Leafield Community Woodland

Leafield Community Woodland

Leafield Community Woodland, on the Fairspear Road,  is managed by volunteers for the benefit of our village. Please enjoy your woodland, dog walkers are welcome.

For further information please contact info@leafieldwoodlands.co.uk or Leafield Woodlands Ltd. Fairspear House, Leafield, OX29 9NY

For information on monthly work days visit our website at www.leafieldwoodlands.co.uk

Upcoming events are tweeted on @LeafieldWood

Leafield Community Woodland grew from a much simpler project aiming to involve local children in growing and planting trees around the village to mark the millennium.

Local tree seeds were collected and a forester engaged to teach Leafield School children about raising trees from seed. As the children’s enthusiasm spread, the whole community became involved in a more ambitious plan to buy land and plant a woodland, as a new amenity for Leafield.

Grants and donations from local people and businesses were used to purchase a 1.3 acre site from Oxfordshire County Council and to set up an investment fund for its maintenance: insurance for public use remains our major annual expense.

Leafield Woodlands Ltd. was incorporated as a private limited company in 1999 to establish and manage the Community Woodland and to plant trees for the benefit of the local community. The trustees are advised by the Wychwood Project.

In addition to planting our Community Woodland on Fairspear Road in 2000, Leafield Woodlands Ltd. has been involved in planting a replacement for King John’s Oak (1998), several hundred indigenous trees around the Playing Field (1999) and an indigenous hedge and standard trees at the new burial ground (2004).

The Community Woodland has been used by Leafield School, Pre-school and Guides and as a venue for Festival and other village events. The trustees have arranged free activities at the woodland, including Moth Nights, Bat Nights, Bug Hunts, Dawn Chorus Events, Hedgerow Cookery and Story Telling.

Our Woodland is maintained by volunteers at regular work parties: tasks include coppicing, raking grass and scything nettles and refreshments are provided.