The Royal Parks charity is launching a campaign urging visitors to ‘Help Nature Thrive’:
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There are lots of things we all do to be kind to wildlife which instead is actually causing harm. The campaign helps to explain why this is so and kicks off by asking park visitors not to feed the wildlife and explaining the impact that this has on the animals and their habitats.
Halting nature’s decline
Globally nature is under siege. Since 1970 there has been a 60% decline in the global population of mammals, fish, birds and amphibians. The main threat to nature now is Climate Change, but increasing human populations, habitat loss and fragmentation, and the spread of animal and plant diseases are also taking their toll.
In London’s eight Royal Parks, much of the work is focused on caring for nature. This includes the creation and management of meadows, reedbeds and hedgerows, the planting and management of trees, creating and restoring ponds for invertebrates and amphibians, and the planting of pollinator friendly flower beds.
It’s not all about creating new habitats. Removing invasive shrubs, maintaining water quality and even picking up litter are also important conservation tasks that allow nature to flourish.
Our commitment to nature
Our commitment to nature is reflected in the diversity of wildlife you can find in the Royal Parks – over 4,000 species of invertebrates have been recorded and most parks support over 100 species of birds. Amongst other species, the parks are home to tawny owls, bats, butterflies, frogs, grass snakes and wild, free roaming deer.
The Park Management’s work alone is not enough to reverse biodiversity loss – your help is needed too. Over the coming months visitors will be asked to help nature thrive by keeping wildlife wild. Find out more about the campaign on The Royal Parks’ website, but essentially visitors will be asked to observe nature and enjoy wildlife in its natural habitat from a distance, rather than seeking an up close and personal experience.
Working together we can conserve the wildlife and habitats of the Royal Parks and beyond for generations to come.