It is always a pleasure to show friends and colleagues around Hampstead Heath, and to share what we do.
So, I was delighted to welcome our own policy chairman of the City of London Corporation, Chris Hayward, for a tour recently.
In addition to seeing the many natural areas of the Heath, and the swimming facilities and athletics track, we enjoyed visiting Golders Hill Park Zoo.
The policy chairman was very impressed and described the Heath as “a jewel in the City of London Corporation’s crown”, on which I wholeheartedly agree.
We do see the need for our open spaces to flourish as part of the City Corporation’s own Corporate Plan, and the Heath forms part of an 11,000 acre network across London and southeast England for which we are responsible.
It was also good to see that Golders Hill Park, the Hill Garden and the Pergola gardens all received awards at this year’s London in Bloom competition, as well as our own Queens Park.
As for the Heath’s wildlife, recent monitoring, carried out with the help of our volunteers, shows some positive trends.
Important mammals such as hedgehogs and bats have robust populations, and foxes, badgers and muntjac deer have all been spotted by our secret wildlife cameras. It underlines the importance of continuing to protect and conserve the area.
We’re lucky to have so many passionate and knowledgeable bird experts who visit the Heath regularly. The Heath & Hampstead Society and others have been working with one of our ecologists on surveys.
The first breeding bird survey was carried out in 2020 and was repeated in 2021. Another is planned for next year, which will use digital field maps to record data for the first time.
Thanks to this survey, we now know that around 50 species of bird breed on the Heath.
The ornithologists’ patience can also be rewarded. Earlier this year, a breeding pair of kingfishers were spotted on the Hampstead chain of ponds using the kingfisher bank that was installed more than ten years ago.
Finally, a quick plug. It's that time of year when we start to think about the festive period and buying gifts.
The 2025 Heath Hands calendar is a perfect gift for the Heath lovers in your life. It is available to buy every Saturday morning from the old tennis hut at Parliament Hill in the run up to Christmas and online at: (heath-hands.org.uk/shop).
Proceeds go back into protecting and preserving Hampstead Heath.
- William Upton KC is chair of the City Corporation’s Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood, and Queen’s Park Committee.
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