The Ecological Impact Of Dog-Fouling On Mitcham Common
Mitcham Common supports extensive tracts of Lowland Acid Grassland, a nationally
important habitat type that is now uncommon in London and therefore a priority
habitat for conservation.
Acid grassland is associated with well-drained, infertile soils such as those found on
much of the Common. A significant threat to this habitat type is nutrient enrichment,
which fertilizes the soil thereby encouraging the spread of coarse grasses and scrub,
which in time replace the acid grassland vegetation. A major source of this is canine
faeces and there is evidence to suggest that the acid grassland on parts of the Common
is degrading as a result of this nutrient input.