Natural

History

photograph by Sarah Marland

Alexandra Park is much more than a historic Victorian park. Its 44 hectares (109 acres) contain a remarkable variety of habitats, making it one of the richest urban green spaces in East Sussex for wildlife.

The park stretches through a natural valley from the formal gardens in the south to ancient woodland and ghyll landscapes in the north. This changing landscape supports an impressive diversity of plants, trees, birds, insects and aquatic life throughout the year.

Natural History of Alexandra Park

Did you know?

🌳 Alexandra Park contains one of Britain's finest municipal arboretums, including 77 nationally recognised champion trees!

🌿 The cool, damp ghyll woodlands create a unique microclimate that supports mosses, liverworts and ferns rarely found elsewhere in south-east England.

🦋 More than just a Victorian park, Alexandra Park is an important wildlife corridor connecting habitats across Hastings.

💧 The park's ponds now use living plants and floating islands to help naturally filter and improve water quality.

🪵 Dead and decaying wood is a vital habitat, supporting fungi, insects and the birds that feed on them.

Trees

Alexandra Park is nationally recognised for its outstanding collection of trees. Robert Marnock's original planting scheme combined magnificent native species with carefully chosen ornamental trees from around the world.

Today the park is home to one of Britain's finest municipal arboretums and contains many champion trees, among the largest or finest examples of their species in the UK. Mature oaks, sweet chestnuts, cedars, beeches, redwoods, cypresses, pines and many unusual specimen trees make the park a destination for tree lovers throughout the seasons.

    • English Oak (Quercus robur)

    • Beech

    • Ash

    • Sweet Chestnut

    • Silver Birch

    • Alder

    • Field Maple

    • Hornbeam

    • Holly

    • Hazel

    • Goat Willow

    • Cedar of Lebanon

    • Giant Redwood (Wellingtonia)

    • Dawn Redwood

    • Monkey Puzzle

    • Atlas Cedar

    • Lawson Cypress

    • Tulip Tree

    • Handkerchief Tree

    • Ginkgo

    • Magnolia

    • Japanese Maple

    (The park is recognised for its outstanding arboretum and contains several nationally important Champion Trees.)

Lakes, Ponds and Waterways

Water is one of Alexandra Park's defining natural features. Streams flowing from the northern ghyll woodlands feed a connected network of ponds, reservoirs and ornamental lakes before continuing underground towards Hastings seafront.

These waterways support fish, amphibians, dragonflies, damselflies, water beetles and a rich variety of aquatic plants. In recent years the park has become an excellent example of nature-based water management. Floating vegetated islands, marginal planting, natural filtration and improved stream habitats help clean the water while simultaneously creating valuable habitats for wildlife. This project has improved biodiversity within the park while also contributing to cleaner water flowing downstream.

    • Sticklebacks

    • Carp

    • Roach

    • Pond Skaters

    • Water Boatmen

    • Diving Beetles

    • Freshwater Shrimps

    • Water Snails

Birds

The park supports a rich variety of bird life throughout the year.

Resident species include mallards, moorhens, coots, grey wagtails, robins, wrens, nuthatches, great spotted woodpeckers and a wide range of tits and finches. Kingfishers may occasionally be seen along quieter stretches of water, while tawny owls and other woodland birds inhabit the northern woods. Egyptian Geese have also become familiar visitors to the park's lakes.

Spring and autumn bring migrating birds, making every visit slightly different.

  • Around the Lakes

    • Mallard

    • Moorhen

    • Coot

    • Canada Goose

    • Egyptian Goose

    • Grey Heron

    • Grey Wagtail

    • Kingfisher (occasionally)

    Woodland Birds

    • Robin

    • Wren

    • Blackbird

    • Song Thrush

    • Great Tit

    • Blue Tit

    • Coal Tit

    • Long-tailed Tit

    • Nuthatch

    • Treecreeper

    • Great Spotted Woodpecker

    • Green Woodpecker

    • Jay

    • Carrion Crow

    • Magpie

    • Chaffinch

    • Goldfinch

    • Bullfinch

    • Tawny Owl

    Summer Visitors

    • Chiffchaff

    • Blackcap

    • Willow Warbler

    • Swift (overhead)

    • Swallow

    • House Martin

Mammals

Grey squirrels are among the park's most familiar mammals, while foxes and several species of bat are regularly present, particularly at dusk. Although many mammals remain hidden during daylight hours, the woodland and watercourse habitats provide valuable shelter for a wide range of wildlife.

    • Grey Squirrel

    • Fox

    • Hedgehog

    • Wood Mouse

    • Bank Vole

    • Pipistrelle Bats

    • Noctule Bat

    • Daubenton's Bat (around water)

Insects and Other Wildlife

From early spring until autumn the park is alive with insects. Bees, butterflies, hoverflies and other pollinators depend on flowering shrubs, meadow plants and ornamental borders.

Dragonflies and damselflies patrol the ponds during summer, while woodland paths provide opportunities to discover fungi, lichens and a fascinating variety of insects and other invertebrates.

  • Likely species include:

    • Peacock

    • Small Tortoiseshell

    • Red Admiral

    • Comma

    • Speckled Wood

    • Holly Blue

    • Common Blue

    • Meadow Brown

    • Gatekeeper

    • Ringlet

    • Small White

    • Large White

    • Orange-tip (spring)

    • Brimstone

    • Buff-tailed Bumblebee

    • White-tailed Bumblebee

    • Red-tailed Bumblebee

    • Common Carder Bee

    • Honey Bee

    • Tawny Mining Bee

    • Red Mason Bee

    Plus many hoverflies and solitary bees.

    • Broad-bodied Chaser

    • Emperor Dragonfly

    • Southern Hawker

    • Common Darter

    • Four-spotted Chaser

    Damselflies

    • Common Blue

    • Azure

    • Blue-tailed

    • Large Red

    • Seven-spot Ladybird

    • Harlequin Ladybird

    • Stag Beetle (occasionally)

    • Devil's Coach Horse

    • Garden Snail

    • Roman Snail (possible)

    • Common Green Shieldbug

    • Garden Spider

A Living Landscape

Alexandra Park continues to evolve. Careful woodland management, habitat restoration and sensitive planting help maintain a balance between recreation, heritage and nature conservation.

Every season brings something different; from spring blossom and nesting birds, through summer dragonflies and colourful borders, to autumn fungi and spectacular tree colour before the quiet beauty of winter.

Whether you visit to enjoy the gardens, explore the woodland paths or simply watch wildlife by the water, Alexandra Park remains one of Hastings' most important places for both people and nature.

Biodiversity

Although Alexandra Park is a much-loved public park, it also forms an important wildlife corridor through the centre of Hastings. The combination of ancient woodland, streams, ponds, open grassland, ornamental gardens and mature trees creates a mosaic of habitats that supports wildlife throughout the year.

From woodland fungi and tiny mosses to bats, birds and pollinating insects, every habitat contributes to the park's remarkable biodiversity. Careful management aims to conserve these habitats while ensuring the park remains welcoming for everyone to enjoy.

    • Common Frog

    • Common Toad

    • Smooth Newt

Woodlands and Ghylls

The northern end of the park includes Old Roar Gill Local Nature Reserve together with Shornden Wood, Newgate Wood and Coronation Wood. These ancient woodland habitats are part of the distinctive High Weald landscape and are characterised by steep-sided ghylls, streams, sandstone outcrops and cool, shaded conditions.

These sheltered valleys create their own humid microclimate, allowing mosses, liverworts, ferns and woodland fungi to flourish. Some of these plants are uncommon in south-east England and are particularly associated with ancient ghyll woodland. Fallen trees and standing dead wood are left where safe to do so, providing essential habitat for fungi, beetles and countless other woodland invertebrates that form the foundation of a healthy woodland ecosystem.

    • Male Fern

    • Lady Fern

    • Hart's-tongue Fern

    • Broad Buckler Fern

    • Soft Shield Fern

    • Mosses

    • Liverworts

    • Lichens

  • Spring

    • Bluebell

    • Wood Anemone

    • Lesser Celandine

    • Primrose

    • Dog Violet

    • Ramsons (Wild Garlic)

    Summer

    • Oxeye Daisy

    • Red Campion

    • Hedge Woundwort

    • Meadowsweet

    • Common Knapweed

    • Bird's-foot Trefoil

    • Self-heal

    Autumn

    • Ivy flowers (important for insects)

    • Ivy berries

    • Bramble

  • Autumn is particularly rewarding.

    Common species include:

    • Turkey Tail

    • Artist's Bracket

    • King Alfred's Cakes

    • Sulphur Tuft

    • Birch Polypore

    • Oyster Mushroom

    • Fly Agaric (occasionally)

Park Ranger Information

Blue-Green Algae

Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) occur naturally in many lakes, ponds and slow-moving waterways throughout the UK. They have been present in Alexandra Park's Shornden waterways for many years, and there has been no evidence of harmful effects on the park's wildlife.

However, blue-green algae can be harmful to people and especially to dogs if they come into contact with affected water or swallow it. Exposure can cause stomach upsets, flu-like symptoms and, in some cases, more serious illness.

The Park Rangers regularly monitor the park's waterways. If significant blooms are detected, the Environment Agency is informed and warning signs are displayed to advise visitors of the potential risk.

Because all of Alexandra Park's ponds and waterways are connected, treating blue-green algae is extremely difficult and may not be practical. When a bloom occurs it is usually easy to recognise, appearing as a bright, almost luminous green film across the surface of the water.

Please do not allow dogs or children to enter water where warning signs are displayed.

Seasonal Highlights

SUMMER

Dragonflies

Butterfies

Wildflowers

Young birds

SPRING

Bluebells

Nesting birds

Blossom

Frogspawn

WINTER

Winter Thrushes

Woodpeckers

Tree Structure

Mosses & Lichens

AUTUMN

Fungi

Autiumn Colour

Migrating birds

Acorn & Fungi