As the days get longer, the weather gets warmer and flowers begin to bloom, there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that spring has finally sprung. A beautiful technicolour of flowers and blossom have begun to appear all over Bushy Park which are truly a sight to behold. Not only do we get to see gorgeous arrays of flowers in local parks but we also get to welcome back plenty of animals we don’t get the joy of seeing in the winter such as: bees, butterflies and hedgehogs.

Although many love the spring, lots of local rugby and football teams will have played their last matches on Easter weekend meaning their seasons have come to an end. However when one door closes another opens with the beginning of the cricket season for many clubs which they have been looking forward to throughout the winter.

In south west London the weather has been considerably warmer, however the East Midlands were met with the bracing surprise of snow after a spell of warm weather in March. Some are referring to this as a “fool’s spring” and we can only hope this is an exception and that we are all able to hang up our winter coats and boots for good. This freak turn of events could be down to an issue that is becoming more and more prominent in our minds which is global warming, because perhaps the issue was not the snow in March but instead the heat coming earlier than usual. With COP26 taking place late last year and only small amounts of progress being made, this is an incredibly worrying time for our planet.

Climate change is a global issue however there are a lot of ways that the plant life and biodiversity in Richmond Borough could be negatively affected by an earlier spring. According to Richmond Council this level of climate change increases the potential for non -native species to establish and spread which is not only a public health risk but also could drive out some native species. They also report that the reduced level of precipitation could negatively affect the growth and diversity of flora. It is also reported by the council that in 2018 a long, hot summer that began with an early spring resulted in high mortality rates for native trees.

Spring is a time full of celebration and warmth but also a reminder of the difficulties we all could face in the local area as global warming continues to impact. We must all enjoy the pleasure that comes with spring but not forget to be conscious of our affect on the planet.