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STRATEGIC PRIORITIES 2025-28

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text FOREST to 70580

A big thank you to Frances, Tony, Mark and the two Peters for all the hard work they have been doing at Wigwell.

This week saw them tackle some bramble scrub, assess a wonky gate, and attempt the relocation of (immovable) site interpretation, all with unfailing good humour on a drizzly day.

Thank you all for being such champions!

A big thank you to Frances, Tony, Mark and the two Peters for all the hard work they have been doing at Wigwell.

This week saw them tackle some bramble scrub, assess a wonky gate, and attempt the relocation of (immovable) site interpretation, all with unfailing good humour on a drizzly day.

Thank you all for being such champions!

2 of our hedgelaying team travelled up to Coventry at the start of the week for some intensive first aid training.

The Level 3 Emergency First Aid at Work + Forestry qualification is designed to equip learners with the knowledge and skills required to respond to emergency first aid situations in forestry and agricultural environments.

Claire and Stuart learnt how to deal with emergency situations as they arise, and the importance of reducing risk through increased awareness.

In readiness for the next hedgelaying season, we are going to review our already stringent emergency planning procedures and overhaul our First Aid kit so we are ready for any eventuality.

Here is Claire tackling a simulated catastrophic bleed. She said "It was a lot more exciting than dealing with paper cuts, which was about as serious as wounds got on my previous first aid at work course!"

A big thank you to @mediarbtraining for a fantastic course - even if it looks a bit ick!

2 of our hedgelaying team travelled up to Coventry at the start of the week for some intensive first aid training.

The Level 3 Emergency First Aid at Work + Forestry qualification is designed to equip learners with the knowledge and skills required to respond to emergency first aid situations in forestry and agricultural environments.

Claire and Stuart learnt how to deal with emergency situations as they arise, and the importance of reducing risk through increased awareness.

In readiness for the next hedgelaying season, we are going to review our already stringent emergency planning procedures and overhaul our First Aid kit so we are ready for any eventuality.

Here is Claire tackling a simulated catastrophic bleed. She said "It was a lot more exciting than dealing with paper cuts, which was about as serious as wounds got on my previous first aid at work course!"

A big thank you to @mediarbtraining for a fantastic course - even if it looks a bit ick!

We have two new nature walks coming up in June.

On Sunday June 7th, join herpetologist Neil Clennell for a leisurely ramble around Wigwell nature reserve in Charlbury, looking for the resident reptiles.

Wigwell is an interesting mosaic of habitats within an old pastoral landscape and supports a diversity of wildlife including a number of rarities, from black hairstreaks to water shrews. It is also home to three of the six native British reptile species, so there's a good chance to see slow worms, grass snakes and common lizards.

Then on Sunday June 21st, Neil will be leading a nature walk around Gibbets Hill, our rewilding and research site on the edge of Witney.

At the moment the site is not freely open to the public, so this is your chance to see it early on in its rewilding journey and learn about the cutting-edge ecological research being done here to combat biodiversity loss. You will also be able to see a major wetland creation project completed in 2024.

It is a great opportunity to enjoy a walk in the heart of the Cotswolds in this very special place, home to a wide variety of wildlife including bats, barn owls and some magnificent veteran oak trees, and with spectacular views from the top of the hill.

There will also be the opportunity to ask Neil questions about habitat restoration, natural regeneration or any other aspect of the rewilding process as you go around the site.

For more info and tickets to either of these events, go to https://www.wychwoodforesttrust.co.uk/event-list

We have two new nature walks coming up in June.

On Sunday June 7th, join herpetologist Neil Clennell for a leisurely ramble around Wigwell nature reserve in Charlbury, looking for the resident reptiles.

Wigwell is an interesting mosaic of habitats within an old pastoral landscape and supports a diversity of wildlife including a number of rarities, from black hairstreaks to water shrews. It is also home to three of the six native British reptile species, so there's a good chance to see slow worms, grass snakes and common lizards.

Then on Sunday June 21st, Neil will be leading a nature walk around Gibbets Hill, our rewilding and research site on the edge of Witney.

At the moment the site is not freely open to the public, so this is your chance to see it early on in its rewilding journey and learn about the cutting-edge ecological research being done here to combat biodiversity loss. You will also be able to see a major wetland creation project completed in 2024.

It is a great opportunity to enjoy a walk in the heart of the Cotswolds in this very special place, home to a wide variety of wildlife including bats, barn owls and some magnificent veteran oak trees, and with spectacular views from the top of the hill.

There will also be the opportunity to ask Neil questions about habitat restoration, natural regeneration or any other aspect of the rewilding process as you go around the site.

For more info and tickets to either of these events, go to https://www.wychwoodforesttrust.co.uk/event-list

The UK faces a growing climate and nature emergency. Yet most people have never been fully briefed on what it means for our lives, our economy and our future.

The National Emergency Briefing is the result of leading experts and concerned citizens joining forces to encourage UK decision-makers to step up their response to the escalating climate and nature crisis. The People's Emergency Briefing initiative is explicitly non-partisan and is supported by a wide range of well-known organisations, like the British Ecological Society, the Royal Meteorology Society, the Royal Society of Biology, the National Trust, the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, the Climate Reality Project, the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England and various other environmental organisations and academic institutions.

A new film from the National Emergency Briefing sets out the risks facing the nation - and the credible, positive responses available - in a clear and accessible account designed for screenings in communities across the UK. It brings together nine leading UK scientists and experts with the latest evidence and why it matters for things like:

🌧️ Extreme weather
🍞 Food security
🏥 Health
💷 Cost of living

The film is based on the National Emergency Briefing in Westminster, featured by ITV, Channel 4 and The Times.

Hosted by our friends at Sustainable Charlbury, the screening on Thursday 11 June at Charlbury Memorial Hall HAS NOW SOLD OUT! (Tickets are actually free, but you know what I mean ...)

So another screening has been arranged for Friday 12th June - doors open at 7pm, film starts at 7.30pm.

Tickets and more info available from https://www.tickettailor.com/events/sustainablecharlbury/2179787

The UK faces a growing climate and nature emergency. Yet most people have never been fully briefed on what it means for our lives, our economy and our future.

The National Emergency Briefing is the result of leading experts and concerned citizens joining forces to encourage UK decision-makers to step up their response to the escalating climate and nature crisis. The People's Emergency Briefing initiative is explicitly non-partisan and is supported by a wide range of well-known organisations, like the British Ecological Society, the Royal Meteorology Society, the Royal Society of Biology, the National Trust, the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, the Climate Reality Project, the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England and various other environmental organisations and academic institutions.

A new film from the National Emergency Briefing sets out the risks facing the nation - and the credible, positive responses available - in a clear and accessible account designed for screenings in communities across the UK. It brings together nine leading UK scientists and experts with the latest evidence and why it matters for things like:

🌧️ Extreme weather
🍞 Food security
🏥 Health
💷 Cost of living

The film is based on the National Emergency Briefing in Westminster, featured by ITV, Channel 4 and The Times.

Hosted by our friends at Sustainable Charlbury, the screening on Thursday 11 June at Charlbury Memorial Hall HAS NOW SOLD OUT! (Tickets are actually free, but you know what I mean ...)

So another screening has been arranged for Friday 12th June - doors open at 7pm, film starts at 7.30pm.

Tickets and more info available from https://www.tickettailor.com/events/sustainablecharlbury/2179787

Join us on Wednesday 3rd June 10am - 12pm for a ramble around Dean Common.

Led by experienced TVERC Biodiversity Officers and Wychwood Forest Trust, this event offers a chance to engage with the great outdoors and appreciate the wonders of the natural world. From birdwatching to tree identification, there will be plenty of activities to help you notice the beauty all around you.

Research indicates that spending time in natural surroundings can enhance both mental and physical well-being, alleviate stress, and boost your mood. You will also have the opportunity to learn about local wildlife and their habitats, deepening your connection to the environment.

Dean Common was WFT’s very first nature reserve, created in 1997 in partnership with Oxfordshire District Council on the site of a former sand quarry. After sand extraction ended at the site, the quarry was partially restored in some areas with appropriate scrub and tree planting and left to rewild through natural succession in others. The low nutrient subsoil left behind in disused quarries results in interesting and specialist plants and invertebrates, particularly in the early stages of colonisation and successional change.

Today, the nature reserve is a remote gem with a rich and maturing mosaic of habitats including young woodland, dense scrub, open grassland and a series of seasonal and permanent ponds.

Come join us at this Noticing Nature event at Dean Common to appreciate and connect with nature in a whole new way.

Tickets are free and available from: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/noticing-nature-dean-common-tickets-1981418338589

Join us on Wednesday 3rd June 10am - 12pm for a ramble around Dean Common.

Led by experienced TVERC Biodiversity Officers and Wychwood Forest Trust, this event offers a chance to engage with the great outdoors and appreciate the wonders of the natural world. From birdwatching to tree identification, there will be plenty of activities to help you notice the beauty all around you.

Research indicates that spending time in natural surroundings can enhance both mental and physical well-being, alleviate stress, and boost your mood. You will also have the opportunity to learn about local wildlife and their habitats, deepening your connection to the environment.

Dean Common was WFT’s very first nature reserve, created in 1997 in partnership with Oxfordshire District Council on the site of a former sand quarry. After sand extraction ended at the site, the quarry was partially restored in some areas with appropriate scrub and tree planting and left to rewild through natural succession in others. The low nutrient subsoil left behind in disused quarries results in interesting and specialist plants and invertebrates, particularly in the early stages of colonisation and successional change.

Today, the nature reserve is a remote gem with a rich and maturing mosaic of habitats including young woodland, dense scrub, open grassland and a series of seasonal and permanent ponds.

Come join us at this Noticing Nature event at Dean Common to appreciate and connect with nature in a whole new way.

Tickets are free and available from: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/noticing-nature-dean-common-tickets-1981418338589

It's World Bee Day!

By observing World Bee Day each year, we can raise awareness on the essential role bees and other pollinators play in keeping people and the planet healthy, and on the many challenges they face today.

In 2017, the UN General Assembly declared 20 May as World Bee Day. The date was chosen as it was the day Anton Janša, a pioneer of modern apiculture, was born. Janša came from a family of beekeepers in Slovenia, where beekeeping is an important agricultural activity with a long-standing tradition.

Today bees, pollinators, and many other insects are declining in abundance. This day provides an opportunity for all of us – whether we work for governments, organizations or civil society or are concerned citizens – to promote actions that will protect and enhance pollinators and their habitats, improve their abundance and diversity, and support the sustainable development of beekeeping.

Supported by the Wychwood Forest Trust & Southill Solar, a new program of bumblebee monitoring has started on Wigwell nature reserve in Charlbury. It builds on the bumblebee monitoring at the Southill Solar site that was set up last year. If you’d like to get involved, drop us a line at info@wychwoodforesttrust.co.uk.

For more info about Word Bee Day, visit: https://www.fao.org/world-bee-day/en/

“Bee together for people and the planet.”

It's World Bee Day!

By observing World Bee Day each year, we can raise awareness on the essential role bees and other pollinators play in keeping people and the planet healthy, and on the many challenges they face today.

In 2017, the UN General Assembly declared 20 May as World Bee Day. The date was chosen as it was the day Anton Janša, a pioneer of modern apiculture, was born. Janša came from a family of beekeepers in Slovenia, where beekeeping is an important agricultural activity with a long-standing tradition.

Today bees, pollinators, and many other insects are declining in abundance. This day provides an opportunity for all of us – whether we work for governments, organizations or civil society or are concerned citizens – to promote actions that will protect and enhance pollinators and their habitats, improve their abundance and diversity, and support the sustainable development of beekeeping.

Supported by the Wychwood Forest Trust & Southill Solar, a new program of bumblebee monitoring has started on Wigwell nature reserve in Charlbury. It builds on the bumblebee monitoring at the Southill Solar site that was set up last year. If you’d like to get involved, drop us a line at info@wychwoodforesttrust.co.uk.

For more info about Word Bee Day, visit: https://www.fao.org/world-bee-day/en/

“Bee together for people and the planet.”

The Telegraph recently reported that the Wychwood Forest is in the top 10 of the most enchanting woodlands in the UK.

For those - like us and our close neighbours @iamtreedwellers - who are lucky enough to live and work in the shadow of this ancient hunting forest in Oxfordshire, this didn't come as a surprise!

A big thank you to the writer Harriet O'Brien for nominating this special place, and to Katie Collier at the Oxford Mail for following up this story.

Of course, the Wychwood only survives now in fragments, most of it in private ownership and therefore not easily accessible, but you can still get a sense of the ancient Wychwood by walking the Wychwood Way.

The Wychwood Way is a 59 km (37 mile) circular trail following waymarked rights of way around the heart of the ancient Royal Forest of Wychwood. The trail is a celebration of 1000 years in the life of this very special area and was designed to highlight some of the most interesting historic landscape patterns and features, habitats and traditional forms of management within the former forest area.

We have a walking guide available which takes the reader on a journey through time, from the evidence of the very earliest, pre-historic settlers through to the present day.

To read the article in the Oxford Mail go to https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/26102529.wychwood-forest-named-one-britains-enchanting/ (no paywall).

For more about the guidebook go to https://www.wychwoodforesttrust.co.uk/shop

The Telegraph recently reported that the Wychwood Forest is in the top 10 of the most enchanting woodlands in the UK.

For those - like us and our close neighbours @iamtreedwellers - who are lucky enough to live and work in the shadow of this ancient hunting forest in Oxfordshire, this didn't come as a surprise!

A big thank you to the writer Harriet O'Brien for nominating this special place, and to Katie Collier at the Oxford Mail for following up this story.

Of course, the Wychwood only survives now in fragments, most of it in private ownership and therefore not easily accessible, but you can still get a sense of the ancient Wychwood by walking the Wychwood Way.

The Wychwood Way is a 59 km (37 mile) circular trail following waymarked rights of way around the heart of the ancient Royal Forest of Wychwood. The trail is a celebration of 1000 years in the life of this very special area and was designed to highlight some of the most interesting historic landscape patterns and features, habitats and traditional forms of management within the former forest area.

We have a walking guide available which takes the reader on a journey through time, from the evidence of the very earliest, pre-historic settlers through to the present day.

To read the article in the Oxford Mail go to https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/26102529.wychwood-forest-named-one-britains-enchanting/ (no paywall).

For more about the guidebook go to https://www.wychwoodforesttrust.co.uk/shop

Join us next week for a volunteer work party at Foxburrow Wood.

We will meet on Thursday 21st at 10am in the carpark. We will be installing the new noticeboards and there's quite a few tidying up jobs to do, so do brings work gloves if you have them and wear your mucky boots.

Everyone is welcome - the more the merrier. Just drop a line to info@wychwoodforesttrust.co.uk so we know how many willing volunteers to expect!

Thanks everyone - see you then.

Join us next week for a volunteer work party at Foxburrow Wood.

We will meet on Thursday 21st at 10am in the carpark. We will be installing the new noticeboards and there's quite a few tidying up jobs to do, so do brings work gloves if you have them and wear your mucky boots.

Everyone is welcome - the more the merrier. Just drop a line to info@wychwoodforesttrust.co.uk so we know how many willing volunteers to expect!

Thanks everyone - see you then.

Join Neil Clennell, WFT's CEO and resident herpetologist, on 7 June for a leisurely walk around Wigwell nature reserve in Charlbury to look for the resident reptiles.

Wigwell is an interesting mosaic of habitats within an old pastoral landscape and supports a diversity of wildlife including a number of rarities, from black hairstreaks to water shrews. It is also one of the better sites for reptiles that WFT manages, and there is a good chance of seeing three of the six native British species in one morning.

The walk starts at 11 am and we we will probably be out for about 2 hrs.

To book your spot, go to https://www.wychwoodforesttrust.co.uk/event-list

Join Neil Clennell, WFT's CEO and resident herpetologist, on 7 June for a leisurely walk around Wigwell nature reserve in Charlbury to look for the resident reptiles.

Wigwell is an interesting mosaic of habitats within an old pastoral landscape and supports a diversity of wildlife including a number of rarities, from black hairstreaks to water shrews. It is also one of the better sites for reptiles that WFT manages, and there is a good chance of seeing three of the six native British species in one morning.

The walk starts at 11 am and we we will probably be out for about 2 hrs.

To book your spot, go to https://www.wychwoodforesttrust.co.uk/event-list

Overall, there has been a decline in butterfly numbers over the last 10 years. Monitoring this change has never been more important.

Butterfly records are scarce across West Oxfordshire and the Wychwood Forest area, making it more difficult to track how populations in our area are changing. Luckily, it's easy to help change that.

There are two simple ways you can start recording butterflies:

Download the free iRecord Butterflies app, which can be used to make records wherever you are. It's very simple and includes identification help and location tracking.

Create an account and start recording butterflies in your garden on Butterfly Conservation's website. It's easy to use with plenty of guidance and photos to help with identification.

https://butterfly-conservation.org/our-work/recording-and-monitoring/irecord-butterflies

You can download free identification PDF guides to the butterflies you might see in the historic Wychwood area - 120 square miles of West Oxfordshire - from our website.
https://www.wychwoodforesttrust.co.uk/shop

Many thanks to Butterfly Conservation's Upper Thames Branch for putting together these guides for us.

Overall, there has been a decline in butterfly numbers over the last 10 years. Monitoring this change has never been more important.

Butterfly records are scarce across West Oxfordshire and the Wychwood Forest area, making it more difficult to track how populations in our area are changing. Luckily, it's easy to help change that.

There are two simple ways you can start recording butterflies:

Download the free iRecord Butterflies app, which can be used to make records wherever you are. It's very simple and includes identification help and location tracking.

Create an account and start recording butterflies in your garden on Butterfly Conservation's website. It's easy to use with plenty of guidance and photos to help with identification.

https://butterfly-conservation.org/our-work/recording-and-monitoring/irecord-butterflies

You can download free identification PDF guides to the butterflies you might see in the historic Wychwood area - 120 square miles of West Oxfordshire - from our website.
https://www.wychwoodforesttrust.co.uk/shop

Many thanks to Butterfly Conservation's Upper Thames Branch for putting together these guides for us.

May is National Walking Month, and now that the weather is brighter, there's no excuse not to get out and about!

If you live in Oxfordshire, or are planning to visit our beautiful county any time this month, why not try walking the Wychwood Way in May, or over the summer?

The Wychwood Way is a 59 km / 37 mile circular trail following waymarked rights of way around the heart of the ancient Royal Forest of Wychwood in Oxfordshire.

The trail is a celebration of 1000 years in the life of this very special area and was designed to highlight some of the most interesting historic landscape patterns and features, habitats and traditional forms of management within the former forest area.

Our lovely guidebook for the route takes the reader on a journey through time, from the evidence of the very earliest, pre-historic settlers through to the present day. It has detailed walking directions for the whole of the Wychwood Way, supported by maps and SP map references, as well as 10 shorter circular walks linked to the Wychwood Way.

https://www.wychwoodforesttrust.co.uk/shop

May is National Walking Month, and now that the weather is brighter, there's no excuse not to get out and about!

If you live in Oxfordshire, or are planning to visit our beautiful county any time this month, why not try walking the Wychwood Way in May, or over the summer?

The Wychwood Way is a 59 km / 37 mile circular trail following waymarked rights of way around the heart of the ancient Royal Forest of Wychwood in Oxfordshire.

The trail is a celebration of 1000 years in the life of this very special area and was designed to highlight some of the most interesting historic landscape patterns and features, habitats and traditional forms of management within the former forest area.

Our lovely guidebook for the route takes the reader on a journey through time, from the evidence of the very earliest, pre-historic settlers through to the present day. It has detailed walking directions for the whole of the Wychwood Way, supported by maps and SP map references, as well as 10 shorter circular walks linked to the Wychwood Way.

https://www.wychwoodforesttrust.co.uk/shop

WFT trustee Richard Lord is on the radio!

At 10am on the first Sunday of every month, tune in to WRFM - Radio for Oxfordshire & The Cotswolds - to hear Wild Tracks with 'Rustic Rich', an eclectic mix of music with topical chat covering the countryside, environment, wildlife, gardening, local food, farming and lots more.

FM 90.2 - 107.4 and on DAB, or listen live via WRFM website https://www.wrfm.co.uk/

WFT trustee Richard Lord is on the radio!

At 10am on the first Sunday of every month, tune in to WRFM - Radio for Oxfordshire & The Cotswolds - to hear Wild Tracks with 'Rustic Rich', an eclectic mix of music with topical chat covering the countryside, environment, wildlife, gardening, local food, farming and lots more.

FM 90.2 - 107.4 and on DAB, or listen live via WRFM website https://www.wrfm.co.uk/

Join WFT's CEO, ecologist Neil Clennell, on a guided walk around Gibbets Hill, our rewilding and research reserve on the edge of Witney.

The site is not freely open to the public, so this is your chance to see it early in its rewilding journey and learn about the cutting-edge ecological research being done here to combat biodiversity loss. You will also be able to see the results of our major wetland creation project.

It is a great opportunity to enjoy a walk in the heart of the Cotswolds in this very special place, home to a wide variety of wildlife including bats, barn owls and some magnificent veteran oak trees, and with spectacular views from the top of the hill.

There will also be the opportunity to ask Neil questions about habitat restoration, natural regeneration or any other aspect of the rewilding process as you go around the site.

Book your spot at https://www.wychwoodforesttrust.co.uk/event-list

Join WFT's CEO, ecologist Neil Clennell, on a guided walk around Gibbets Hill, our rewilding and research reserve on the edge of Witney.

The site is not freely open to the public, so this is your chance to see it early in its rewilding journey and learn about the cutting-edge ecological research being done here to combat biodiversity loss. You will also be able to see the results of our major wetland creation project.

It is a great opportunity to enjoy a walk in the heart of the Cotswolds in this very special place, home to a wide variety of wildlife including bats, barn owls and some magnificent veteran oak trees, and with spectacular views from the top of the hill.

There will also be the opportunity to ask Neil questions about habitat restoration, natural regeneration or any other aspect of the rewilding process as you go around the site.

Book your spot at https://www.wychwoodforesttrust.co.uk/event-list

We had a great volunteer session at Gibbets Hill yesterday learning how to monitor the ponds during the breeding season, with Evie Granat from the Newt Conservation Partnership.

Evie and the team at NCP helped us to create the suite of 9 wetlands back in 2024. It is amazing to see just how quickly the ponds have established and how full of life they are! We found frog and toad tadpoles in large numbers, and watched the swifts and martins swooping overhead. There were also abundant animal and bird tracks around the ponds.

Wonderful to see how Gibbets is becoming a thriving oasis for wildlife right on the edge of bustling Witney.

Many thanks to Evie and all our volunteers.

We had a great volunteer session at Gibbets Hill yesterday learning how to monitor the ponds during the breeding season, with Evie Granat from the Newt Conservation Partnership.

Evie and the team at NCP helped us to create the suite of 9 wetlands back in 2024. It is amazing to see just how quickly the ponds have established and how full of life they are! We found frog and toad tadpoles in large numbers, and watched the swifts and martins swooping overhead. There were also abundant animal and bird tracks around the ponds.

Wonderful to see how Gibbets is becoming a thriving oasis for wildlife right on the edge of bustling Witney.

Many thanks to Evie and all our volunteers.

Fantastic work by the Wigwell Friends volunteers at last week's work party at Wigwell in Charlbury.

They started work on constructing a dead hedge beyond the bridge by the dams just below the line of the permissive path.

Ultimately it will act as a fence separating the low lying area near the stream from the meadow grassland of the Local Wildlife Site and will enable us to enhance this wetland habitat.

The dead hedge is mainly constructed of blackthorn, from material left over from the scrub management that prevents it obstructing footpaths or encroaching too far into the sensitive LWS.

Brilliant start everyone - and thank you!

Fantastic work by the Wigwell Friends volunteers at last week's work party at Wigwell in Charlbury.

They started work on constructing a dead hedge beyond the bridge by the dams just below the line of the permissive path.

Ultimately it will act as a fence separating the low lying area near the stream from the meadow grassland of the Local Wildlife Site and will enable us to enhance this wetland habitat.

The dead hedge is mainly constructed of blackthorn, from material left over from the scrub management that prevents it obstructing footpaths or encroaching too far into the sensitive LWS.

Brilliant start everyone - and thank you!

In case you missed it, the WFT Annual Review 2025 is available to read on our website.

https://www.wychwoodforesttrust.co.uk/magazine

It has a round up of the year at Wigwell by Peter Kenrick, leader of the Wigwell Friends; an interview with Clare Musson, one of our stalwart volunteers; and a report about passive acoustic monitoring at Gibbets Hill by Dr Ella Browning.

There's an article about heritage fruit trees by Jo Howard; Chloe Edwards from Oxfordshire County Council talks about the Local Nature Recovery Strategy; and our lead hedgelayer Stuart Bridger explores the traditional rural craft of hedgelaying.

The process of undertaking a topographical survey using GIS software is discussed by Isobel Gunasekera; and our CEO Neil Clennell expands on 5 years of rewilding at Gibbets Hill.

There's something for everyone!

In case you missed it, the WFT Annual Review 2025 is available to read on our website.

https://www.wychwoodforesttrust.co.uk/magazine

It has a round up of the year at Wigwell by Peter Kenrick, leader of the Wigwell Friends; an interview with Clare Musson, one of our stalwart volunteers; and a report about passive acoustic monitoring at Gibbets Hill by Dr Ella Browning.

There's an article about heritage fruit trees by Jo Howard; Chloe Edwards from Oxfordshire County Council talks about the Local Nature Recovery Strategy; and our lead hedgelayer Stuart Bridger explores the traditional rural craft of hedgelaying.

The process of undertaking a topographical survey using GIS software is discussed by Isobel Gunasekera; and our CEO Neil Clennell expands on 5 years of rewilding at Gibbets Hill.

There's something for everyone!

It’s springtime!

Can you see him…?

Spotted this morning at Thatcham. We're taking West Oxfordshire Field Club (WOFC) to search for serpents emerging from hibernation at the weekend, so did a recce and found this fella.

There are still remarkable creatures out there if you know where to look ...

It’s springtime!

Can you see him…?

Spotted this morning at Thatcham. We're taking West Oxfordshire Field Club (WOFC) to search for serpents emerging from hibernation at the weekend, so did a recce and found this fella.

There are still remarkable creatures out there if you know where to look ...

Supported by WFT & Southill Solar, a new program of bumblebee monitoring is about to start on Wigwell nature reserve in Charlbury.

It leads on from the successful butterfly monitoring which is now entering its fourth year at Wigwell, and builds on the bumblebee monitoring at the Southill Solar site that was set up last year.

The Wigwell bumblebee initiative gets underway on Saturday 18th April at 9.45am at the Friends Meeting House on Market Street.

Registration plus coffee/tea and biscuits will be followed by the main talk at 10am given by Andy Benson from Bumblebee Conservation Trust.

The programme continues after lunch (please bring your own sandwiches) with a hands on practical session at Wigwell, if weather allows.

You can find out more about the day and how to book your spot at https://www.charlbury.info/events/10805

Supported by WFT & Southill Solar, a new program of bumblebee monitoring is about to start on Wigwell nature reserve in Charlbury.

It leads on from the successful butterfly monitoring which is now entering its fourth year at Wigwell, and builds on the bumblebee monitoring at the Southill Solar site that was set up last year.

The Wigwell bumblebee initiative gets underway on Saturday 18th April at 9.45am at the Friends Meeting House on Market Street.

Registration plus coffee/tea and biscuits will be followed by the main talk at 10am given by Andy Benson from Bumblebee Conservation Trust.

The programme continues after lunch (please bring your own sandwiches) with a hands on practical session at Wigwell, if weather allows.

You can find out more about the day and how to book your spot at https://www.charlbury.info/events/10805

Our volunteer hedgelaying team have finished this tricky hedge at Hailey burial ground and they've done a cracking job, as ever!

We've already had some lovely comments from the immediate neighbours and parish councillors.

Big thanks to the team - a brilliant wrap to the season!

If you are interested in joining the volunteer hedgelayers, drop us an email at volunteers@wychwoodforesttrust.co.uk

Our volunteer hedgelaying team have finished this tricky hedge at Hailey burial ground and they've done a cracking job, as ever!

We've already had some lovely comments from the immediate neighbours and parish councillors.

Big thanks to the team - a brilliant wrap to the season!

If you are interested in joining the volunteer hedgelayers, drop us an email at volunteers@wychwoodforesttrust.co.uk

Overall, there has been a decline in butterfly numbers over the last 10 years. Monitoring this change has never been more important.

Butterfly records are scarce across West Oxfordshire and the Wychwood Forest area, making it more difficult to track how populations in our area are changing. Luckily, it's easy to help change that.

There are two simple ways you can start recording butterflies:

Download the free iRecord Butterflies app, which can be used to make records wherever you are. It's very simple and includes identification help and location tracking.

Create an account and start recording butterflies in your garden on Butterfly Conservation's website. It's easy to use with plenty of guidance and photos to help with identification.

https://butterfly-conservation.org/our-work/recording-and-monitoring/irecord-butterflies

You can download free identification guides to the butterflies you might see in the historic Wychwood area - 120 square miles of West Oxfordshire - from our website.
https://www.wychwoodforesttrust.co.uk/shop

Many thanks to Butterfly Conservation's Upper Thames Branch for putting together these guides for us.

Overall, there has been a decline in butterfly numbers over the last 10 years. Monitoring this change has never been more important.

Butterfly records are scarce across West Oxfordshire and the Wychwood Forest area, making it more difficult to track how populations in our area are changing. Luckily, it's easy to help change that.

There are two simple ways you can start recording butterflies:

Download the free iRecord Butterflies app, which can be used to make records wherever you are. It's very simple and includes identification help and location tracking.

Create an account and start recording butterflies in your garden on Butterfly Conservation's website. It's easy to use with plenty of guidance and photos to help with identification.

https://butterfly-conservation.org/our-work/recording-and-monitoring/irecord-butterflies

You can download free identification guides to the butterflies you might see in the historic Wychwood area - 120 square miles of West Oxfordshire - from our website.
https://www.wychwoodforesttrust.co.uk/shop

Many thanks to Butterfly Conservation's Upper Thames Branch for putting together these guides for us.

"Tales from the Wychwood Forest" - a talk
by Val Burton on Wednesday April 29th at St Johns Church Hailey, starting at 7.30 pm.

Val will talk about the hard life of the people who lived within the forest boundaries and surrounding area. They include the Dunsdon brothers (Tom, Dick and Harry) from Fulbrook, Fair Rosamund of Woodstock/Godstow and The Ascott under Wychwood Martyrs. There might be some poaching tales and a few ghost stories too!

Tickets for this event are £7.00 per person payable on the door, which includes a glass of wine and nibbles.

To reserve tickets for collection on the door, please ring 01993 357 047 and leave a name and the number of tickets required.

"Tales from the Wychwood Forest" - a talk
by Val Burton on Wednesday April 29th at St Johns Church Hailey, starting at 7.30 pm.

Val will talk about the hard life of the people who lived within the forest boundaries and surrounding area. They include the Dunsdon brothers (Tom, Dick and Harry) from Fulbrook, Fair Rosamund of Woodstock/Godstow and The Ascott under Wychwood Martyrs. There might be some poaching tales and a few ghost stories too!

Tickets for this event are £7.00 per person payable on the door, which includes a glass of wine and nibbles.

To reserve tickets for collection on the door, please ring 01993 357 047 and leave a name and the number of tickets required.

On 24th March, WFT's Roger Newman will be delivering a talk for @charlburywildlife about butterflies.

He'll be exploring the increase in numbers seen in 2025 after a very poor 2024, and the need to know more about the patterns of occurrence over years to understand the health of different species.

Roger works with @savebutterflies and the Wychwood Forest Trust, facilitating teams of citizen scientists who are key in collecting data.

The talk will take place at the Friends Meeting House, 7.30 - 9pm. Everyone is welcome. The talk is free to members (membership £12.50 annually) and those under 18. A contribution of £5 is invited from anyone else to help fund CWS wildlife initiatives.

If you'd like to know more about the schedule of talks and the important work that Charlbury Wildlife Society support, please contact charlburywildlifesociety@gmail.com for details.

Pictured: the rare black hairstreak butterfly photographed last year by one of our volunteers, Ellie Reid, at Wigwell nature reserve in Charlbury.

On 24th March, WFT's Roger Newman will be delivering a talk for @charlburywildlife about butterflies.

He'll be exploring the increase in numbers seen in 2025 after a very poor 2024, and the need to know more about the patterns of occurrence over years to understand the health of different species.

Roger works with @savebutterflies and the Wychwood Forest Trust, facilitating teams of citizen scientists who are key in collecting data.

The talk will take place at the Friends Meeting House, 7.30 - 9pm. Everyone is welcome. The talk is free to members (membership £12.50 annually) and those under 18. A contribution of £5 is invited from anyone else to help fund CWS wildlife initiatives.

If you'd like to know more about the schedule of talks and the important work that Charlbury Wildlife Society support, please contact charlburywildlifesociety@gmail.com for details.

Pictured: the rare black hairstreak butterfly photographed last year by one of our volunteers, Ellie Reid, at Wigwell nature reserve in Charlbury.

Our beautiful new benches have arrived at Foxburrow Wood.

They were made by the incredible chainsaw artist Matt Crabb at @titan_elysian and delivered by the wonderfully patient Troy!

Thank you both so much - they are spectacular, even better than we could have imagined! They will bring years of pleasure, as well as somewhere comfy to sit for all our visitors to the nature reserve.

Our beautiful new benches have arrived at Foxburrow Wood.

They were made by the incredible chainsaw artist Matt Crabb at @titan_elysian and delivered by the wonderfully patient Troy!

Thank you both so much - they are spectacular, even better than we could have imagined! They will bring years of pleasure, as well as somewhere comfy to sit for all our visitors to the nature reserve.

Our brilliant volunteer walling group have been battling the elements over the last month to restore a collapsed dry stone wall for Hailey Parish Council in Poffley End.

Thanks to some long-awaited sunshine, they finally got it finished! They've done a brilliant job.

The wall marks a boundary for the Allotment for the Labouring Poor, a charity that provides local parishioners with allotments for cultivation of fruit and vegetables and grazing paddocks for local recreational livestock.

The next project will be to rebuild a wall at the boundary of Barnes Meadow, part of Langel Common owned by West Oxfordshire District Council.

We are always on the lookout for future projects within our Wychwood Parishes, and happy to discuss wall construction or restoration projects with local communities, so do get in touch.

info@wychwoodforesttrust.co.uk

Our brilliant volunteer walling group have been battling the elements over the last month to restore a collapsed dry stone wall for Hailey Parish Council in Poffley End.

Thanks to some long-awaited sunshine, they finally got it finished! They've done a brilliant job.

The wall marks a boundary for the Allotment for the Labouring Poor, a charity that provides local parishioners with allotments for cultivation of fruit and vegetables and grazing paddocks for local recreational livestock.

The next project will be to rebuild a wall at the boundary of Barnes Meadow, part of Langel Common owned by West Oxfordshire District Council.

We are always on the lookout for future projects within our Wychwood Parishes, and happy to discuss wall construction or restoration projects with local communities, so do get in touch.

info@wychwoodforesttrust.co.uk

On February 28th, some of the WFT hedgelaying group took part in a new hedgelaying competition for novices held at Harcourt Arboretum.

The event was run by @cpre_oxfordshire (Campaign to Protect Rural England) in partnership with @wild_oxfordshire and @oxfordbga.

Huge congratulations to Clare Musson and Anne Lister who were placed second in the Beginners Pairs class - a fantastic achievement! We are really proud of them.

Meanwhile, the WFT hedgelaying group continue their work at Jubilee Way and Hailey churchyard.

Do drop Stuart Bridger a line if you'd like to get involved.

stuart.bridger@wychwoodforesttrust.co.uk

On February 28th, some of the WFT hedgelaying group took part in a new hedgelaying competition for novices held at Harcourt Arboretum.

The event was run by @cpre_oxfordshire (Campaign to Protect Rural England) in partnership with @wild_oxfordshire and @oxfordbga.

Huge congratulations to Clare Musson and Anne Lister who were placed second in the Beginners Pairs class - a fantastic achievement! We are really proud of them.

Meanwhile, the WFT hedgelaying group continue their work at Jubilee Way and Hailey churchyard.

Do drop Stuart Bridger a line if you'd like to get involved.

stuart.bridger@wychwoodforesttrust.co.uk

More than 35 people braved the drizzle to gather at Foxburrow last week, to remember Ken Betteridge, one of the driving forces behind the inception of the Wychwood Project.

His wife Brenda and daughter Lynn spoke very movingly about Ken's passion for the natural world, before planting a Wild Service tree in his memory, along with his granddaughters.

For those of you who were unable to be there, Lynn has kindly allowed us to share an extract from her speech:

"Perhaps the most powerful words to leave you with are his own. In his first will, written in 1989, he wrote:

Look after your very special habitat, Planet Earth, and follow that simple adage of leaving this Good Earth in a better condition than when you inherited it. This has been my philosophy since I was a young man… Now do your bit for the next generation.

This tree is our way of honouring that philosophy. It will stand as a living reminder of Ken’s belief in patience, persistence, and hope. It will grow in the landscape he loved, and it will carry forward the spirit of everything he worked for — community, conservation, and the beauty of the natural world."

More than 35 people braved the drizzle to gather at Foxburrow last week, to remember Ken Betteridge, one of the driving forces behind the inception of the Wychwood Project.

His wife Brenda and daughter Lynn spoke very movingly about Ken's passion for the natural world, before planting a Wild Service tree in his memory, along with his granddaughters.

For those of you who were unable to be there, Lynn has kindly allowed us to share an extract from her speech:

"Perhaps the most powerful words to leave you with are his own. In his first will, written in 1989, he wrote:

Look after your very special habitat, Planet Earth, and follow that simple adage of leaving this Good Earth in a better condition than when you inherited it. This has been my philosophy since I was a young man… Now do your bit for the next generation.

This tree is our way of honouring that philosophy. It will stand as a living reminder of Ken’s belief in patience, persistence, and hope. It will grow in the landscape he loved, and it will carry forward the spirit of everything he worked for — community, conservation, and the beauty of the natural world."

On 2pm on Friday 20th February, we are holding a memorial gathering and tree planting for Ken Betteridge at Foxburrow Wood.

Ken, who sadly passed away last year, was a founding member of The Friends of Wychwood, organising the Forest Fair and supporting the Wychwood Project (as WFT was formerly known) for many many years.

Ken’s name was familiar to generations of Oxfordshire natural historians, and WFT owes him a huge debt of gratitude.

If you'd like to join us and his family for the gathering at Foxburrow - to which everyone is warmly invited - do please RSVP to info@wychwoodforesttrust.co.uk so we can manage numbers and parking.

On 2pm on Friday 20th February, we are holding a memorial gathering and tree planting for Ken Betteridge at Foxburrow Wood.

Ken, who sadly passed away last year, was a founding member of The Friends of Wychwood, organising the Forest Fair and supporting the Wychwood Project (as WFT was formerly known) for many many years.

Ken’s name was familiar to generations of Oxfordshire natural historians, and WFT owes him a huge debt of gratitude.

If you'd like to join us and his family for the gathering at Foxburrow - to which everyone is warmly invited - do please RSVP to info@wychwoodforesttrust.co.uk so we can manage numbers and parking.

The January newsletter is out.

There are updates from our walling and hedgelaying groups; notice of a memorial tree planting ceremony for Ken Betteridge; and news from WFT partner organisations like Evenlode Catchment Partnership, Charlbury Wildlife Society and Bridewell Gardens.

If you'd like to sign up to receive monthly updates, head to our website to subscribe. https://www.wychwoodforesttrust.co.uk

The January newsletter is out.

There are updates from our walling and hedgelaying groups; notice of a memorial tree planting ceremony for Ken Betteridge; and news from WFT partner organisations like Evenlode Catchment Partnership, Charlbury Wildlife Society and Bridewell Gardens.

If you'd like to sign up to receive monthly updates, head to our website to subscribe. https://www.wychwoodforesttrust.co.uk

The WFT walling team have done an amazing job on the entrance wall at Foxburrow. They've been patiently working away at it over the last couple of years and it is finally complete, and looking fantastic!

Huge thanks to Roger, Sheena, Trevor, Godfrey, Dave, Pete, and the other volunteers for all their hard work.

The WFT walling team have done an amazing job on the entrance wall at Foxburrow. They've been patiently working away at it over the last couple of years and it is finally complete, and looking fantastic!

Huge thanks to Roger, Sheena, Trevor, Godfrey, Dave, Pete, and the other volunteers for all their hard work.

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© Wychwood Forest Trust / info@wychwoodforesttrust.co.uk

Wychwood Forest Trust, Woodgreen, New Yatt Road, Witney, OX28 1NB / Registered charity no. 1084259

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