A walk in London's Richmond Park
At the outskirts of London: The deer at Richmond Park are Fallow Deer (pic) and Red Deer, and there are more than 300 of each species. They are wild, and roam freely in the park. Picture: Liz Price
Liz Price
LONDON
Sunday, November 30, 2008
THERE is a beautiful park outside of London where you can walk amongst ancient trees and see deer roaming freely. There are ponds with a variety of water birds, plantations of trees and bushes and acres of grassland. Planes constantly fly over as the park is under the flight path to London's Heathrow airport.
Richmond Park situated on the outskirts of London is old and large. It was originally set up as a deer park by King Charles in 1637. However the royal connections to the park probably go back further, to Edward (1272-1307), when the area was known as the Manor of Sheen. The name was changed to Richmond during Henry VII's reign (1485 - 1509).
Many of the trees are centuries old, and the park is recognised as one of Britain's top five sites for ancient trees. There are some 1,200 of these arboreal veterans, some of which are even older than the park, which makes them more than 350 years.
Having always been associated with the British Royal family, the area is known as a Royal Park and in 2000 it was designated as a National Nature Reserve. In addition the park has gained other conservation categories. It is recognised as London's largest Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and is also internationally acclaimed as a European Special Area of Conservation (SAC). It is also the largest Royal Park in London.
Many of the old trees are English oaks. Oak wood is very hard and has been used in prestigious buildings since the Middle Ages. It was also used to make the galleons of the British navy around the 1600s, and also used in the English and Spanish armadas. The oaks in the park have been managed over the years, meaning that the crowns of the trees have been cut back above the reach of the deer, and this stimulates the growth of foliage and timber for harvesting.
The deer are Fallow Deer and Red Deer, and there are more than 300 of each species. They are wild, and roam freely in the park. The males and females live in separate groups for most of the year, and the large males are easily seen with their impressive antlers. During the rutting season in the autumn, the groups mix, and the males roar, bark and clash their antlers as they attempt to fight off other suitors and attract as many females as possible. The young are born in June, and the mothers hide their offspring in the long grass and bracken to avoid disturbance. There are few natural predators so the fawns have a good chance of survival.
For centuries the deer have been grazing on the grass which has resulted in a very special habitat, which is now recognised as the largest area in the region of Lowland Acidic Grassland. Acid grasslands are formed on acid soils that have low nutrient levels. These grasslands support a special and fragile community of wildlife, with distinctive fine grasses, wild flowers, fungi, insects, spiders, reptiles, birds and mammals.
The ancient oaks also play an important role in supporting the ecosystem. Fungi live on the trees and help create hollows and crevices that provide a home to a wide range of creatures. Beetles and ants, birds and bats all live in these trees. Trees suffer from natural decay, and timber falls, and these support many threatened and scarce invertebrates.
Over 1300 species of beetle have been recorded in Richmond Park. Two are particularly important, one is the Cardinal Click Beetle, and the other is Britain's largest beetle, the Stag Beetle, which grows up to 7cm long. The larvae of this beetle take seven years to pupate, and during this time they must be left undisturbed. It is much easier to see the birds than the beetles.
During the year more than 100 species are found in the park. One special bird is the Skylark as it nests on the ground in the acidic grasslands. A popular activity amongst human visitors is to feed the birds on the ponds. I have done this many times as a child. The ponds are home to water birds such as swans, grebe and mallards and they are quite tame.
Another popular place to visit is the Isabella Plantation. This is an ornamental woodland garden, full of exotic plants it is designed to be interesting all year round. It was originally an area of boggy ground and the name Isabella is thought to be a corruption of the word "isabel", which was used as far back as the 15th century to mean dingy or greyish yellow — the colour of the soil in this part of the park.
The first trees were planted here in the 1830s and included oak, beech and sweet chestnut trees as timber crops. In the 1950s the present garden of clearings, ponds and streams was established. The famous Rhododendrons were planted, as well as evergreen Azaleas and other exotic shrub and trees. Later work was done on the ponds and a bog garden. There is enough variety in the flora to ensure a year round display of blooms and colours.
Horse riding and cycling are popular activities, and even fishing is allowed with a permit. However many people just visit the park to stroll around, or walk the dog, or even just to enjoy a meal or drink in one of the cafeterias. One of these is in Pembroke Lodge which is a Georgian mansion set in landscaped grounds.
Richmond Park is certainly a great place for people to visit to relax or exercise, or just to enjoy nature away from the hustle and bustle of London. And it's one of the few places where you can still walk amongst the mighty English oaks.
The Brunei Times
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http://www.bt.com.bn/en/en/travel/2008/11/30/a_walk_in_londons_richmond_park
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