Nature Reserves

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Barton Adventure Playground, Barton, OxfordshireStreet MapGoogle Map

Barton Adventure Playground
Managed by:Oxford City Council
OS grid reference:SP556 080
Nearest postcode:OX3 9LY
Usual work:Hedge planting

A new adventure playground is to be created through a scheme called Play Barton that aims to clean up and develop a site alongside Bayswater Brook to include a range or educational and community areas from a supervised adventure playground, to allotments and ecological areas. The site has views over the surrounding countryside to the North. The work is being carried out using a grant from the Department for Children Schools and Families and is due to open in Spring 2011.

Flora and Fauna

Much of the species at the site will be introduced to enhance the site. There are Kingfishers along the side of the stream, and there have been reported sighting of stoats.

Conservation Management

Planting native species alongside Bayswater Brook will increase the biodiversity and is aimed to attract wetland plant, animal and insect species. Creation of a pond and/or diversion of the brook should provide suitable habitats for water-loving species Both the ecological areas along the brook and an area of woodland will provide education through nature trails. Coppicing within the woodland area will enhance the biodiversity and maintain the habitat required by many native British woodland species. Native hedge will be planted around the site in order to provide a screen for local residents, which will have the added benefit of offering food and shelter for a wide variety of species.

Directions

There are numerous busses that go from Oxford to Barton, or it is a short walk from Headington. Barton is just off the Headington roundabout between London Road, the A40 and the A4120. Take the exit for Barton (Bayswater Road). An entrance for the site is on the left of Bayswater Road just after Stowford Road.