Organised by the Mortlake with East Sheen Society (mess.org.uk)

28 October 2024

Paul was brought up in Shrewsbury Avenue, yards from the venue for the talk at Tower House School. He went to East Sheen Primary School and Orleans Park. He took over as Park Manager shortly after the decision to close Sheen Gate. At school he became interested in horticulture and worked at Squires Garden Centre in Twickenham, RHS Wisley, Kew Gardens and Wakehurst Place. He described working at Richmond Park, a Site of Special Scientific Interest, as a privilege. He went on to talk about recent and forthcoming work being undertaken.

Many will be aware of events at Pen Ponds. The Upper Pond is a national reservoir. During a six monthly inspection in July 2024 a structural issue was found which needed emergency action. A culvert (a tunnel carrying a stream under a road) near the causeway between the Ponds had collapsed. This was built in C 19th, probably made of elm, and causing water loss.

The Upper Pond had to be emptied. It was last drained during World War 2 to prevent it being used as a navigational aid by German aircraft. Fish and fresh water mussels were transferred to the Lower Pond. There were side effects. Avocets visited. There were litter picks organised and some strange objects removed. The work should be completed by mid November in good time for Christmas walks across the causeway.

There has been replanting at Sheen Cross. There has been too much bramble, which though good for wild life needed some removal. When Paul took over the job he walked in Sheen Woods and was shocked at the level of fallen timber. Much of this has been caused by Acute Oak Decline. Research is being undertaken into causes and treatment. They were not for the time being planting more English Oaks. They might be able to source other European strains which were resistant to AOD. They have been planting larger and smaller trees. Dead trees were good for woodpeckers, owls and bats but the number had been excessive. Let sleeping logs lie was the usual principle but not always. Dens and wigwams in the Park were not a good idea because of risk of collapse and fire.

They were engaged on Wetland Enhancement Projects 2024. Formerly they allowed water to drain away but they are now holding it in the Park and keeping a high water level, while avoiding flooding. There were new drainage schemes controlling flows into Beverley Brook. It was necessary to control entry to the Thames, so that it did not flood at Barnes and Mortlake. They were working with Barnes and Wimbledon Commons.

They were managing the reed beds at the south end of Pen Ponds. Water from there was pumped up to Isabella Plantation and had to be managed. He noted that Isabella was free, whereas Kew, Wisley and Wakefield all had to be paid for. The education aspects were important, as with the azalea collection. They had most of the country’s 50 species but were still seeking a complete set. There would be changes in the Bog Garden.

Paul used to visit Adam’s Pond as a small boy and it was one of his favourite areas. Without the deer there (excluded to protect the banks) the vegetation has grown quickly and damage caused by the Alder trees growing near the concrete block at the east end of the Pond needs work.

They are desilting areas near Pembroke Lodge to create a new wildlife pond using water from its roof. The area is rich in butterflies. Work is being done on King Henry’s Mound, which is now a historic monument. It was thought that badgers could be undermining the mound. The protected area had produced a source of conflict between protection of the historic monument and protection of the badgers. They are resolving it but they need to understand the underground effects.

There has been too much ragwort . It is difficult to control. It is thought the weather had caused high germination two years ago. It is toxic to horses so have they had to eradicate it where cutting for hay. Again there was a conflict of views between eradication and maintaining. No chemicals were used in the Park except with Japanese Knotweed,

When Sheen Gate closed there were complaints that elders and the less mobile were unable to drive round the Park to see the changing views. They had introduced a minibus service three days a week. It needed better publicity.

Cycling in the Park presented several problems. There were abandoned Lime bikes. They were working with the company. If you parked a Lime bike in the Park you could be fined. Electric bikes were still dumped if they ran out of battery. They would send a van to collect.

Paul had inherited the Movement Strategy and the closure of Sheen Gate. The interaction of cars, bikes and pedestrians depended on courtesy. There were difficulties for pedestrians crossing roads. It was tricky to exit on foot out of Richmond Gate. People needed to use the right side but this was not easy from the west side of the road. They have priority on shared spaces but this was not always respected.

The speed limit on Park roads is 20 mph but this did not apply to bikes. Paul recognised how infuriating it was for car drivers to have cyclists racing past them. They had asked the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to change the byelaws to stop speeding bikes. They had asked Strava and other similar apps to remove Richmond Park from their apps, given that they encouraged competitive racing and recording personal best times. There had been no response as yet. It was said to be like a race track every weekend. They had stopped time trials which had upset a lot of cyclists but it was not what the Park was intended for. They had stopped the Duathlon. Last year when the Park was closed for it, it was used as a race track. A new company had taken over the event this year but they had presented no adequate plan.

There is a current planning application in respect of the cafe at Roehampton Gate. It has a new design with acid grassland on its roof and connected toilets.

They are working on police huts and gatehouses which are dotted around the Park to improve them for volunteer rangers.

There is a lot of new signage, intended to be informative, friendly and chatty, like the Quentin Blake cartoons, and some enforcement. The Park Map is inaccurate as the orientation is wrong – and is being redone.

Richmond Park is a charity. It receives NO funds from the London Borough of Richmond. An important benefit comes from the People’s Postcode Lottery. They receive a small amount from DCMS and some other grants but are otherwise dependent on fundraising.

A question was asked about the Parakeets and whether they had a negative impact on other birds. They did take nesting space but their impact was not considered to be excessive. Paul noted that the birds of prey like them! A question was asked about Skylarks and whether it was necessary for closure of some areas and the requirement for dogs to be on a lead when they had not been seen since August. Paul replied that the number of skylarks is dangerously low. The protected area is only 4% of the Park. They might not be nesting but they are resident 12 months a year and needed to feel safe throughout or they would not return. The safest way was to keep dogs on a lead and not have them zigzagging around vegetation. The numbers were up slightly but this needed to be watched. There were other winter visitors which needed protection as well.

100 local residents attended the event and appreciated the openness and expertise shown by Paul Richards.

See also http://www.royalparks.org.uk/visit/parks/richmond-park and http://www.frp.org.uk