Environment Trust is running a free ‘half term’ event called Twitter Park - food for the birds, for the whole family to learn how to look after birds and hedgehogs in their garden this winter and to make a ‘bird feeder’. This interactive event takes places on Tuesday 29th October from 10am until Midday at the Kitchen Garden in Marble Hill Park.
Parents and children can come along and make a bird cake to take home so they can enjoy feeding birds and learning about the different varieties that may visit their gardens this winter.
The event is suitable for all ages and materials will provided to make the bird cake (including some allergenic materials, such as nuts and seeds). The event is part of English Heritage’s Marble Hill Revived programme, which is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Francesca Batt, Nature Conservation Manager said;
“A good supply of food in winter is essential to sustain our precious bird population. We hope families will enjoy this fun half-term event learning all about the birds they will see in their gardens this winter and making seed cakes to take home to feed them.”
“Green spaces in cities are precious and that includes our own gardens. Many species such as hedgehogs are in decline which is why we are promoting wildlife-friendly gardening to encourage people to look after the nature on their doorsteps. Wildlife-friendly gardening can have a really positive impact in areas like Richmond, where domestic gardens account for nearly one fifth of the land.”
According to the most recently available figures[i], London was losing the equivalent of two-and-a-half Hyde Parks of greenery a year from its domestic gardens at the start of this century - about 3,000 ha (7,410 acres).
Francesca Batt, Nature Conservation Manager adds;
“Everyone with a garden can encourage and support wildlife. In urban areas this is especially important as we are losing lots of green spaces, which means wildlife is losing its natural habitat too. We hope families will come along to our half term event and consider what they can do this winter to encourage more wildlife in their gardens.”
Environment Trust’s top five tips for looking after wildlife in your garden this winter include:
- Hedgehogs need space to roam and find food at night away from busy roads. Leave a fist-sized gap at the bottom of your garden fence so they can commute on their own hedgehog highway.
- A small pile of leaves and twigs is like a survival tent for tiny animals in winter. If you build a bonfire, check underneath for hibernating hedgehogs before you set it on fire
- If you sweep up leaves in your garden, don’t put everything in green waste - let some piles stay in place as this will be useful for hedgehogs and other wildlife in winter.
- A mini pond is a great way to support a wide range of species. Even an old washing up bowl can be used to help wildlife in a small garden!
- If your front garden has been paved over, you can encourage wildlife with flowering plants in pots and letting wild grasses, moss and flowers grow in the small cracks.
The Twitter Park - food for the birds! event takes place in the Kitchen Garden in Marble Hill Park, Twickenham, TW1 2NL on Tues 29th October 2019, 10 am to 12 midday. There is no need to book, just turn up.
For more information visit www.environmenttrust.org/Event/twitter-park