Beam Valley Country Park

File:River Beam in Beam Valley Country Park.JPG

Beam Valley Country Park is a 74-hectare park in Dagenham in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham.{{cite web|url=http://www.lbbd.gov.uk/LeisureArtsAndLibraries/Parksandcountryside/Pages/BeamValleyCountryPark.aspx |title=Beam Valley Country Park |publisher=London Borough of Barking and Dagenham |access-date=2 November 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020024049/http://www.lbbd.gov.uk/LeisureArtsAndLibraries/Parksandcountryside/Pages/BeamValleyCountryPark.aspx |archive-date=20 October 2013 }} Most of it is designated as a Local Nature Reserve (LNR) called Beam Valley,{{cite web|url=http://www.lnr.naturalengland.org.uk/Special/lnr/lnr_details.asp?C=0&N=beam%20valley&ID=1308 |date=1 March 2013 |title=Beam Valley |series=Local Nature Reserves |publisher=Natural England |access-date=2 November 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103154236/http://www.lnr.naturalengland.org.uk/Special/lnr/lnr_details.asp?C=0&N=beam%20valley&ID=1308 |archive-date=3 November 2013 }}{{cite web|url= http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=lnrIndex&query=REF_CODE%3D%271134198%27|title=Map of Beam Valley|series=Local Nature Reserves|publisher=Natural England|access-date= 2 November 2013}} but a narrow strip next to the River Beam south from Western Avenue is a separate LNR called Beam Valley (Environment Agency).{{cite web|url=http://www.lnr.naturalengland.org.uk/Special/lnr/lnr_details.asp?C=0&N=beam%20valley&ID=1489 |title=Beam Valley (Environment Agency) |series=Local Nature Reserves |date=1 March 2013 |publisher=Natural England |access-date=2 November 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103153826/http://www.lnr.naturalengland.org.uk/Special/lnr/lnr_details.asp?C=0&N=beam%20valley&ID=1489 |archive-date=3 November 2013 }}{{cite web|url= http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=lnrIndex&query=REF_CODE%3D%271134206%27|title=Map of Beam Valley (Environment Agency)|series=Local Nature Reserves|publisher=Natural England|access-date= 2 November 2013}} The park is also designated as two Sites of Borough Importance for Nature Conservation, Grade 1, one north and the other south of South Dagenham Road.{{cite web|url=http://www.gigl.org.uk/online/|title=iGiGL data portal (map)|publisher=Greenspace Information for Greater London|access-date=2 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140114132930/http://www.gigl.org.uk/online/|archive-date=14 January 2014|url-status=dead}}[http://www.gigl.org.uk/online/site-Details.aspx?sID=B||DBI05&sType=sinc The Mid Beam Valley in Barking and Dagenham and Dagenham East Lake] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303215214/http://www.gigl.org.uk/online/site-Details.aspx?sID=B%7C%7CDBI05&sType=sinc |date=2016-03-03 }} Greenspace Information for Greater London. Retrieved 2 November 2013.[http://www.gigl.org.uk/online/site-Details.aspx?sID=B||DBI04&sType=sinc Beam Valley South in Dagenham and the Wantz Stream] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303210929/http://www.gigl.org.uk/online/site-Details.aspx?sID=B%7C%7CDBI04&sType=sinc |date=2016-03-03 }} Greenspace Information for Greater London. Retrieved 2 November 2013.

The park was formerly derelict land. It has woodland and grassland, former gravel pits and the River Beam and Wantz Stream. Birds found on the site include kingfishers, reed warblers, reed buntings and skylarks.{{cite web|url=http://www.wildessex.net/sites/Beam%20Valley%20Country%20Park.htm|title=Beam Valley Country Park|publisher=Wild Essex|access-date=2 November 2013}} There is archaeological evidence that the site has been used since the Stone Age, and it also has a Roman pottery kiln.

In 2014 Beam Valley Country Park was connected to Bretons Manor when a new pedestrian and cycling bridge was installed over the River Beam by Sustrans.{{cite news |last1=Cooke |first1=Phoebe |title=Plenty to Bragg about as bench bridges the boroughs |url=https://www.barkinganddagenhampost.co.uk/news/20925614.plenty-bragg-bench-bridges-boroughs/ |access-date=24 December 2023 |work=Barking and Dagenham Post |date=21 October 2015}}

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{{commonscat|Beam Valley Country Park}}