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The River Brent has two sections in the Borough which retain some measure of naturalness: at Quainton Street Open Space and at the north end of Tokyngton Recreation Ground. The whole section of the river here is covered in vegetation - Crab Apples, Hawthorn, Hazel, Cleavers, Elder, Goat's Beard to name but a few, although non-native invasive plant species, such as Japanese Knotweed, have also taken root in places.
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The wider section of the river with gravel shoals at the Tokyngton Recreation Ground is home to Grey Wagtail. Mallard ducks have their homes on secluded parts of the River Brent where there are natural banks, for example, around the Great Central Railway bridge at Neasden. |
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They can also be found on the banks of Wealdstone Brook, where you can walk beside the river from the end of Forty Close. A picturesque view of the Wealdstone Brook can be enjoyed around Ledway Drive due to the variety of trees lining the banks.
The open stretch of Kingsbury East Brook runs between Church Drive and St. Andrews churchyard. Much of the churchyard is very overgrown, and a home for birds, butterflies and other insects. Tawny Owl, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blackcap and Goldcrest are among the birds to be seen.
The whole of the canal system in London, including the Grand Union Canal, is considered to be of Metropolitan Importance for nature conservation by the Greater London Authority. Some areas have been landscaped, with trees shielding industrial units behind.
 Poplars on the Canal |
A section of the Canal near the old aqueduct over the Brent boasts some fine ancient Lombardy poplar trees on the towpath side. These could possibly have been planted as wind breaks to protect the otherwise exposed canal. A little further along, beyond the footbridge from Mount Pleasant to Carlyon Road, swans can sometimes be seen nesting. Abundant growth, which can be seen along many parts of the towpath beside the canal, provides a sanctuary for birds, such as Mallards, Canada Geese, Coots, Herons, Terns, Moorhens, Cormorants and an occasional Kingfisher. A good place to see some of them is outside Sainsbury's at Alperton. |
 Grey Heron |
 Large and inquisitive Canada Geese would beg you for food as you walk along the Canal towpath |
Canals often have higher water quality than many urban streams. The Paddington Branch does not receive treated effluent, but some urban runoff is discharged into it. Some effuent is found in water from the River Frays, which is the main source of water for this section of the Canal. In the slow moving conditions dissolved nutrients can promote excessive growth of algae. Despite this, the Canal supports Roach, Perch, Bream, Gudgeon, Pike, Carp and Eels, and where emergent marginal plants are allowed to survive, damselflies and dragonflies can be found.
In the 1960s the Welsh Harp Reservoir, its banks and wetlands became a Site of Special Scientific Interest as one of the most important bird watching areas in southern England with an average of about 135 species recorded each year. It supports nationally significant numbers of Shoveler and Gadwall, in addition to a wide variety of other waterfowl. Here is one of the largest breeding colonies of Great Crested Grebe in the country, with 52 pairs breeding in 1991. Common Terns breed on nesting rafts put out for them by the Welsh Harp Conservation Group. Many of the birds seen are migrators using the Harp as a feeding and resting point on their long journeys.
 Great crested grebes |
 Terns on nesting rafts |
| Unlike many reservoirs, the banks of the Welsh Harp are natural, not concrete: marsh, reed bed and wet woodland have developed around the edges; and access is largely unrestricted. Along much of the shore line there is a fringe of fenland plants rarely seen in Greater London. |
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In the eastern and northern areas of the reservoir, where the Silk Stream and River Brent enter the reservoir, extensive wetland plant communities have become established, in places covering large areas of in-washed silt deposits. Here there are gradations from open water, through swamp and mixed species fen to willow carr, with damp willow woodland occupying the higher ground. Nearly 200 species of plants have been identified, and more are added each year. Of special ecological interest are such plants as Broad-leaved Helleborine, Common Spotted-Orchid, Shouthern Marsh-Orchid, Greater Spearwort and Flowering-Rush.
 Flowering rush |
 Yellow iris |
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The vertical sides and shallow depth of the Canal Feeder contribute to the fact that not a lot of life is found here. However, some sections, for example, running through Quainton Street Open Space, boast dense vegetation along its banks. Duck weed is the most common sight on still waters, for example on many sections of the Canal Feeder. It is an indicator of high levels of nutrients in the water.
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South of the North Circular Road, the water quality of the Canal Feeder is sufficient to support small fish.
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| Ponds of various sizes provide fine examples of wetland flora and fauna in various locations in Brent. For example, the Gladstone Park Pond features a box put up on one of the trees for Tits to nest. The pond is a good place to see Mallards and other water birds at close range. |
 Mallards at Gladstone Pond, a little bird house can be seen between the trees. The water is covered in duck weed |
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The Fryent Country Park's 12 old field ponds and 15 more recent ones support a wealth of wildlife; many species of dragonfly have been seen. Frog spawn has been monitored since 1983, and the quantity increased dramatically as ponds were restored or new ones made, although draughts caused some setbacks. Up to 700 pairs of Common Frog are estimated to breed in Barn Hill's Fishpond, which can be an amazing sight in the early spring. Toads and common newts breed here too. Several species of fish have been recorded in the pond over the years. The water is clean enough to support a population of a Freshwater Mussel. The Fishpond also has a bed of Lesser Reedmace in which Moorhens breed. It contains large quantities of Fringed Water-Lily.
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Yellow iris
and other marginal plants
are present in many of Fryent Park's ponds
providing a breeding ground for frogs
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