Road Works
Contractors are on site and have started work to improve the condition of the cycle-only route between Ham Cross and Pen Ponds Car Park. They are also due to install 3 raised crossing points. At Ham Gate the road will be closed from Monday 13 – Friday 17 March. 2-way traffic lights will be installed and at Ham Cross later in March and traffic lights will also be installed at sheen cross during the final phase of works. We apologise for any inconvenience. This work is part of Transport for London’s ‘Quietways’ project.
Volunteering
Many people volunteer in Richmond Park, helping to maintain the park and providing a service to the community. The Royal Parksemploys a relatively small number of people and generally works with contactors, concessions and partner organisations – and the same is true for volunteering opportunities.
The Holly Lodge Centre deliver an educational service with a particular emphasis on special needs education and their volunteers also organise fund raising events and manage the facilities at the centre.
The Friends of Richmond Park hold practical conservation and horticulture groups, staff the information centre, run a ‘walks and talks’ programme – and more!
This year the conservation volunteers delivered 1145 hours of rhododendron clearance and on March 5, 80 volunteers spent 4 hours litter picking the entire park as part of the Great British tidy up co-ordinated by Keep Britain Tidy.
Online Survey
The Royal Parks are in the early stages of renewing the 10-year management plan for Richmond Park. A quick online survey has been set up, aimed at regular users and asks what is significance about the park that you value. It can be found here: - https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/richmondparksignificance and will close of the 7th April.
Toad in the Road!
March is the time of year that the Royal Parks like to remind road users of the presence of toads, frogs and newts.
As the weather becomes milder and wetter these amphibians come of hibernation and migrate to their traditional spawning grounds in the parks ponds, ditches and lakes.
If it so happens that the park suddenly turns wet and mild after a long dry cold spell then we can experience one or two nights of exceptional activity on the park roads with many amphibians all over the tarmac. They often look like leaves or a stick and are of course vulnerable to being squashed.
The vehicle gates are closed to motor traffic at night but cyclists are asked to keep an eye out.
Badgers
Badgers are common in the park and occupy several setts in various places. Being nocturnal and shy they are difficult to see but it’s not uncommon to see one scurry away from the park roads or paths if disturbed very late at night. In March they become more active and their babies are born. Badgers will roll balls of dried grass and bedding into their setts at this time of year and they also mate immediately after the young are born. As with some deer, badgers can delay fertilisation or the development of babies for up to 9 months
