Dacres Wood

Dacres Wood is a small local nature reserve in Forest Hill, within the London Borough of Lewisham. It occupies land once part of the Croydon Canal before becoming the garden of a Victorian house. Two ponds were dug in 1990 and planted with wetland species. The western section consists mainly of secondary woodland, likely shaped by Victorian landscaping. An invertebrate survey in 1996 recorded the purple hairstreak butterfly, seen at only three sites in London. The reserve sits on a former canal bed and Victorian garden. Its main conservation interest centres on the ponds and surrounding wetlands. The woodland area supports a variety of plant and insect life. The purple hairstreak butterfly favours the tops of oak trees here. The site’s history and ecology make it a notable local habitat. Visitors find a quiet green space with two ponds and wetland vegetation. The western woodland offers shaded paths beneath oak trees. The reserve is entered from Dacres Road at its junction with Silverdale. It remains locked except when opened by a local group on the last Saturday of each month. The area provides a peaceful retreat close to urban surroundings.