New Richmond Park woodland will welcome wonderful wildlife

We’re creating a tranquil new woodland in Richmond Park this autumn by planting 70 trees, to celebrate the 70 years of The Queen’s reign and mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee.

The new woodland will contain calm, seating areas where visitors can reflect and soak up the natural environment. But it’s not just humans who will enjoy this new habitat. The trees being planted have been specially selected to provide an ideal habitat for a wide range of wildlife too. Read on to see which tree species we’re planting and how these trees will encourage wonderful wildlife – including invertebrates, birds and mammals - to make the woodland their home.

Oak

Quercus robur

Oak trees are associated with more species of wildlife that any other native tree in England – hosting a wide variety of bacteria, fungi, lichen, mosses, invertebrates, birds and mammals. For example, they host the cardinal click beetle – which very rare and only found on a few sites across the UK, including Richmond Park. Other species hosted include the purple hairstreak butterfly, wood warblers, blue great tits – and lots of different bats.

Lime

Tilia cordata

Lime leaves provide a preferred food source for caterpillars of many moth species - including the lime hawk, peppered, vapourer, triangle, and scarce hook-tip moths. Aphids feed on the foliage – providing food for insects, including hoverflies, ladybirds and beetles, which in turn attract many birds including blue tits, long-tailed tits and great tits. Aphids also produce a honeydew, which is harvested by ants and occasionally bees and other insects. Lime flowers provide nectar and pollen for native bee species such as bumble bees, solitary bees and honeybees.

Elm

Ulmus species

provide food for the caterpillars of many moths, including the peppered, light emerald and white-spotted pinion moths. Caterpillars of the white-letter hairstreak butterfly feed on elm leaves. This native butterfly is native to the UK and an endangered species which has declined dramatically since Dutch elm disease arrived in the UK. Many birds such as gold finches eat elm seeds and the species supports the elm leaf beetles.

Sweet Chestnut

Castanea sativa

Sweet chestnut trees have prolific flowers which support a many different pollinators - including a number of bee species.

Smaller native trees

Such as hawthorn, blackthorn, hazel, elder, alder buckthorn, dogwood. Low-growing, multi-stemmed shrubs provide excellent cover for wildlife including mice, birds and insects. They can also be a rich food source for invertebrates providing flowers, leaves and berries for nectar and food, while leafmould can provide a refuge area for hibernating insects.  The early-emerging and beautiful brimstone butterfly is attracted to alder buckthorn to lay its eggs and support its larvae.