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Environment
Woodstock's
environment portfolio includes natural habitats at:-
The towns watermeadows,
Budds Close Nature Reserve
(OWL), and
the Woodstock
Community Woodland
Children's play areas at
New Road,
Budds Close and
Old Woodstock
Cemeteries at
Green Lane (Lawn Cemetery)
Hensington Road
St Mary Magdalene Church (closed cemetery)
 The Woodstock Town Watermeadows
The water meadows are a unique feature in the heart of
the town providing a valuable habitat for birds, small mammals, and plants
from small aquatic species to mature trees. It covers 5.5 hectares of
land on the flood plain of the River Glyme and is easily accessible to the
public as an area of quiet tranquillity. It is bounded on the north
by the mill stream which, these days, carries most of the water through
and under the main A44 road and in to the Blenheim Lake by the seven
arches bridge. On the south side it is bounded by the more modest
flows of the residual Glyme river. The watermeadows are frequently
flooded in winter although drier areas have been set aside for managed
grazing. The area is home to a large number of pollarded willows,
white poplar and more recently planted species. Whilst the
Watermeadows Management Committee are committed to retaining the
natural characteristics of the area there is a need for regular
maintenance, particularly the requirement to keep to reasonable levels,
the amount of Himalayan Balsam which if left unattended would swamp other
plant life in the meadow.
Budds Close Nature Reserve
(OWL)
In 2005 the Council
acquired the old railway line (Old Woodstock Line - OWL) which has lain
abandoned for many years at the back of Budds Close off Banbury Road.
Under the leadership of Oxfordshire Councty Council's Wychwood Project
staff and the efforts of the voluntary warden Bob Pomfret and others, the
area has been developed into a small linear nature reserve.
 The Town Council also has
responsibility for the new Woodstock Community Woodland to the north of
the town. This project is managed by Sustainable Woodstock on
behalf of the Council and all enquiries should be made to SW.
Details on
www.sustainablewoodstock.co.uk.
Pictured here are the group on the final day of planting the 1600 trees
that comprise the new woodland
Allotments. In a
further Environmental initiative, the Town Council are project managing
a site for 32 new allotments in Green Lane Woodstock. All
enquiries should, in the first instance ne addressed to the Chairman of
the Allotments Association Ray Kinch c/o The Town Hall, Woodstock.
This feature will be updated as progress in completing the allotments is
made.
Play Areas
The children's play areas conform to current
regulations and safety standards and are regularly inspected by the Town
Council's environmental warden.
Cemeteries
The Council is conscious that it will soon need to find
a new cemetery site as the current lawn cemetery in Green Lane becomes full.
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