Land and Nature
The Land and Nature working group
The Land and Nature working group supports the Town Council with advice and practical action on nature recovery and the climate emergency. It is a mix of councillors and volunteers.
The group has three areas of activity:
- Supporting nature recovery on Council-managed land
- Encouraging nature recovery in and around the town
- Joining up nature recovery with surrounding parishes
Supporting nature recovery on Council-managed land
The Town Council has direct responsibility for the land it owns, providing an opportunity for combining nature restoration with public access, for example:
- Mill Field meadow restoration project: restoration of the original flood-plain meadow in the Mill Field, using seed collected from Southill Solar and from an ancient meadow at Lower Swell in Gloucestershire. [link]
- Wildflower verges: working with contractors and the District Council to alter the timing of grass cutting on verges and some green spaces, allowing wildflowers and insects to reproduce in the early summer. [add link]
- Ticknell Piece playground: creating a new wildflower area.
- Nature-friendly growing: we have introduced clauses discouraging the use of peat-based compost and pesticides into the allotment tenancy agreement.
- Cemetery: continued the nature-friendly management of the cemetery, including wildflower areas.
Encouraging nature recovery in and around the town
Through our projects and communications, we seek to inform residents of why nature recovery is important and encourage residents and local organisations to get involved. Initiatives include:
- Earth Day 2023 at Wigwell Nature Reserve: talks and family friendly activities, including learning about the work to restore wetland habitats on site, with the Wychwood Forest Trust and Evenlode Catchment Partnership (ECP).
- Exhibition on nature recovery in the River Tent at the Riverside Festival in collaboration with ECP.
- Raising awareness about hedgehogs and their need for access into and out of private gardens (13cm holes in walls and fences!).
- Creating wildlife areas in the Bowls Club car park: following requests and a meeting with residents, we are working with the Bowls Club, residents and volunteers to create wildlife areas and plant trees and wildflowers in the car park over 2023-4. [more info/separate page on this] Also in the car park, we have supported the creation of a ‘pollinator patch’ of flowering plants by Wild Oxfordshire with funding from TOE and the Garden Society. [add link to previous news post about it?]
- Supporting wildflower areas and a reptile survey in St Mary’s churchyard
- Hedgerow planting and other conservation activities at the primary school
Joining up nature recovery with neighbouring parishes
We know that the UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world and that restoring our nature and wildlife needs to take place urgently and at a landscape scale. National and regional nature recovery strategies are now being developed – but these need to be translated into specific local actions.
Charlbury Town Council is therefore working together with the neighbouring parishes of Finstock and Fawler to develop a local Nature Recovery Plan (NRP). Based on local knowledge, data and engagement with landowners, land managers and residents, the goal of the NRP is to expand, improve and connect wildlife-rich habitats. We are being supported in this project by Community Action Group (CAG) Oxfordshire.
Steps taking place so far include:
- Baseline mapping: we have created a multi-layered map of current habitats to identify opportunities for habitat restoration and expansion. Joining up habitats (such as woodlands, hedgerows or along rivers) as ‘blue/green corridors’ is an important principle.
- Citizen science: we are helping train local volunteers to participate in surveys that will add to the evidence base for the NRP. These include surveys of hedgerow plants and animals, butterflies and other wildlife populations, along with monitoring river health through water quality testing and river invertebrate sampling.
The next important stage will be more engagement with the community – particularly landholders and managers – to develop an agreed framework for action.
It is a big project and we are seeking funding for a part time worker to help with developing the framework and putting it into action.
Restoring floodplain meadow on The Mill Field
The Land and Nature Working Group is leading a two-year project to recreate a landscape rich in flowers, insects and birds on Charlbury’s main public amenity space – The Mill Field.
Creating wildlife areas in the Bowls Club Car Park
In 2023, residents of Ticknell Piece approached the Town Council asking for improvements to the management of the Bowls Club Car Park.
Wildflower Verges
Roadside verges can be like mini-nature reserves, providing much needed refuges for wildflowers, insects, birds, and other plants and wildlife.