Clive Briffett suggested the idea of a community woodland, and led the project while Chair of the Friends of South Hinksey and later the Parish Council. Thanks to his enthusiasm the idea became reality. In 2008, volunteers planted 3,000 trees on 2 hectares of land by Chilswell Path. The area is located on a patch of former arable land on the south side of the A34, between the golf course and the garden centre. The land is owned by the Parish Council. The trees are a mix of oak, ash and other native trees and shrubs.
The work was paid for by grants from the Doris Field Foundation, the Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment, the Forestry Commission and individual payments made by parishioners. We are most grateful to all for their kind generosity.
The layout of the woodland was designed by the Oxfordshire Woodland Project, a partnership between Oxfordshire County Council, Vale of White Horse District Council and others. David Rees of the Project says “broadleaved woodland is great for wildlife and as a place for people to unwind. In future, we hope the trees will grow into good timber for construction.”
Do come and see how this bare open field has been transformed into new woodland.
The Forestry Commission insisted that half of the original trees should be ash. The spread of ash dieback disease means many of these original trees have died or are dying. The Parish Council has already replaced some of them with a range of native species and will undertake more of this work in the future.