Oxhey Woods LNR Project Update
Oxhey Woods Local Nature Reserve (LNR) Access & Interpretation Project in South Oxhey has recently been awarded a Heritage Lottery fund (HLF) grant of £46,000 to increasing access and awareness of Oxhey Woods.
The £200,000 project about to get underway is set to reinvigorate Oxhey Woods LNR, South Oxhey. The project will deliver improvements, previously identified in the management plan and local Green Infrastructure Plan, which will greatly enhance this underused public asset.
New signage and updated access points will connect local communities and create a strong identity for this Local Nature Reserve. An easy access trail will be created and local people engaged in the design of sculptures that will be found along the way. More active visitors will find the site easier to explore following new waymarked routes thanks to drainage and surfacing works. An orienteering course is also planned.
Tree thinning works will be carried out in the car park area to give better specimens more room to grow and make the main entrance more inviting. Many of the main footpaths will be cut back and brambles mown to maintain sunny glades for wildlife and help keep paths dry and accessible.
Local people will also be engaged in conservation activities throughout the life of the project. A training programme will provide new skills to volunteers, enabling them to continue taking an active role in caring for Oxhey Woods long into the future.
The Countryside Management Service (CMS) in Partnership with Three Rivers District Council secured a ‘Your Heritage’ grant for £46,000 from HLF and a further £60,000 has already been recruited through the Forestry Commission’s Woodland Improvement Grant. The remaining project fund has been allocated by TRDC.
To kick start the project the (CMS) is holding a series of drop in sessions to enable local people to find out more about Oxhey Woods LNR and what volunteers could get up to. The dates for the sessions are; Monday 12th December 2011 and Thursday 5th January 2012. The sessions are being held at South Oxhey Library on Bridlington Road, and people are welcome to call in any time between 3pm and 6pm to chat to CMS staff.
On Wednesday 14th December 2011 a volunteer conservation task led by CMS will be working in Oxhey Woods LNR, new and existing volunteers are welcome to join the event.
Also, on Saturday 14th January 2012 CMS will be holding a Walk and Conservation Taster Session in Oxhey Woods LNR. The day starts at 11am with a guided walk of the woods, followed at 1pm with the option to have a go at some practical conservation work.
If you would like any more information regarding the above events please Contact us