Land
May 21st, 2007 by Administrator
In October 2005 USRA acquired 12 acres of land from David Wilson for just £1. This land is beside the Village Hall and behind the Bowls club. There are a lot of restrictions and covenants that come with owning this land and it is up to each of us residents of Upper Saxondale to see that we look after this land and therefore keep it from falling back into the hands of developers.
With this in mind in November 2005 the USRA land group formed from local residents keen to see this land put to good use for the community.
In May 2006 Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust produced nature reserve plan for the land and it was presented at the USRA AGM and extra land committee meeting in July 2006.
This plan has three main elements:
• woodland (part of large area);
• wildflower meadow (part of large area + all of smaller area);
• all-weather path around large area.
In August 2006 USRA land committee collaborated with Stourton Estates who helped us to apply for a Woodland Creation Grant to the Forestry Commission’s English Woodland Grant Scheme.
In October 2006 the Woodland Creation Grant was awarded, providing for: initial planting of 3,000 trees (with volunteer residents to fit all the tree guards), and the maintenance/replacement of losses for 3 years, under a 5-year contract: value £8,764
In December 2006 an application was submitted to Breathing Places Grants Programme (Big Lottery Fund/BBC) for £10,000 for wildflower meadow and all-weather path development through the newly planted trees, supported by Nottinghamshire Rural Community Council.
The name ‘Upper Saxondale Community Nature Reserve’ was put to the whole project.
On the 24 February 2007 local residents fitted 3,000 tree guards in just 2 hours!! Thanks to all of those who turned out on this day to support us.
We heard in May 2007 that we have been awarded the full £10,000 grant from Breathing Places! So we are now looking at putting plans into place to move forward with this grant to plant the Wildflower meadow and build the path through the newly planted trees. We really cannot do this with out the support from local residents so if you would like to get involved with the development and up keep of this land please email: isyourland2@yahoo.co.uk