Roding Valley Park

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The Roding Valley Park follows the River Roding from Redbridge roundabout in the south to the borough boundary in the north, forming a Green Corridor through the west of the London Borough of Redbridge. It is a mosaic of rough grassland and tall herbs with extensive areas of amenity grassland and small pockets of woodland and scrub. The motorway banks are rough grassland with scrub and developing woodland.

Water voles can be found along the River Roding, feeding on emergent vegetation. Herons can often be seen, standing motionless looking for fish, and you may catch the blue flash of a kingfisher flying low across the water. The river is also an important migration route for birds, so during spring and autumn migration periods you may see unusual species.

In summer the grassland and scrub supports many butterflies, including brimstone, painted lady and speckled wood. Dragonflies and damselflies along the river include broad-bodied chaser, common darter, banded demoiselle and white-legged damselfly.

Among the wildflowers in summer you will see purple loosestrife and, in the river, water crowfoot. Bats, such as Daubenton's and pipistrelle, hunt over the water to feed on insects.