Witchford Open Spaces Group

Witchford Open Spaces Group Witchford OSG is an independent community-based organisation for conservation and recreation. We’ve been active in the village since our formation in 1989.

Witchford Open Spaces Group (OSG) is an independent community-based organisation consisting of volunteers actively working for conservation and people’s enjoyment of the countryside. The group works closely with individuals, other village groups, and Witchford Parish Council. What we do:
One of our aims is to encourage people to venture out into the countryside and enjoy the experience. We lead gu

ided walks, and are currently updating the leaflet of Witchford Walks with new maps and texts. We carry out maintenance activities throughout the year at Sandpit Drove, where we established the wildflower meadow in 2011, the Millennium Wood, The Old Recreation Ground and Community Orchard, and Edna’s Wood and Fairchild Wood. OSG volunteers have been planting trees in Witchford since 1992 and since then have planted a total of over 600 m of native hedging in the village, and hundreds of trees. Joining in:
If you would like to participate in Witchford Open Spaces Group activities, we welcome volunteers, young to not-so-young, at any time. Why not join us and make your contribution to Witchford’s biodiversity as well as enjoying the company of like-minded people? For more information about the Open Spaces Group and volunteering contact Richard Braund on 01353 665222 (e-mail [email protected]). The monthly updates from the Witchford Open Spaces Group can be read here and on Witchford Residence discussion group.

Open spaces update: Edna’s Wood In June Open Spaces Group volunteers collected wood chippings and took them to Edna’s W...
28/07/2026

Open spaces update:

Edna’s Wood

In June Open Spaces Group volunteers collected wood chippings and took them to Edna’s Wood where they were spread on the permissive path to reinforce the work done in May. More of the unwanted carpet squares were removed from tree bases, and taken out of the Wood for disposal. The bushes overhanging the path were trimmed back – it’s planned to carry out substantial coppicing along the path during the winter to let more light in.

Sandpit Drove

Wild flower meadow maintenance (cutting of mainly dock, hogweed and nettle plants and seed heads) has continued through June into July, while the meadow has been at its best. As the ox-eye daisies have finished, the meadow has been dominated by the purple of common knapweed and tufted vetch. However, the yellow of common birds-foot trefoil and lady’s bedstraw and the white of umbellifers yarrow and wild carrot are also evident. A relatively new entrant, meadow cranesbill, with its showy purple flowers continues to spread, and we have seen the return of the yellow spikes of agrimony, which disappeared for a few years.

Butterfly Walk

The July butterfly walk was again very successful despite the lower temperatures and a lively northern breeze on the day. Gatekeepers were by far the most numerous, with 65 individuals identified out of a total count of 140 individuals and 14 species. Next were meadow browns (18) and common blues (17). A speckled wood and a large white female were caught on camera.

The walks will continue in August – please contact Richard Braund if you would like to join us.

Tree Watering

Volunteers have been working hard through the hot, dry weather watering vulnerable trees, mostly those planted during the last winter season. Unfortunately it’s been a losing battle in some cases and trees have succumbed. Please do your bit to help save our trees. Our Tree Warden Jill has attached labels to many of the trees in need of water, so if you see one, please give the tree a few litres of water every few days – thanks!

Witchford Open Spaces Group volunteers maintain and improve sites throughout Witchford to encourage wildlife and for the enjoyment of the local community. We welcome new volunteers, young to not-so-young, at any time. Why not join us and make your contribution to Witchford’s biodiversity as well as enjoying the company of like-minded people? For more information about the Open Spaces Group and volunteering you can see us on the Witchford Parish Council website https://witchfordparishcouncil.gov.uk/open-spaces-group/ or contact Richard Braund on 665222 (e-mail [email protected]).

Dear All,We'll be carrying out woodland and footpath maintenance in Edna's Wood on Sunday 21st June, meeting in the Comm...
12/06/2026

Dear All,

We'll be carrying out woodland and footpath maintenance in Edna's Wood on Sunday 21st June, meeting in the Community Orchard.

We'll be spreading wood chippings in the wood, and to collect the chippings we'll meet at the chippings stack along Bedwell Hey Lane on Saturday 20th June. We'll do just one load so this should not take long.

Start on both days at 10 am.

We hope you can join us. If you don't know the locations please let me know.

Richard

11/05/2026

Dear All,

This coming Friday 15th May the Ely Local Group of the Wildlife Trust will visit Witchford for a tour of some of the green spaces managed by the Open Spaces Group and other volunteers.

This may be of particular interest to those of you who have more recently become involved with volunteering and managing our green spaces - though all are welcome (no need to be a member of the Wildlife Trust although the Trust would be pleased if you decided to join).

We'll meet at the Common at 7 pm and walk to the Millennium Wood, Fairchild Wood, Kevin's Place (by courtesy of Dianne Field) where we shall try to view some reptiles, the Community Orchard, Edna's Wood, Sandpit Drove and back to the Common. It will probably take at least 1½ hours.

Richard

Dear All,After the long period of dry weather, we're counting on getting wood chips into the Old Rec Community Orchard...
06/05/2026

Dear All,

After the long period of dry weather, we're counting on getting wood chips into the Old Rec Community Orchard to place on Footpath 1 in Kevin's Place and on the Permissive Path in the adjacent Edna's Wood.

The collection date will be Sunday 3rd May, meeting at 10 am at the woodchip pile off Bedwell Hey Lane. The weather forecast is not great for Sunday, but most of the rain (hopefully) will be in the early hours. We'll load up the woodchips and take them to the Community Orchard and leave them there to be spread on the paths.

We'll spread the chippings on Sunday 10th May, meeting at 10 am in the Community Orchard by the picnic table.

Apologies for the short notice, especially for this coming Sunday, but I've only just been able to secure the source of wood chippings.

We hope you will join us for either session (or both?). If you're not sure of the locations please let me know.

Richard

*Open Spaces Group Update April 2026Sandpit Drove*In March our Open Spaces Group volunteers tended to the 20 assorted na...
27/04/2026

*Open Spaces Group Update April 2026
Sandpit Drove*

In March our Open Spaces Group volunteers tended to the 20 assorted native shrubs planted in 2018 between the pond and the meadow in Sandpit Drove by removing the old tree guards and stakes. They had served their purpose and were impeding the growth of the shrubs.
A pair of moorhens has returned to the Sandpit Drove pond, we hope so they may breed there as they and their predecessors have for several years now. Volunteers placed a sign at the pond to remind dog owners not to allow their pets to enter the pond, and avoid disturbing the moorhens and other wildlife especially at breeding time. We also cut back some of the vegetation around the pond and at the silver birch tree planted to mark the Brownie centenary.
Notices were placed to ask the public to stay on the footpath whilst walking through the adjacent wild flower meadow. These have since been the focus of vandals; one has been damaged and repaired but the other has been removed (photo) and will be replaced. The cowslips in the meadow were already flowering during March, and in April are in profusion.

*Community Orchard*
OSG volunteers have pruned 42 hard fruit trees in the Community Orchard, mostly apple and pear trees, but including one quince tree. This is not pruning to professional standards to maximise fruit production! It is to keep the trees more compact, and mainly to avoid congestion and maintain an open crown to keep the tree healthy.
We attached a further 15 engraved labels, now totalling 71. The only fruit trees not now labelled in this way are the most recents plantings. We also reinforced tree guards to protect the trees against damage by mammals such as deer and hares, a very real threat even when the trees are ten or more years old.

*Field End Hedge*
The 47m-long hedge planted along the road verge by OSG volunteers in 2023 was cut during March. The volunteers also removed weed-suppressing membrane placed at the time of planting, no longer required as the hedge is now sufficiently mature.

*Edna’s Wood*
OSG volunteers cut the 135m-long boundary hedge of Edna’s Wood in March, and removed from the wood the carpet squares previously taken up from around the trees.

Witchford Open Spaces Group volunteers maintain and improve sites throughout Witchford to encourage wildlife and for the enjoyment of the local community. We welcome new volunteers, young to not-so-young, at any time. Why not join us and make your contribution to Witchford’s biodiversity as well as enjoying the company of like-minded people? For more information about the Open Spaces Group and volunteering you can see us on the Witchford Parish Council website https://witchfordparishcouncil.gov.uk/open-spaces-group/ or contact Richard Braund on 665222 (e-mail [email protected]).

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Witchford
Ely
CB6

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