VPAG Wildlife Newsletter – April 2025
VPAG Wildlife Newsletter – Feb 2025
Victoria Park was created in the 1880s with the aim of benefitting the wellbeing of local
residents and it still fulfils that role today. The play areas, outdoor gym and green
spaces may be widely enjoyed by the human inhabitants of Totterdown and Windmill
Hill, but the park also provides a haven for a wealth of wildlife too. The 50 plus acres
includes a variety of habitats ranging from long grass to wooded areas and includes
some very old and unique trees. Local people, supported by Victoria Park Action Group
(VPAG) and Bristol City Council, have been involved in the planting and maintenance of
trees, shrubs and other park habitats including the willow tunnel, over many years. The
park is often used by local primary schools for forest school and outdoor learning
sessions and there is also a Community Garden, south of the Bowling Club which
supports many pollinators. It is also hoped that as in former years, the vegetable patch
will be up and running again in 2025.
The long, grassy areas host an assortment of wildflowers which in turn support a
variety of invertebrates. These provide food for birds including robins, wrens, chiff
chaffs, woodpeckers and blue tits. Other birds found in the park include greenfinch and
jays, with Tawny Owls often being heard in autumn and winter. Victoria Park is home to
at least 8 species of bat, some of which are quite rare. Foxes have also been spotted in
the park and grey squirrels are a common sight.
Back in 2015, 900 people took part in a 2 day Bioblitz event to survey the park’s
wildlife. Many different flora and fauna were recorded, including over 200 different
plant species, 21 types of birds, 47 lichen species and 37 different varieties of
butterflies and moths. The results of this survey can be found at
http://www.alexmorss.co.uk/bioblitz.html
After a few quiet years, the Victoria Park Wildlife Group is now back in action and
involved in an exciting Nature Recovery programme in partnership with Wild Gardeners
and supported by Bristol City Council. The project will run from 2025 – 2027 and will
involve the creation of wildflower walks and dead hedges to enrich the park’s
ecosystems for pollinators, birds and mammals. There will also be public engagement
events including a new bioblitz and talks.
Victoria Park Wildlife Group are actively looking to get more people from the local
community involved in supporting wildlife in the park, including taking part in practical volunteer sessions. If you would like to find out more or are interested in being part of
the Wildlife Group, you can follow us on
Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaParkBristol
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/victoriaparkactiongroup/p/DCRlcJJMPo6/
or follow the link on this website’s homepage or email hello@VPAG.org.uk
See Gallery – Wildlife for some beautiful pictures of plants, animals, birds and
insects that have been seen in Victoria Park.