2017 Impact Report

ry
P e o p le ’s Po stcode Lotte ct the
of nd prote
How players co ve r, celebrate a oyal Parks
e d d is
have help ondon’s R
e rte b rate s that live in L
inv
 Meet our team...
THE ROYAL PARKS' DR ALICE LA
UGHTON

MISSION: INVERTEBRATE
NAGER
PROJECT MA
FAQS precious have
Urban parks are : Invertebrate
ns

wi ldl ife. Mi ss ion

for
backbone opportunity to
is an incredible l Parks’ smallest
was launched to discover, celebrate and protect the fascinating and useful bugs and focu s on th e Ro ya
ting
aking a long-las
mini-beasts that live in London’s green spaces. Here, we report how People’s Postcode Lottery inhabitants, m brate conservation
ct on inv er te
impa ost
funds have helped make a real difference to nature's smallest, but most important assets it is needed m
at a time when

WHAT IS AN
S
BRYONY CROS

INVERTEBRATE?
Animals can be split
into two main groups:
vertebrates and
invertebrates. Vertebrates
(fish, amphibians,
reptiles, birds and
mammals) all have a
backbone, whereas
invertebrates (such as
insects, slugs, worms and
spiders) don’t
T
he Royal Parks charity cares for 5,000 acres of invertebrates, the environment as we know it would PROJECT OF
FICER
up 95% of
parkland across London. By celebrating heritage,
promoting health and wellbeing and protecting nature,
cease to exist.
Unfortunately, habitats for invertebrates are being lost
Despite making
planet,
all species on the en forgotten
oft
the Royal Parks provide 77 million visitors per year with due to climate change, urbanisation and modern farming invertebrates are nservation.
co
treasured green spaces to explore, value and enjoy – now practises. Increasingly, over the last 30 years, people when it comes to ing much
ng
and for the future. are recognising that more emphasis must be placed This project is bri understanding
ss,
needed awarene
But it’s not just the human visitors that benefit. In 2017, on invertebrate conservation to maintain ecosystems, se amazing,
and action for the
thanks to an award of £600,000 from players of People’s particularly within parks and wildlife conservation areas. cre atu res
underrated
Postcode Lottery, Mission: Invertebrate was born. Thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery, we’ve
Over 95% of all known animal species are invertebrates. started to address this problem, and through their continued
RLAND
They are the unsung heroes in nature’s workforce. Not only support, The Royal Parks is leading the way in urban KIRSTY GA
OFFICER
are they complex and fascinating in their own right, but we conservation, providing a sustainable home for all wildlife in LEARNING are
small, but they ,
all rely on them for vital services, from pollinating plants to the heart of our ever-expanding capital, and encouraging They may be invertebrates
y! W ith ou t
might
helping breakdown and recycle organic material. Without people to get outside and get involved in doing the same. osystems
the world’s ec Our project is
co lla ps e.
would nd
le to understa
helping peop ey play, and
al ro les th
the vit
more positive
encouraging
es to wa rds them
attitud

THE ROYAL PARKS

OF LONDON

3,739
children were welcomed at family
activity days, connecting kids with
nature and boosting awareness of
these vital minibeasts
147
invertebrate specialists and volunteer citizen scientists helped collect
data to monitor and better understand the invertebrates that call the
Royal Parks home, getting involved in hands-on bug discoveries and
contributing to global ecological research
45
classes of eager school students engaged
in newly developed sessions to discover
the fascinating creatures that underpin
the capital’s wider ecology

MISSION: INVERTEBRATE
THEORY
OF CHANGE
Our Mission: To discover,
celebrate and protect nature’s
unsung workforce living
in the 5,000 acres of
London’s Royal Parks
With these
Vital Elements
Expert knowledge
Core team with clear
principles and vision
Combined forces
Planning and
collaborating with
diverse partner groups
Helping hands
Recruitment and training
of volunteer network
Commissioning ecologists
to determine and monitor
Adaptive learning
Flexibility to continually
appraise and improve
impact
Funding pathway
Single-source funding for
with tailored landscaping
long term conservation
and engagement
Developing an interactive
Making a Thanks to experts, partners and volunteers, with a flexible learning
approach and a single source of substantial funding, we can get on
difference with working to ensure urban green spaces thrive for our future
Across the royal Giving the So that
parks we will.. opportunity to... communities... Which is...
Educate people Learn more Feel inspired
Development and Supporting people to Changing
delivery of hands-on gain skills, increasing attitudes
school sessions for all confidence and towards
performance invertebrates
Promote discovery and promoting
Providing informal Get out and about the value of
learning opportunities Increasing enjoyment of urban parks
for families, special the great outdoors
interest groups
and hard-to-reach Make new
Take pride
Increasing civic
Better for people
communities engagement and Deeper understanding
friends
responsibility of natural environments
Establishing
Provide training for all awakens lifelong curiosity,
social
Engaging citizen Connect and thrive care and sense of place
connections
scientists in valuable across diverse Reducing isolation and
data collection communities loneliness in society
Conduct research ! Boost parkland ecology
Yay
Many more Enabling a holistic view
!
minibeasts of the status of urban
Better for nature
Increase
baseline invertebrate invertebrates
populations Expanded knowledge
invertebrate
results in effective
Enhance green spaces urban green space
Enriching park habitats
biodiversity management
projects
Better for Partnerships
The Royal Parks’
collaborations inform
national green space
Share the work Spread the word Change the future conservation
Disseminating fascinating Improving the way parks
online presence to findings to a wide are managed for people
showcase projects audience and nature together
 DIRECT IMPACT

THE INVERTEBRATE CHALLENGE…

WHY BUGS NEED YOUR HELP NOW
Whatever you call them – creepy crawlies, minibeasts, bugs – invertebrates are generally not people’s favourite
animals, but they play a crucial role in maintaining life on our planet. Thanks to player support, Mission: Invertebrate
is acting now to raise awareness of these vital, threatened creatures that underpin the Royal Parks

Capacity
and Capability Leverage
Connecting more people, Opening doors and sharing knowledge in London and beyond
new places and great work

W
e’ve taken a flexible learning A Royal Parks Invertebrate Action Plan
approach – with feedback from 2018-22 has now been created to serve

F
unds raised by players have allowed
us to recruit a dedicated team of three
specialists to develop and deliver engaging
invertebrate-focused projects including:
lA
 n extensive family activity programme
across eight Royal Park sites.
lN
 ew curriculum-linked school sessions
delving into the fascinating world of
pollinators, detritivores and food chains.
teachers and volunteers, by running
workshops with our education partners
and developing new approaches to
maximise impact.
Our specialist surveys have provided
recommendations for habitat
improvements that are being integrated
into park management strategies today.
Survey results have been shared
with special interest groups, adding to
as an urban case study. It will be used to
provide unprecedented support to local
green space initiatives keen to implement
public policy.
Mission: Invertebrate has been invited
to participate in local and global events, Collaboration
including Pestival and City Nature
Challenge. Working with unique Environmental
Our proposals have informed delivery Partners to create lasting change
and helped cement The Royal Parks

 wo citizen science projects inspiring new
lT
volunteers and engaging local special
interest groups.
l Innovative
 new approaches to learning,
such as using Plickers for real time student
assessments, and to park management,
such as invisible fencing for livestock
grazing trials.
l Seven
 expert surveys focusing on
establishing baseline populations, injecting
much needed knowledge of the current
status of invertebrates in the parks.
lA
 n interactive online presence, including
downloadable lesson plans and invertebrate
ID sheets, and a dedicated Twitter account –
@morethanbugs – to communicate
with new audiences.
ecological research well beyond the
Park gates.
M
as a key contributor to environmental ission: Invertebrate is uniquely positioned in
education in London. London, with world-class neighbours such as
the Natural History Museum, Imperial College,
Kew Gardens and the Zoological Society of
London. We have taken every opportunity to
strengthen existing partnerships and build new
ones, such as helping establish a citizen science
forum formed of local and national organisations.
Player support means we have been able to
drive new collaborative projects, including working
with the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, Mudchute
Farm and Surrey Wildlife Trust to deliver
innovative grazing trials to improve grassland
biodiversity, and joining with Earthworm
Watch experts to increase the capacity
of our successful citizen science
project in The Regent’s Park.

3 2 7 8
new school expert surveys Royal Park sites
session
topics
citizen
science
projects
on baseline
populations 20 Categories of
grassland critter
covered
used for family
activities
 ed to
Pleas ou !
Citizen
139
y
meet

scientists 107

Sliding across
our Giant Snail
spent caravan delivered Miles of

1,290 34
days of bugtastic activities london
to hundreds of families

one
and one royal prince
on the
ng data
rh ours collecti b rates

voluntee
verte
Parks’ in

MISSION: INVERTEBRATE IN NUMBERS

In 2017, thanks new bug

Meet the new bug we

to players of
found! The first sighting
in Great Britain of –
Oxycarenus modestus

People’s Postcode Lottery...

– a new arrival from
mainland Europe

3,362
Students
6,948
Visitors
1,152
species of minibeasts
– from bees, bugs and

from 71 schools
enjoyed beetles, to ants, spiders,

5
grasshoppers
got their hands dirty of interactive Amazing performers and dragonflies – were

34hrs
investigating food spotted living in the Royal
chains, pollinators
invertebrate on our giant Parks by our six expert
and detritivores storytime ecologists!

delivered by
snail tour

6
More than You could park

one BILLION
rare breed sheep joined
4,900 m
173
London London commuters to take
2
Routemaster buses part in a new grazing
pollinator-friendly on that space trial in The Green Park… opportunities for people to hear or read about
wildflower habitats they were excellent Mission: Invertebrate were provided by Project
were planted (but please don’t!) natural lawnmowers! stories told via press, tv, radio and social media
 CASE STUDY
The largest Royal Park covers 2,500 acres of southwest
03 Citizen
London, is famed for its historic deer herds, and is home
to nationally important grasslands and invertebrates.
scientists
We trained an army of 55
Here’s a glimpse at the five ways that player support has volunteers who helped survey the
helped us make a difference there in 2017 yellow meadow ant hills dotted across
the park. A ‘stag’-gering 859 ant hills

“this experience has

ON A MISSION IN were measured! Resulting data confirmed a
significant relationship between ant hill size
and habitat disturbance, verifying historical 55
been so magical for all
of the pupils” RICHMOND PARK records and adding an important urban
dataset to current global knowledge. volunteers

859
TEACHER

critters in the 02 invertebrate

01 Classroom
In 2017, students dug deep
into the incredible, intricate
invertebrate world. Our
newly developed sessions
created a buzz for the 590
students, including 94 with
special educational needs and
disability (SEND), who visited
The Holly Lodge Centre in
the heart of the park. This
unique small charity delivers
exceptional educational
programmes specialising
in activities for people with
SEND, and has been a
vital learning partner for
Mission: Invertebrate.
ve
“It’s wonderful to ha
up in th e
something set
es fun
outdoors which combin
and learning”
VISITOR
Minibeasts for
insights
Working with ant expert
Dr Tim King, we
conducted the first
known study into the
different invertebrates
that make their homes
in yellow meadow
ant hills.
We identified mites,
springtails, blind woodlice
and a whole host of other
tiny animals all living in and
around the ant hills.
Our results suggest this
network of invertebrates is
just as important as ants in
shaping parkland ecology,
a discovery that will
help inform future park
management strategies.
“when you have a
Ant hills “I hadn’t really considered it
beforehand, but now there’s a whole ream of
things happening beneath your feet, it opens
your eyes to a new perspective”
VOLUNTEER
Helping
05
habitats
We’re trialling cutting edge
technologies to enable a herd
of cattle, contained by invisible
fencing, to graze the acid grassland
in Richmond Park.
Cattle use their tongues to pull up tufts of
vegetation and don’t graze too close to the ground.
This leaves tussocks of grass which are used by
invertebrates, and open areas that allow new plants
to establish, improving the quality of the grassland.
Finding new, synergistic solutions for park
management challenges helps The Royal Parks
juggle the delicate balance between the demands

04 the masses child with special needs,

of people and nature.

“Mission: Invertebrate has made a real difference to

547
Sliding from Park to Park,
our Giant Snail Tour you can feel quite isolated
encouraged 547 visitors out of their shell with the and it’s tricky to find events invertebrate conservation initiatives in Richmond Park.
clos e to natu re and learn about the We can now work with partners further afield to ensure
opportu nity to get
s that live in Rich mond Park. that siblings can access as
tiny invertebrate
ly Lod ge Centre, we were able Snail well…it’s really nice that urban green spaces are thriving below ground –
Together with The Hol
h gro ups over six days which in turn helps all creatures above it”
to target local hard-to-reac
ic acti vitie s and inte ractive storytelling. Visitors things like this can happen”
filled with bugtast VISITOR ADAM CURTIS – RICHMOND PARK MANAGER
 “it’s made me so much more
aware of how special London is Top marks when it comes to Exploring nature
for its green spaces” Our education sessions saw schools
VISITOR take learning outside. Flexibility in
design allowed our lesson plans to
be adapted for all ages and abilities,
with specially made resources
helping bring learning to life.
“The children loved being
outdoors and practically using
Using Plickers, a their science”
real-time interactive TEACHER
assessment tool that gives
instant feedback, we found
100% of students learnt something
new about invertebrates, with

80%
80% of visiting teachers rated classes increasing their basal
of visiting their experience 5/5, with 100% knowledge of invertebrates,
teachers gave a reporting an increase in their the roles they play, and how we can
5/5 rating students’ enjoyment of nature. help them by an average of 30%.

ENABLED IMPACT

THE DIFFERENCE WE Encouraging involvement

HAVE MADE IN A YEAR Our citizen science projects had
real scientific value, with experts
providing training, before
Our project is helping people discover the wonderful world of invertebrates, volunteers headed out into the
inspiring education and an appreciation of nature and the great outdoors. parks to get their hands dirty.
Here, with the help Forest Research, we report on our first year’s impact

65%
had not been
involved in any
citizen science or
Activity days to Engage all ages volunteering before

Our Giant Snail Tour provided a welcoming,

100%
safe and inclusive family environment. enjoyed the survey,
The activity days reinforced school felt appreciated,
learning, making a direct link to practical would get involved
outdoor activities, and inspired parents in further projects
with ideas for things to do at home. and would
Parents reported various benefits of their recommend it
to others
children connecting to nature, including
increased focus and awareness of the
“Both children really seemed to
park environment and of the animals enjoy doing the activities...they PRIMARY BENEFITS OF
that live there. both appear radiant and uplifted” TAKING PART
PARENT

Creating a buzz 67% Learning new skills and

invertebrate knowledge

Park visitors enjoyed the aesthetic

benefits of habitat improvements, Progress in protecting parks 41% 37%
led to important changes
recognising the role the Royal Parks Site surveys and practical work have
play as havens in the heart of London. rstan ding and know ledge of the Royal
in the overall unde Making a Meeting new
Interactions with our ecologists adde d impe tus to stakeholder
Parks. Survey results have difference people
typically elicited the response: , and prov ided direc tion for futur e works.
meetings ed them to
26% 14%
“I never realised there was so much rt that fund ing has allow
Park managers repo
lems and bring forward
going on” from inquisitive passers- address difficult long-term prob
by keen to see the park landscapes longstanding plan s.
being seen, for example, Being Changing
becoming less manicured, and more The effects of this work is already
areas we created earlier outdoors perceptions
invertebrate-friendly spaces. in St James’s Park, where wildflower
attra cting new polli nato r species during our about
in the year were
invertebrates
summer survey period.
 CONCLUSION & NEXT STEPS

WE’VE ONLY
JUST BEGUN…
With the ongoing support from players,
Mission: Invertebrate is set to continue to grow.
In 2018 we’re looking forward to...

01 Action
stations...
Starting to put our
four-year Invertebrate
Action Plan into
effect across the

02
Parks, to meet and
exceed our nature Above and
conservation aims. beyond...
Joining with new
partners and other
People’s Postcode
Lottery charities to
expand our work with
hard-to-reach groups,
stretching beyond
physical Park
boundaries.

03 Meeting new 04 A new

demands... mobile home...
Developing extensive Investing in a new
adult education education vehicle to

2017
opportunities, enable us to reach as
including more talks many communities
and workshops, as possible.
in response to the
demand uncovered in
What next?
Conclusions our pilot year.

PROVIDING HAVENS FOR

ANIMALS AND HUMANS
ks!
Than

T
his funding has been paramount in
growing the conservation and learning
capacity of The Royal Parks. Strengthening
our commitment to discover, celebrate
and protect nature’s unsung workforce
will help transform London’s Parks for
future generations.
New partnerships have enhanced our
knowledge, increased our impact and
widened the scope of our ambitious projects.
As urban green spaces come under
increasing pressure globally, providing havens
that people and animals can enjoy and thrive
in together has never been more important. A huge,
Thanks to player support, The Royal Parks is
able to meet this challenge head-on. bugtastic
thank you
to all players of People’s
Postcode Lottery. Everything
reported here is possible
because of you!

Photography Penny Dixie, Tony Duckett, Tristan Bantock

Website RoyalParks.org.uk/missioninvertebrate Twitter @morethanbugs Park map Kerry Hyndman. Supplementary images adobestock.com
The Royal Parks is a registered charity, number 1172042 Design ClarkXpress Ltd, amelia.clark01@gmail.com