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Richmond Park

Richmond Park, London’s largest Royal Park, spans 2,500 acres and is a National Nature Reserve and Site of Special Scientific Interest. Established by King Charles I in 1637 as a deer hunting park, it was enclosed by high walls, much of which still remain today. A legal case in 1758 secured public access for pedestrians.

Despite being surrounded by urban areas, the Park’s ancient trees, grasslands, and woodland gardens provide a vital habitat for wildlife, shaped by centuries of deer grazing. The Isabella Plantation, a post-WWII woodland garden, enhances its biodiversity.

Richmond Park is a key UK site for ancient oaks and supports rare fungi and invertebrates, including the endangered cardinal click beetle and stag beetle. It also contains London’s most significant lowland acid grassland, a priority habitat in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan.

Ways That You Can Volunteer

Founded in 1961, The Friends of Richmond Park is a charity dedicated to “the conservation and protection of Richmond Park and its peace and natural beauty for the benefit of the public and future generations” and to “advance public education about the Park”.

The Friends’ activities include:
Conservation: we fund conservation projects in the Park, undertake practical conservation work and work with Park management on conservation.
Education: we operate the Richmond Park Visitor Centre at Pembroke Lodge, organise walks, publish booklets and guides to the Park and provide education activities for families.
Volunteering: Friends members staff the Richmond Park Visitor Centre, do practical conservation work, litter collection, organise our Discoverers’ education programme and monitor events in the Park.
Campaigning: we lobby and campaign on issues that impact Richmond Park.
Communications: we publish our magazine Park Life twice a year, issue a monthly e-mail to members giving news on the Park, have a website and have a presence on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and YouTube.

Corporate Volunteering

Specialist Volunteering Requirements

Various opportunities available please contact volunteers@frp.org.uk
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Place to Visit, Kingston upon Thames

Civic Centre, Twickenham, UK

website address

https://www.frp.org.uk

email address:

richmond@royalparks.org.uk

contact number:

0300 061 2200

additional information

   

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