Nick Raynsford’s photograph of a young family of coots has been chosen as

this month’s feature in a House of Commons calendar which is given to every MP office. The photograph was taken last spring on Greenwich Peninsular’s ecology garden pond.

Nick said, ‘I was thrilled when I found out that my photograph had been chosen to feature in the calendar, as it provides an excellent opportunity to showcase one the many fantastic features we are lucky to have here in Greenwich and Woolwich. From the moment I became MP for the area in 1992, I attached the highest priority to the regeneration of the Peninsula on sustainable principles and strongly encouraged English Partnerships’ interest in buying the land. A major regeneration project followed, which included bringing 121 hectares of neglected land back to life, and the restoration of parts of the riverbank and the creation of the ecology park as a freshwater habitat. These coots are just one of many wildlife species that have made the groundbreaking Greenwich Millennium Village their home’.

The Peninsula was originally made up of agricultural fields, marshes and a large millpond. However, the area became heavily industrialised from the late 1880s onwards with gas and chemical works and a major shipbuilding yard. As these industries declined, the Peninsula was left as a seriously polluted post-industrial wasteland.

Today, a fascinating variety of wildlife thrives in the park, including frogs, toads, newts, and dragonflies and damselflies in the spring and summer. There are also many different species of birds, both local and visiting; last year this included an Arctic Tern and a Heron. The park is open to everyone and there is a host of organised activities for adults, families and school visits.

The Peninsula ecology park is a fantastic example of how wildlife can be encouraged to flourish in London and how everyone can enjoy nature first-hand.