Wild Banbury
Spiceball Park/ Hanwell Brook Wetland
Volunteer Programme Dates to follow
Meeting points: Spiceball Park- we meet by the wooden footbridge over the river, the one with steps in the middle of the park, not the one next to the weir. If you are arriving by car, I suggest parking in the north car park by Grimsbury Reservoir where there is no charge.
Hanwell Brook Wetland is next to Hanwell Fields playing field off Duke’s Meadow Drive, north Banbury, nearest postcode OX16 1EJ. We meet in the car park.
What to bring/wear: You’ll need to wear old clothes that you don’t mind getting a bit muddy or torn, and bring waterproof layers (a hat is great at this time of year). You’ll also need to wear strong boots or sometimes wellies depending on the task. I will bring tea/coffee and biscuits . Make sure you bring plenty of water and your lunch if staying all day. Tools and gloves are provided.
The Berks Bucks and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) has been particularly busy developing this in both Spiceball Park and Hanwell Brook wetland.
Wild Banbury has it's own website which includes details on the activities being undertaken on the 2 sites. Click the link above for the next volunteer day or see dates opposite.
In Spiceball Park the volunteers have been working on the river banks removing excess brash from the newly opened areas as well as undertaking some coppicing work in the woodland area on the east field. The plan is to clear a footpath through one of the planted areas to aid movement on that side of the river.
BBOWT is hoping to undertake some planting on the east field on the landfill area to provide a new habitat type (scrub) which will be attractive to birds. This will aid the biodiversity on this side of the River Cherwell and also compensate for the removal of some trees in other areas.
On the wetland site they have been undertaking more coppicing work where the trees are encroaching onto the open space and board walk.
The programme of work will include the development of ponds on both sites. It is likely that these will dry up in prolonged dry weather however they will provide great habitats for a range of amphibians and insects and useful tools when schools are invited to visit the areas