Our ancient woodlands are one of the joys of living in Ruislip. Their timbers have contributed to many famous buildings in London. In modern times they have the distinction of being the very first Metropolitan National Nature Reserve, which ensures that they will be safeguarded for the enjoyment of our children, grandchildren and generations beyond.
NEW TREASURER SOUGHT FOR RUISLIP WOODS TRUST
After sixteen years as Honorary Treasurer of the Ruislip
Woods Trust, John Rayner has decided to retire in the near future.
The Trustees are looking for a successor to John, with a
view to there being an overlap before John retires. The role is not onerous, involves five or six
evening meetings a year and all expenses are paid.
If you wish to be considered please contact the Chairman of
the Trustees, David Duncan, on 01923 824 917 or
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Ruislip Woods constitutes the largest single area of woodland in Greater London. Over 175,000 visitors a year enjoy its 305 hectares and 21 miles of footpaths. In 1997 it became London’s First National Nature Reserve and in 2006 was awarded Green Flag and Green Heritage Status.
Ruislip Woods Festival 2013 Press Release:
This year’s Festival will be on Sunday May 12th (12noon until 4.30pm) on the Willow Lawn (next to the Waters Edge pub in Reservoir Road). The Festival is a free event designed to celebrate Woodland Life Past and Present. It is funded jointly by the London Borough of Hillingdon and The Ruislip Woods Trust. The Festival has been running since 1997 (missing one year due to Foot and Mouth) so this will be the 16th.
This year, for the first time, there will be heavy horses demonstrating how they used to work in woodlands. The Misor will be sawing tree trunks into planks. There will also be a chainsaw carver sculpting a swan out of a piece of Wood from Ruislip Woods.
The Festival will again be supported by a wide range of local societies on the day, Hillingdon and Ruislip Natural History Societies, West of London Astronomical Society, Friends of the Colne Valley (Bayhurst Woods is within the Colne Valley) and many more. They all provide interesting displays or interactive activities.The Morris Dancers will be performing again, back by popular demand. (For the last few years they have squeezed themselves into the little train and performed over on the lido beach as well. Quite a sight, 15 Morris Men and Women filling the carriages! )
Other attractions will be; the woodland craftsmen such as pole lathe turners and basket makers and spoon carvers, a falconer and ferret races and there will be plenty for the children such as making corn dollies or a close encounter with a toad.
If you would like to know more about the Woods there are several opportunities for joining in guided walks during the afternoon or indeed arriving at the Festival via a guided walk from Eastcote House Gardens.
Please see www.ruislipwoodstrust.org.uk for further information
Background:The Ruislip Woods Trust was established in 1997 as a charity. Its aims are to protect the ecological environment of Ruislip
Woods and to encourage greater access by the public through education, monitoring and surveying. It was set up by the five local Residents Associations which surround the woods, these are Eastcote, Harefield, Northwood, Northwood Hills and Ruislip. It is registered with the Charity Commissioners and maintains full accounts.
The Trust management committee includes recognised experts in nature conservation and interpretation. The Trust identifies projects, obtains funding for proposed schemes and then commissions the work, much along the principles of a Groundwork Trust. The Trust does not manage the woods on a practical level, which is done by Hillingdon Council, but we do work closely with them, adding another facet to the marvelous job that they do caring for the Woods. For instance, since we are a charity we can apply for grants that the Council would be excluded from and we are dedicated to informing and educating the public about the Woods.
Poor's Field gains London in Bloom Gold Award and is voted
London's Common of the Year
Poor's Field (Ruislip Common) has been awarded the Britain in Bloom Gold Award, the top award in the competition;
our management of the common has also resulted in the award of London Common of the year.
The London Borough of Hillingdon received nine 'London in Bloom' awards including 3 gold for sites across the borough.
RHS Britain in Bloom, is the largest horticultural campaign in the United Kingdom. It was first held in 1963, initiated by the British Tourist Board based on the example set by Fleurissement de France. It has been organised by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) since 2002.
The competition is assessed for their achievements in three core pillars: Horticultural Excellence; Environmental Responsibility; and Community Participation.
Over 1,000 communities around the UK enter each year, participating in their local region's "in Bloom" campaign. From these regional competitions, roughly 70 communities are selected to enter the national Finals of RHS Britain in Bloom. The London Borough of Hillingdon was London's entry in the Large City category and achieved a Silver-Gilt award.
It is a popular campaign, estimated to involve more than 200,000 volunteers in cleaning up and greening up their local area.
Since 2002, the awards have been based on the Royal Horticultural Society's medal standards of Gold, Silver Gilt, Silver and Bronze; the winner is the entry judged to have most successfully met the rigorous judging criteria. Judging at the regional stage takes place around June/ July; judging for the national stage takes place in August.
Floral displays play an important part in the contest, but the "Bloom" title is now, perhaps, misleading: in recent years the competition has increasingly assessed how all sectors of the local community are managing their local environment.
Each year in October/November London in Bloom is able to nominate entries into the Britain in Bloom finals for the following year.
Entries are selected from regional category winners or those who in the opinion of the Capaign Manager and Trustees can sustain ther entry at a high standard for a further year. Entries are drawn from Large City, City, Town, Village
or Urban Communities. Britain in Bloom judging takes place in August each year. Britain in Bloom finalist will also be expected to participate in London in Bloom in the same year.
Entry into Britain in Bloom can only be gained through a nomination from the regional campaign.
London's 2012
Finalists achieved;
London Borough of Hillingdon
Silver Gilt
Westminster City Council in association with Continental Landscape Ltd. – Silver Gilt
London Bridge (Business Improvement District) – Silver
The purpose of the Ruislip Woods Trust is to develop the educational, monitoring and survey aspects of Ruislip Woods and it set up the Friends of Ruislip Woods to involve local people in its work. The work of the Trust is designed to ensure that we know about the Woods, understand what changes are occurring (natural and man made) and provide accurate information to preserve the quality of the habitat. Without this information we will not know when damaging activities are happening, until it is too late. Currently there are 175,000 visitors a year to Ruislip Woods and with expected increases in that number, we must monitor carefully the effects of erosion. A number of rapidly spreading invasive species are starting to occur in the Woods, but without pinpointing their locations no-one knows their true extent.
In 1997 the five local Residents' Associations (Eastcote, Harefield, Northwood, Northwood Hills and Ruislip) set up a Charitable Trust for educational, monitoring and survey purposes, and to enhance the value to the community of the Ruislip Woods National Nature Reserve. It is registered with the Charity Commissioners and maintains full accounts.
