Park Road Closures
Do remember that the park roads will be closed all day on Sunday August 10th to facilitate the Ride London / Surrey cycling event. Between 6.30 and 10.30 am almost 30,000 cyclists will pass through the park, followed by the professional cycle race at around 13.30hrs. The Park roads will also be closed on Sunday September 14th for the London Duathlon.
Green Flag Award
Last month Richmond Park was awarded a green Flag for the seventh year running. This award is given in recognition of achieving the national standard for parks and open spaces in England and Wales. It reflects positively on all of the excellent work carried out by The Royal Parks staff, contractors, concessions and volunteers.
Bracken Control
Bracken is a fern that spreads by underground 'rhizomes' gradually increasing in area every year. It shades out other species and becomes a dense monoculture that compromises the wildlife value of the park. Left unchecked, bracken would take over the parks grassland by about 1-2 hectares a year. Last year the Royal Parks increased their commitment to bracken control by rolling additional areas with the Shire horse team and treating some 5 Ha with herbicide. This will continue this year, but the results can clearly be seen. Grasses and flowers have started to re-colonise and an increase in insect levels can be observed.
Ragwort
This yellow grassland flower is an agricultural pest because it is poisonous to livestock, especially when dried and within hay. However, is also provides a useful nectar and food source for insects, attracting numerous butterflies and Cinnabar Moth caterpillars. The decision to control Ragwort (or not) always attracts debate, and arguably there is no right answer. The Royal Parks chooses to uproot it as late as possible, after the flowers have bloomed, but before it sets too many seeds. We concentrate our efforts first along horse rides and in the hay cut areas but in more remote areas, we may leave a few plants to allow insects their food.
Grasshoppers and Crickets
The group of insects known as Orthoptera includes the 27 native species of Grasshoppers, Ground Hoppers, Bush Crickets and True Crickets. The eggs and nymphs require warm humid conditions and have therefore benefitted from this summer's hot weather with occasional rain. They can be seen in the parks grassland and the constant churring sound they make is resonant with long English summers. This churring is generally made by male grasshoppers rubbing the serrated edges of their forewings together. They alter the tone and pitch therefore producing a complicated variety sounds for different parts of their courtship displays.
