Place    From 1976 

William Curtis Ecological Park

The William Curtis Ecological Park was the United Kingdom's first urban ecology park. Max Nicholson and the Trust for Urban Ecology (created at the same time, by Nicholson) created it on a derelict lorry park near Tower Bridge in London in 1976. It was named for the 18th century botanist William Curtis. In 1985 it was returned to the site owner, the London Docklands Development Corporation, who provided the Stave Hill Ecological Park in Rotherhithe as a replacement. City Hall and Potters Fields Park now occupy the site.

For more on Urban Ecology see The Conservation Volunteers.

The Nature of Cities gives the history of ecological parks: "Max Nicholson ... persuaded the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Committee that they should create an Ecology Park as part of the celebrations to be held in 1977. His idea was to convert an unsightly patch of derelict land on the south bank of the Thames next to Tower Bridge into a mixture of natural habitats that could be used for environmental education by local schools.... two acres of derelict land were made available ... on the understanding that the park would eventually close when planned development went ahead....{it's} likely that Max Nicholson’s proposal was influenced by the work of Lyndis Cole, one of his staff ... She was a real pioneer and it was no surprise when she was given the job of creating the new ecology park at Tower Bridge.... During its short life, it had over 100,000 visits from local schoolchildren."

Other London ecology parks include: Camley Street Natural Park' Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Park.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
William Curtis Ecological Park

Commemorated ati

Max Nicholson sundial

This sundial has Roman numerals for winter time and Arabic ones for summer ti...

Read More

Other Subjects

Dame Ann Parker Bowles, DCVO, CBE

Dame Ann Parker Bowles, DCVO, CBE

Aristocrat and Girl Guides leader. Born as Ann de Trafford on 14 July 1918, she was the eldest of the four children of Sir Humphrey Edmund de Trafford, 4th Baronet, MC, JP, DL (1891-1971) and the ...

Person, Community / Clubs, Friend / family

1 memorial
South Place Ethical Society / Conway Hall Ethical Society

South Place Ethical Society / Conway Hall Ethical Society

Possibly the oldest surviving free thought organisation in the world, and the only remaining Ethical society in the UK. Originated as a religious group, allied to the Baptists. By 1793 they had the...

Group, Community / Clubs, Philosophy, Religion

1 memorial
Royal Tunbridge Wells fourth centenary

Royal Tunbridge Wells fourth centenary

The town was founded when Dudley, Lord North (1602-77) discovered a mineral spring in the area, and after drinking the water found his ill-health had improved. He persuaded his friends to try it an...

Group, Community / Clubs

1 memorial
Robert Baden-Powell

Robert Baden-Powell

Army officer and founder of the boy scouts and girl guides. Born as Robert Stephenson Smyth Powell at 6 Stanhope Street, Paddington. His mother changed the family name to Baden-Powell after her hus...

Person, Armed Forces, Children, Community / Clubs, Seriously Famous, Afghanistan, India, Kenya, South Africa

4 memorials