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Presentation for the Putney Society’s Open Meeting� �Colin Cooper, Chief Executive ��

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My Background

Masters Degree in Charity Management
Lived in South West London for 25 years
7 years as Co-ordinator of Richmond Environment Network
9 years as CEO at South West London Environment Network
3 years as CEO at Habitats & Heritage, following a merger
Worked closely with groups like Barnes Common, Putney Society and helped found the Friends of Wandsworth Common
Chaired the Richmond Biodiversity Partnership for 12 years
Oversaw the production of the Richmond Biodiversity Action Plan x 2
Oversaw the production of the Kingston Biodiversity Action Plan and formation of the Kingston Biodiversity Partnership
Have been a grants panel member (assess grants) for a number of environmental funders.

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FACTS & FIGURES

Question: What size is the Commons (in acres/hectares) ?

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FACTS & FIGURES

Question: What size is the Commons (acres/hectares)?

Answer: 1,140-acres or 460-ha�PLC is 50 acres or 4.39% of the land mass�

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FACTS & FIGURES

Question: How does that compare to Hyde Park or Hampstead Heath?

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FACTS & FIGURES

Question: How does that compare to Hyde Park or Hampstead Heath?

Answer: �Hyde Park is 350-acres or 140-ha �(the Commons are 3.2 x larger)

Hampstead Heath is 790 acres or 320 –ha �(the Commons are 1.44 x larger)

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FACTS & FIGURES

Question: How much as a percentage of the charity’s total income (£2.3m) is provided by the WPCC levy?

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FACTS & FIGURES

Question: How much as a percentage of the charity’s total income (£2.3m) is provided by the WPCC levy?

Answer: 64.5% (~£1.6m)

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FACTS & FIGURES

Question: How does WPCC’s budget (£2.3m) compare to Hampstead Heath?

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FACTS & FIGURES

Question: How does WPCC’s budget compare (£2.3m) compare to that of Hampstead Heath?

Answer:

Hampstead Heath’s budget is £13m

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FACTS & FIGURES

The Commons cover 1,140 acres (460 hectares)
~80% designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Wimbledon Common and Putney Heath (south of the A3) designated as a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation (SMINC)
Putney Lower Common (50 acres) designated as a Site of Local Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC)
Heathland makes up 50% of that found in Greater London
Estimated up to 10,000 visitors on a busy day

1140 acres/460 hectares (equivalent to 712 football pitches, of which we have 25 at Richardson Evan Memorial Playing Fields)
Roughly 80% is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Special Area of Conservation (SAC), which gives additional protection to the landscape/habitat and species and responsibilities
The Commons has 50% of London’s heathland, this type of habitats is very rare and important with 84% being lost in the UK over the last 100 years. We also have 4 bogs, again a rare habitat in London and nationally
Richardson Evans Memorial Playing Fields, comprising 48 acres was gifted to the charity in 1920’s generates income for the charity through provision of sports pitches to variety of teams and types of sports
The Commons contains accommodation for 16 staff, which are provided for the better performance of their duties (on call out of hours, 24hrs/365). These buildings cannot be used for anything other than staff accommodation.

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FACTS & FIGURES

£150k p/a expenditure on litter collection and rubbish
Over 16 miles of horse rides
25 pitches, 5 tennis courts, 2 cricket grounds, 2 cricket wickets, 6 bays of cricket nets and a bowling club
Home to more than 21 sports teams/clubs – and to the world’s largest school rugby tournament.
The birthplace and spiritual home of cross country running
22 vehicles, 4 horses,
~600 Friends of WPCC

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WPCC Board

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Committee Structure

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Current Strategy and Plans

WPCC Strategy 2017 – 2027
WPCC Business Plan 2025 – 2028
WPCC Progress Report on Key Initiatives 2024 – 2027
WPCC Access Framework
WPCC Land Management Plan 2024 – 2029
WPCC Fundraising Strategy 2022 – 2025

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Staff

Team of 27 staff*

The teams:

Rangers Office
Conservation
Estates & Maintenance
Playing Fields
Mounted Keepers

Five teams/departments with staff collective known as the ‘rangers’

Ranger’s Office staff: admin and primarily need office space
Conservation Department: write and review the Land Management Plan and undertake small to medium-sized conservation projects, also oversee conservation volunteering and species and habitat monitoring
Estates and Maintenance: which included 1 f/t colleague who empties bins/collects litter, 1 f/t buildings maintenance manager and 1 f/t who maintains the vehicle fleet
Playing Fields: manage 25 pitches and seasonally, 1 athletic track, two cricket wickets, 3 cricket nets, a long jump pit. They don’t manage the cricket pitches as Roehampton or Putney Lower Common
Mounted Keepers: patrol the commons responsible for public safety and upholding the byelaws thus protecting the Commons. Perception of public safety is currently high using lone females on the Commons as a proxy indicator

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Business Plan Initiatives (2025-28)

Amend the constitutional framework of the charity (2025-27)
Update the byelaws (2025-26)
Update and deliver the Masterplan (2025-28)
Develop fundraising and income generation ability (2025-28)
Increase usage and income at REMPF (2025-26)
Improve environmental performance (2025-28)
Complete second phase of major habitat restoration/creation project (pond restoration) - improved access (2025-26)
Undertake additional large habitat restoration project (2025-28)
Empower the Conservation Department (2025-28)
Undertake a hydrology study (2025-26)

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Business Plan Initiatives (2025-28)

Further enhancements to Putney Lower Common (2025-28)
Improve the pitch condition (drainage) and playability at REMPF (2025-28)
Deliver path improvement works (2025-18)
Restore horse rides (2025-28)
Expand volunteering capacity – focus species and habitat monitoring and education (as a tool to monitor habitat management) (2025-28)
Establish a dog walking liaison group (2025-28)
Develop communications strategy (2025-26)
Improve signage and interpretation across the Commons (2025-27)

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Amending the constitutional framework of the charity

Act of Parliament 1871
Commissioners Clauses 1847
Updating the Byelaws
Section 73 Scheme (updating the governance without changing the purpose)

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Queensmere Project

Why?

Built for Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887
Was initially used as a men's bathing and boating pond
Concrete banked
It is a popular ‘honeypot’ site on the Commons
Was in poor condition for visitors as well as unfavourable ecological condition
Suffers with run-off and build up of sediment and high nutrient loading
Over shaded (over 50% canopy shaded)
Poor accessibility
It has great potential for ecological enhancement and to increase its community value.

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Queensmere Phase 1 Project

Objective: Enhance its community and ecological value

What

Improve access

viewing deck & dog dip
A few more benches

Remove 2,500 cubic metres of silt, used to reprofile and landscape the banks (revetments) and planted
Silt control through leaky dams, silt trap
Nutrient control and over shading through woodland thinning
New habitats

New reedbed
Marginal planting.

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Queensmere Phase 1 Project

How?

£160k project (first phase only)
Awarded £130k from the Mayor of London’s Rewild London Fund
Memorial benches
Fundraising appeal
Appointment of a specialist contractor.

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Queensmere Plan

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Queensmere Plan

Photo 1

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Queensmere Plan

Photo 2

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Queensmere Plan

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Queensmere Phase 2 Project

What

Improve access to Queensmere

Better paths down gradients
Rest stops on hills

Better access around Queensmere
From Autumn 2025
More fundraising.

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Other small projects

Renewing old benches

In line with policy adopted by the Board in 2017
We have a waiting list of >60 people
Helps raise additional income
Helps people with mobility issues take frequent rests
‘Happy to Chat’ benches helps reduce social isolation

Installing Additional Bird boxes

Addresses competition for nesting holes
Great tits are predating OPM caterpillars
Boxes with cameras engage wider audiences

Evidence-based approach

Mapping
Species monitoring
Black poplar planting at PLC.

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Other PLC aspects

Increasing the size of the orchard at PLC, working with the Putney Society
Tennis Courts
Tree of heaven removal – multi year
Staffing at PLC Sept 2024 onwards

Maintenance & contractors 540.5 hrs
Keepers (security) 194.5 hrs
Conservation and Management 68 hrs
Total 803* hrs.�*April not included

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Projects brewing

Feasibility of enhancing the flood resilience and the ecological value of PLC
New ‘dog dip’ at PLC
Grazing
New strategy.

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Planting seeds in the wind

Beavers back on the Beverley (beavers-ley) Brook
Water Voles
White Stork

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Species on the Commons

Annual Wildlife and Monitoring Report

Annual Conservation Report

Nature Notes newsletter

Species highlights

Birds: Swallows, buzzards, firecrest, greenfinch, goldcrest, hobby, kingfisher, little egret, peregrine, red kite, stonechat,
Beetles: Devil’s coach-horse
Butterflies: Brimstone, red admiral, small copper, small heath, speckled wood
Dragonflies: Common darter, migrant hawker, ruddy darter, southern hawker, willow emerald damselfly.

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How you can help

We encourage everyone to become a Friend of WPCC to help support and celebrate the Commons:

Individual £30
Household £40
Benefactor £250
Patron £1000

https://www.wpcc.org.uk/other-ways-to-support-us/friends-of-wimbledon-and-putney-commons-landing
Watch out for our appeals and contribute on an ad-hoc basis

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Friends of WPCC

Projects supported by the Friends

Bill’s Bridge
Stump grinder for Putney Heath
PLC Orchard

Friends’ past events events

Jilly Cooper inspired book walk
Hedgehog walk
Bike ride with Fleur Anderson
Big Help Out Day on Putney Heath
Roehampton Community Weeks & Alton Estate walks

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How to keep updated

To keep updated, by can:

Sign up to newsletters via our website
Follow us on social media

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Questions & Contact

rangersoffice@wpcc.org.uk

020 8788 7655 (24hrs)

(call 999 if an emergency)