Love the Letcombe Brook

Grant of £3,330 awarded in 2021. Total project cost £7,424

The main aim of this project was to improve the habitat quality and biodiversity value of this Priority Habitat.  Reducing tree cover and bankside brambles has enabled more light to reach the water in a heavily over-shaded section, which has promoted the recovery of riparian habitat which is now supporting important species such as the water vole, wild brown trout and the many specialist invertebrates present in the chalk stream.

The riverbank was cleared of Himalayan balsam in mid-summer prior to the start of the main project.  Nine large bankside willows were pollarded by specialist arborist, habitat piles created on site, and sections of bramble were removed from the bank edge.  To further encourage recovery of riparian vegetation, sections of the bank were seeded with a specialist wetland seed mix.  Two major obstructions to flow (which were collecting debris and litter) were cleared along with several large fallen limbs from the opposite bank.  Smaller sections of large woody debris have been left in place in line with Wild Trout Trust guidance to provide habitat, flow diversity and cover for fish. 

Two barn owl boxes and a little owl box were put up in the surrounding river corridor to further support local biodiversity – the surrounding habitat provides good hunting for both species – but nesting opportunities are often limited.  It was decided not to create an artificial otter holt as several natural features are already present on this site and the opposite side of the river. 

Project delivery went ahead largely as planned.  A digger was needed to deal with two willows that had collapsed into the river and a couple of blockages that could not be dealt with in conventional means.  This section of rare chalk stream has now recovered and has become excellent water vole habitat, supporting the recovery of this charismatic priority species.

The grant holder told us that “There is no doubt that the work we were able to complete due to TOE funding has led to real biodiversity gain on this section of rare chalk stream.”

River Thame Conservation Trust 2016-2020 Bird Atlas

Grant of £1,000 from the TVERC Recorders’ Fund. Total project cost £4,000

Up until now very little was known about the birdlife of the River Thame catchment.  To remedy this, River Thame Conservation Trust (RTCT) undertook a volunteer-led, catchment-wide bird survey to create the River Thame Bird Atlas 2016-2020.

A team of 63 volunteers carried out winter and summer bird surveys across 236 different survey areas covering the whole of the river catchment (over 675 km²).  The group of skilled and passionate volunteers carried out 935 survey visits, walked for c. 3,785 hours and found an impressive 153 species in the catchment. The TOE grant contributed towards the costs of digitising the data collected by the volunteers.

Some really exciting and rare birds such as Hawfinch and Merlin were recorded and it has also proven breeding of less common birds such as Goosander and Curlew as well as charted the distribution of our more common breeding species such as Blackcap, Whitethroat and Chiffchaff.

The project was delivered in partnership with the British Trust for Ornithology which has allowed the comparison of records from the national Bird Atlas 2007-11 and helped map changes in populations over 10 years including the increased range of species such as Little Egret and Raven.

RTCT is very proud of its new online Atlas, the only one of its kind across a river catchment in the UK.  Click River Thame Conservation Trust bird atlas to explore the Atlas.

Restoration of the Shepherds Steps, White Horse Hill, Uffington

Grant of £2,082, awarded in 2021

This project involved the installation of a flight of new steps to provide better and safer access to a steep footpath the condition of which had deteriorated to such an extent that it was potentially hazardous.  Site visitors are now keeping to the steps allowing the chalk grassland sward on either side to recover.

Nearly 100 stepping boards were installed, secured using stout pegs and covered with Type 1 aggregate to provide better grip.  Some sections have had shuttering applied too to prevent stones being kicked off. 

New posts were fitted along the adjacent fence line where required and two strands of barbed wire were replaced with smooth wire for a safer, more aesthetic appearance.  In addition, two waymarker posts were installed to give clarity to the route of the footpath, and a rustic bench (donated, not part of the grant application) was installed at the top of the steps to provide a point of rest after the steep climb. 

The work was undertaken by National Trust staff with the help of volunteers.  Their greatest challenge was driving pegs into the dense chalk subsoil which meant the project took longer than anticipated to complete. 

Woodland Trail in Cutteslowe Park Community Woodland

Grant of £5,000 awarded in 2021. Total project cost £18,200

This project has created a circular walk within Cutteslowe Park.  The walk is being used by all age groups, but is aimed particularly at children with a view to encouraging them and their families to visit the more natural areas of the park where there is greater biodiversity to enjoy and learn from.  The walk starts at the café kiosk, located in the largest playground, and follows a circular, way-marked route which includes the Community Woodland. 

The TOE grant funded part of the cost of improving some of the wetter sections of path within the Community Woodland with hoggin pathways.   

Way markers have also been installed and a leaflet produced which includes a map, directions and what to look out for during the walk.  An information board has been sited near the start of the walk.

The grant holder told us that the TOE grant had helped secure other funding.  She wrote “We would like to thank everyone at TOE for their work on this project.  The very generous donation went a long way to making the project feasible overall and without it I feel we would have struggled to get the circular walk underway.  With sincere thanks for TOE's generosity and efficient administration.”

Lower Windrush Valley access improvements

Grant of £2,000 awarded in 2019. Total project cost £2,750

The Lower Windrush Valley in West Oxfordshire is much loved walking country comprising riverside pasture and the open waters of previous gravel extraction sites.  This project has improved three circular walks within the valley based on their location, beautiful scenery, proximity to local businesses and nature reserve, and links with longer distance footpaths.  The walks vary from 2.5km to 8km in length and two of the routes are now stile free thanks to TOE-funded gates.  The project has also installed waymarkers and produced downloadable maps.  

The Chairman of the local Parish Council, welcomed walkers to the area saying: “It’s a lovely quiet spot full of interesting wildlife, and we are really pleased to share it.”  He also recommended the local pub! 

Habitat enhancements at Boundary Brook nature park

Two grants totalling £11,390, awarded in 2020 and 2024

With their initial grant, the Oxford Urban Wildlife Group (OUWG) offered a wide range of opportunities for their members to be involved at the Boundary Brook nature reserve and hosted events for the public to visit and find out about the reserve and the wildlife found there. 

Volunteers helped with ongoing maintenance of woodland glades and paths, planting out woodland plug plants to enhance the ground flora, building a new bird hide, planting trees and shrubs, as well as gardening and watering in areas planted up with shrubs, trees and a wildflower mix. 

Work on the grassland ecology supported by the TOE grant was linked with other ecology work on site by BSG Ecology to build resilient grassland corridors and create buffer zones advantageous to wildlife and to our allotment neighbours.  OUWG has continued to plant trees along the borders and also followed recommendations in their Environmental Consultancy report to create a wildlife safe space with tree planting and woodland plug planting along its edges. 

The increasing numbers of work parties and public events have brought more members to help with species surveying which is increasing understanding of the wildlife found there and the impact of conservation work. 

A network of all-weather accessible paths on site has been completed using limestone which now means the reserve is safer during the winter and also enables public access to the wildlife habitat areas without damage to them by people wandering off paths. 

OUWG said “TOE funding for the ‘Glades, Ponds and Woodlands project’ has enabled us to become a more resourced and dynamic group and to revitalise our mosaic of wildlife habitats.  This project has been very beneficial to us and all the budget has been spent on meaningful aspects of work on site.  Thank you.”

Barton Fields Link Path

Grant of £7,000, awarded in 2022. Total project cost £20,040

Located on the edge of Abingdon (population 40,000), this project created a durable weather-proof path, c.120m long and 1.5m wide, on the line of the existing rough/muddy path on the edge of Barton Fields.  A new self-binding ‘hoggin’ surface was laid on a membrane and stone underlay, and edged in wood.  Its completion has created a key link in the 5km ‘Thames Trail’ envisaged in The Radley Lakes Trust’s site ‘Masterplan’. 

In addition to linking the Thames Path and the NCN5 cycle track, this new path provides a short walk just along the path or round Barton Fields, previously impractical for much of the year because of the mud and/or a longer walk for visitors to Barton Fields previously unaware of the adjacent attractions of the Thames and of the Radley Lakes area.  In both cases the benefits are not just outdoor exercise, but health and well-being and appreciation of wildlife. 

Andrew Ashton, chair The Radley Lakes Trust, told us “The feedback we have received following completion has been very positive. We were determined that the new path should have a feel consistent with the natural surroundings, but built to a good quality that enables walking all the year round except in severe flooding. We could not have afforded this except with the help of TOE’s grant and are very grateful to them not just for the funding but for their constructive interest in the project.”

Sydenham footpath gate

Grant of £1,000, awarded in 2022. Total project cost £1,400

Organised by Sydenham Parish Council, this project has improved access for all on the most well-used path in the village which leads walkers to the allotments/wildflower area/Queens Canopy thicket and to popular walking routes beyond the village. 

The work involved replacing a narrow old gate with a wider one to extend the width of access and the path surface has been improved.

Revitalising Uffington's footpaths

Three grants since 2020 totalling £11,144. Total project cost £20,160

This ambitious project by Uffington Parish Council has made footpaths around the village easier to access and walkable by people of all ages; this is excellent for community involvement and therefore beneficial for the health and well-being of residents.

Across three projects, 25 stiles have been replaced with gates, path surfaces improved and old footbridges replaced.

The Parish Council has told us that the number of people using the footpaths in the centre of the village has increased dramatically since the new gates were installed, particularly as using the footpath enables parents and children to avoid using narrow roads with no pavements for the journey to / from school.

Access improvements to entrance of Oxford City Farm

Grant of £3,000, awarded in 2021. Total project cost £3,846

The grant funded the majority of the design and implementation by contractors of greatly improved pedestrian access to Oxford City Farm.  A new 1.2m pedestrian gate was installed and a 1.6m wide level path made from the gate to the tarmac area of the site (approx. 30m).  Wheelchair users and parents of children in buggies can now access the farm much more smoothly, and are also separated from any vehicles entering and leaving the site.  A secure letterbox has been fitted in the new gate which, even though it sounds very minor, is proving really helpful in terms of administration for the farm itself.

 A consultation with site users about what would help them access the site more easily led to feedback that the entrance was an issue.  Volunteers then helped design the project and  have also helped to plant bulbs and spread woodchip on areas between the new path and the vehicle access way with the aim of developing this area as a long flower bed filled with flowering herbs for a wonderful scented entrance to the farm.

 The grant holder said “TOE funding has enabled us to deliver hugely improved pedestrian access to our Farm site.  We are so pleased to have been able to action to undertake these works.  We were so conscious of the difficult access for wheelchair users, which thanks to TOE funding, is now a thing of the past!”

Permissive Path from Kingston Blount to Crowell

Grant of £5,000 awarded in 2019. Total project cost £6,570

A stretch of the B4009 road between Kingston Blount and Crowell, south of Oxford, sees about 100 walkers pass by each day, but until recently they were forced to walk on the road or the verge.  The landowner agreed to a permissive footpath across his fields and a new all-seasons reinforced grass surface now offers walkers greater safety and comfort.   

Situated just inside the hedge, the new footpath has been created by local volunteers, assisted by the Chiltern Society’s South Chilterns Path Maintenance Volunteers.  As the fields are arable, barriers were used at each end to create pinch points to prevent cyclists and horse riders using the footpath.

Wolvercote Community Orchard disabled access

Grant of £4,000 awarded in 2019. Total project cost £12,400

Wolvercote Community Orchard is a community asset preserving heritage apple varieties and an open-access green space for the enjoyment of all. However, the narrow entrance and uneven ground were unsuitable for visitors with restricted mobility so contractors for the Wolvercote Tree Group installed a broader access area set back from the road and an all-weather, level path.  

Work began in spring 2020 and the project was completed by the autumn following a slight delay due to the impact of Covid-19 restrictions and very hot summer weather which affected grass germination and growth. The photo shows work in progress so you can see the mesh used - if you visit now, you will find just a broad grassy path which is accessible whatever the weather.

Cuttlebrook Nature Reserve in Thame (£5,532 S106, 2016 )

Improvement of freshwater habitats

The project has had a long gestation and, as discussed with Fiona Danks and Dominic Lamb, has had to be amended during the EA consent process. The project now consists of the creation of new freshwater habitats, particularly: the creation of a backwater to act as a fish fry refuge; the creation of a new spawning bed; and the creation of dog access facilities to reduce siltation caused by the unavoidable entry of dogs into the Cuttle Brook on this very popular site. Work is also underway on reducing the shading of the brook with the aim of achieving 25% shade and 75% un-shaded.

Work since the previous claim and project report has been focused on building a new dipping platform to replace the earlier one which had been in place some 20 years.

Future work under this project includes: a further backwater and creation of an in-line pond to reduce the silt and chemical load of ditches draining into the brook (scheduled for September 18); installing a sleeper bridge across the first backwater; putting in flow deflectors to reduce low-flow silt deposition and, if funds permit, re-surfacing the muddy footpath alongside Cox’s Wood.

Summary of Activity (include any key dates):

• 18/2/18 – Removal of dilapidated dipping platform began but was cut short by snowfall.

• 18/3/18 – Completion of removal of old structure and site preparation.

• 15/4/18 – Begin installation of support posts (posts all rammed in to 1500mm depth).

• 20/5/18 – Completion of post ramming and installation of bearers. Begin decking out.

• 17/6/18 – Completion of decking and anti-slip surface.

The projects have been completed entirely using volunteers – from the application for EA consent through to the operation of machinery.

Some professional help has been received, particularly assistance with making the EA application, but delivery of the project has been entirely down to volunteers.

The project has been a tremendous success so far. We are very pleased with the results to date. The dog-entry points have been well received by owners and are being used by dogs. Other entry points are now being restricted so the brook’s silt load has been reduced.

The backwater has supported good numbers of fish fry, though emergent vegetation has been slower than expected to get going.

We were caught out by the late winter weather and this set our timetable back for replacement of the dipping platform, not least because we wished to avoid disturbance in the pond during the amphibian breeding season.. The delays in completing this major project have resulted in a knock-on delay in vegetation clearance as we found ourselves up against the bird-nesting period.

Bicester Bird and Butterfly Boon, MOD Arncott, (£5,000 Grundon, 2016, and now awarded additional funds)

Improving the management of site for biodiversity.

Funded project report provided by Jake Piper:

TOE has supported land management for wildlife conservation at the MOD Arncott site over recent years.  This is a military training site with a mix of woodland, rough grass and scrub and training infrastructure.  It is not intensively farmed or actively managed by the MOD, so is rich in biodiversity with birds (including seven warbler species and Turtle Doves) and butterflies, for example, which include rare and declining species.

In order to maintain the necessary mosaic of habitats for the diversity of species, conservation management requires periodic cutting of established woodland, rejuvenating and opening up the canopy, as well as enabling ponds to remain in the landscape. This work is undertaken by Chiltern Rangers (CR:  a non-for-profit social enterprise which was established from a local authority woodland management unit), who work with the BTO on bird monitoring at the site.

On a very hot mid-July day, TOE trustees were taken around the site by Steph Rodgers of CR, Gary Becket, MOD conservation officer, and Stuart Hodges, a Butterfly Conservation species champion who also monitors the site.  We were shown, for example, areas where CR working parties have created open areas and low scrub in line with the specific breeding habitat needs of Hairstreak butterflies, as well as other sites where Gary has plans to open up other areas to increase edge habitats and light.  The CR work parties are made up of volunteers - sometimes including some military personnel - who carry out woodland operations assisted by and under the guidance of CR staff.   (TOE has subsequently been able to put Steph in touch with an Oxford Brookes University Professor who leads a wildlife conservation course who would like to offer this practical experience of woodland management to his students.)

Recent TOE funding has covered the cost of CR staff at land management days, plus tree saplings (Wych Elm for White Hairstreak breeding and feeding sites), and supplementary feed for turtle doves - in accordance with RSPB guidance - as their numbers are declining sharply in the UK.

TOE trustees were impressed by the enthusiasm, knowledge and efforts of all the conservation staff we met at the Arncott site.  Both Steph and Gary expressed their thanks for the support given by TOE.

Brightwell-cum-Sotwell Community Orchard

Grant: £2,149

A community orchard of local and traditional fruit trees has been created at the heart of the village, under-planted with wildflowers. 

This has created a new orchard habitat, a place where wildlife can flourish and where local people can gather fruit and enjoy a local green space.