Climate change
Green space conservation plays a critical role in addressing climate change by protecting and enhancing natural systems that absorb and store carbon dioxide. Woodlands, wetlands and grasslands act as carbon sinks, reducing the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Well-managed green spaces also help prevent soil erosion, support biodiversity and help guard against extreme weather events such as floods and heatwaves.
While a lot of Heath Hands’ work helps ensure that Hampstead Heath and the other green spaces we work on play this role, some of our projects have a particular focus on climate change and climate resilience.
Heath Hands’ climate-related projects
Our plant phenology project, started in 2024 in partnership with the LNHS aims to collect long-term data on seasonal changes to plants and shrubs, thus helping build a picture of the impact of climate change on the Heath’s habitats.
Hedges are hugely important for climate resilience as they are great flood barriers, as well as helping enhance biodiversity and absorbing carbon.
Butterflies are a key indicator speciees and provide vital information on the health of our ecosystems. Our monitoring programmes help keep track of butterfly populations on the Heath, as well as noting any new species spreading as climate changes.
Climate-related blog posts
