Protecting wildlife and their habitat at Home Park

Autumn has arrived at Home Park, on the wider Hampton Court Palace estate. The fallow deer (Dama dama) gather under the horse chestnut trees (Aesculus hippocastanum) to eat the fallen nuts, while leaves fall from the European limes (Tilia x europea) and the ponds and ditches fill with water.

During this season the Gardens and Estates team begin important conservation work, managing and protecting the habitat of wildlife in the park, which will continue until the end of winter.

Here, Park Ranger Eleanor Evetts delves into nature conservation efforts at the palace estate.

Seasonal conservation work at Home Park

Originally part of Henry VIII’s estate, Home Park is a protected landscape with ancient trees, rare insects and lowland acid grassland, grazed by the fallow deer descended from his reign.

Autumn marks the beginning of a busy season on the estate. Young birds have grown up and the swallows (Hirundo rustica) and sand martins (Riparia riparia) that nest in the palace estate are on their way to Africa for the winter months. As the birds have left their nests, we can manage their habitat without disturbing them until they return in spring.

What is habitat management?

Habitat management involves maintaining and improving the existing environment so that wildlife can thrive and flourish. At Home Park and the rest of the estate, this process includes mowing the grass for the final time, keeping the paths clear of leaves and cutting back trees and shrubs.

Much of this work is done with our volunteer team, who are not scared of the hard work and the risk of getting muddy! We also keep ditches open to reduce the risks of flooding and coppice trees to keep them manageable. 

What is coppicing?

Coppicing is a heritage skill and is the traditional way to harvest woodland. The method involves cutting the tree down at the base. Several trunks will grow from the stump, or ‘stool’, which will be cut again when they grow to a useful diameter and height.

Before the invention of plastic, coppice crafts were used to make chair legs, fence posts, clothes pegs and charcoal. Coppicing simulates the natural regeneration of woodland, from open clearing to tall trees and is widely used today as a habitat management technique.

Helping endangered wildlife and plants

In time, we hope Home Park will be a great habitat for endangered water voles (Arvicola amphibius) to be introduced to boost local populations. These semi-aquatic mammals have dramatically declined in the UK because of habitat loss and predation.

They need open water, places to make burrows and plants on the ditch edges to hide in and eat. We are working with the Waterlife Recovery Trust, which coordinates water vole protection efforts across London.