Our contribution to the Wandsworth Heritage Festival concluded with a walk led by Stephen Midlane between the three local bowling greens, starting with Wandsworth’s only surviving public green - on Wandsworth Common - and finishing at the South London club where the walkers tried their hands at a game.

Richard and Laila Tillett, who have just started walking a new butterfly recording transect, conducted their first butterfly walk, which serendipitously coincided with the arrival of the season’s first painted ladies. Other species seen included comma, red admiral, peacock etc. A better than expected count.

Liam Hutton, one of Enable’s Tree Officers, led a tree walk across the Common to include a number of interesting specimens including the largest sycamore in Wandsworth, the tulip tree - just flowering (pictured) - a pure black poplar, identified by gene testing, the manna ash and others.

Friends of Wandsworth Common hosted a friendly bowls match to meet and introduce the Council’s new Environment team - Cllr. Judi Gasser, Cabinet lead, and Cllr. Claire Gilbert, chair of the Environment scrutiny committee - to several of those responsible for managing the Common, including Enable’s MD, Head of Parks, biodiversity officer and tree team. Members of the MAC and some of the policing team were also there, as well as representatives from the Wandsworth Society and All Star Tennis.

The MAC held its Annual Public Meeting and heard reports from Enable’s Parks management team, their main contractor, Continental Landscapes, and Parks Police. Watch out for the minutes.

The month ended with volunteers, led by Mick Green, Enable’s biodiversity officer, mulching the whips we planted back in February, to help their establishment through the drier summer months.