adder's tongue Fern here by local people helped convince the authorities to protect the marsh. "Horseshoe Thicket "The woodland here is managed to maximise its wildlife value. When the trees are coppiced (cut down to promote re-growth) the logs are left deliberately in piles for the benefit of fungi and insects. The nettles here attract butterflies such as the Comma. "The Coppermill Stream "The stream on the North side of the road is a stream in name only as it has no real flow. However it and the ditches are a valuable refuge for dragonflies like the Common Darter and the vocal Green Frogs. Nearby trees such as the Alder are attractive in winter to birds such as Siskins and sometimes Redpoles." |
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