The Royal Parks is working in partnership with the RSPB to restore London's declining house sparrow population. A range of habitats will be created in Green Park, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens and Primrose Hill to establish which is most suitable.

RSPB research has revealed that the population of house sparrows in London has dropped 68% compared with that of fifteen years ago. Following a funding award for £170,000 from the SITA Trust, the RSPB will work in partnership with The Royal Parks and five other local authorities and organisations across London, to create new habitats for house sparrows.

Dr Nigel Reeve, Head of Ecology, The Royal Parks, said: "This is a very exciting project as it will allow The Royal Parks to play a strong role in investigating how to create the sort of habitat that house sparrows need in order to thrive in London. By creating a suitable environment we could make conditions right for the population to recover in the future." Dr Nigel Reeve, Head of Ecology, The Royal Parks, said: "This is a very exciting project as it will allow The Royal Parks to play a strong role in investigating how to create the sort of habitat that house sparrows need in order to thrive in London. By creating a suitable environment we could make conditions right for the population to recover in the future."

Tim Webb, Communications Officer, RSPB, said: "More than half of Greater London is private gardens and parks so creating the right habitat for house sparrows could have a marked impact. The new habitats will also bring a host of other benefits for urban wildlife by attracting and supporting butterflies, bees, grasshoppers and other garden birds like tits and finches".

Media enquiries:

For further information or images please contact:

Tim Webb, RSPB on 020 7808 1246/07921 740 753 or tim.webb@rspb.org.uk

Katy Murray, The Royal Parks on 020 7298 2128 or kmurray@royalparks.gsi.gov.uk

Notes to Editors

About the London House Sparrow Park Project:

• The new RSPB London House Sparrow Park Project is a three-year research programme funded by The SITA Trust.
• The London House Sparrow Parks Project has seven partner organisations and nineteen study sites. Each will be managed using three different planting schemes of grass seed, wildflower meadow and wildlife seed mix.
• The study partners are: The Royal Parks, Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, City of London, Wandsworth, Islington, Southwark, and Sutton Borough Councils.

About the SITA Trust:

• The SITA Trust was set up in 1997 and runs three funding programmes: 1) Enhancing Communities - funding improvements to community facilities; 2) Enriching Nature - funding biodiversity projects; 3) Greenprints - funding volunteering opportunities for young people aged 16-25.
• Each year the SITA Trust distributes approximately £6 million nationwide through the Landfill Communities Fund. The SITA Trust has, to date, distributed over £62 million to more than 2000 projects.
• For information on how to apply for funding from the SITA Trust please call 01454 262 910 or visit www.sitatrust.org.uk.

About the RSPB:

• The RSPB is the UK's biggest conservation charity, supported by more than a million members.
• The RSPB delivers conservation, research and education as well as running more than 200 nature reserves across the UK.
• The RSPB speaks up for nature, protecting special places, birds and other wildlife in the UK and abroad.
• For further information please visit www.rspb.org.uk.

About The Royal Parks:

• The Royal Parks is an executive agency of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
• The Royal Parks are: Bushy Park, The Green Park, Greenwich Park, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, The Regent's Park and Primrose Hill, Richmond Park and St James's Park.
• For further information please visit: www.royalparks.org.uk.