LUC made a financial donation this month in support of the protection of hedgehogs in central London.

The Royal Parks Foundation organised their annual half marathon on October 9, raising money to sustain London’s eight Royal Parks.

We sponsored Nick Biddle, the Park Manager of Regent’s Park, on the 13.1 mile run with a charitable donation of £200, raising his total to £3,065. Last year we supported Nick on raising funds to restore an historic avenue of cherry trees in Chester Road, The Regent’s Park, which are now planted and thriving.

Nick, whose dedication to managing hedgehog habitats led to him running the marathon in a hedgehog costume, is passionate about preserving the dwindling mammals, as The Regent’s Park is home to the last known breeding population.

He said: “These small mammals rely on our sensitive management of habitats within the park which in turn relies on our understanding of the hedgehog population within the park.  Given the current national decline in hedgehog numbers and The Regent’s Park’s population’s status as the last known breeding population in central London this is one of our most pressing current needs.”

LUC’s ecology team regularly provides advice to clients for the protection and enhancement of hedgehog habitats, with surveys involving the use of specially designed tunnels with an ink pad which allow footprints to be collected and identified. Creating habitats within development sites which can support this species provides people the chance to encounter this iconic but declining species.