Minutes of Meeting 2021
Further to our Annual General Meeting on, which was held on Sunday, 21st February 2021, please find the link to the Meeting Minutes. Thank you to all those who were able to attend.
The Minutes also give the details of the Committee positions. There are a few vacancies, so if you would like to join, please contact us at info@friendsoffoxhill.org.
For reference, the Committee reports can be found using this link – FOFH AGM Presentation.
We look forward to seeing you during the year on one of our activities.
Notices
NOTICE FOR CONSERVATION VOLUNTEERS 
As a reminder, please note that the FOFH Conservation Working Party planned for Sunday 14th February has been postponed. Our sessions will resume once Government guidelines relating to the current lockdown are lifted.
NOTICE FOR MEMBERS A reminder that our AGM will be held on 21st February 2021, as notified by email on 24th January. A Zoom link will be sent by email prior to the meeting. Any questions to be addressed at the AGM can be sent to secretary@friendsoffoxhill.org by 12th February 2021. Please note there have been no nominations contesting any of the positions for the Committee, whether new or existing applicants, therefore a vote is not required. Results will be given at the AGM.
Annual General Meeting
21 February 2021 at 15:00
Further to our post on Facebook on 16th January 2021, we are pleased to announce that the Friends of Fox Hill AGM will be held on 21st February 2021 at 15:00 via Zoom for our members.
Our presentation is available for everyone to read and can be found using this link – FOFH AGM Presentation.
Features Map
We have put together a map showing some features of Fox Hill along the paths within the woods. Although the map is not to scale, it should give a good indication of where these features are. Some are already known, such as the “Snogging Logging” and the “Rhododendron Walk”, but for those of you who are relatively new to the woods, the map will help find them. It will also be a great way of spending walks in the woods with youngsters trying to find the features.
The map can be downloaded to your phone as your guide.
Conservation Working Party Report – December
Thank you to everyone who came along to join our Conservation Working Party on 13th December 2020. The weather was much kinder than predicted and a great deal was achieved.
We were recently given permission from WBC to work in two areas of the woodland and this is thanks to the support of a professional arboriculturist, who is acting as our agent and giving professional advice. We are also incredibly lucky to have the help of Steve Loyd, who has manged Ruscombe woods for many years. Steve is very knowledgeable about the use of traditional hand tools and managing native woodland for the benefit of nature.
We began our session with a quick introduction, confirming that everyone was aware of the risk assessments, and had submitted emergency contact details. Some tool instruction was given, and we then dispersed to different sections of the area to be worked.
One group tackled the Rhododendron, and a good section was reduced to ground level. This non-native invasive species blocks light, and our long-term aim is to increase the range of habitats and biodiversity in the woodland. The best option for removing Rhododendron is to burn it or use a chemical plant killer. Neither of these options were open to us, so it was decided to use the brash in our dead hedges. Dead hedges create natural barriers to protect areas from too much footfall and provide a valuable habitat for invertebrates and small mammals.
A second group edged pathways by pegging in the logs to reduce the risk of rolling, and a third group constructed the framework for the hedge. At 11.30 we stopped for a break, and to review the progress made, after which it was all hands on deck to move the brash and trunks of Rhododendron to the dead hedge area. Other tasks included planting native bluebells and moving dead wood where it was restricting the growth of living trees. Most of the dead wood was left in place as it provides another valuable habitat.
The area we are trying to protect Rhododendron before cutting Beginning work on the Rhododendron Tim working on the Rhododendron Working on the Rhododendron Result of clearing the Rhododendron Pathway before edging Pathway with edging pegged in Family bubble work together to put in posts Family bubble using the post rammer Filling the dead hedge with Rhododendron brash The completed hedge Planting native bluebells
Successful litter pick
A successful hour of litter picking took place on 27th September 2020, organised by Liz and Steph. The two groups of 6 and 4 ensured compliance with the Covid-19 regulations. We all had our instructions given at the beginning of the event, ensuring social distancing was maintained. A majority of the rubbish found, such as drinks bottles, food packets, and broken glass, was by some bike jumps. We also found a sign on which someone had written a polite notice regarding litter.
Litter Pick – 27 Sept 2020
Come and join us on Sunday, 27th September at 10:30 am. Meet at the Dorset Way entrance to Fox Hill woods opposite Heron park. Families are welcome.
- Wear strong shoes
- Bring gloves, refreshments, and hand sanitisers
- We will provide the litter picking equipment
Due to current Government regulations please RSVP with numbers attending to
events@friendsoffoxhill.org
Conservation Working Party – Update
Friends of Fox Hill are hoping to continue their conservation work in the woodland this Autumn. We are currently working with a professional aboriculturist to ensure that any work we carry out will enhance the biodiversity of the woodland. The work will also comply with the Tree Preservation Orders which cover the area. Meeting again will be dependent on government health guidelines.
Conservation Working Parties – A Statement
Since September, monthly conservation activities have taken place in the woods with permission from the Localities Team at Wokingham Borough Council (WBC). This was under the supervision of experienced conservationists. Our sessions were fully insured, risk assessed, and very well attended by local residents.
In January, the WBC Planning Team advised us that before we could carry out any more work, we would need to make a formal application under the blanket Tree Protection Order (TPO) (20/1973) that covers this part of the woodland. We are currently in contact with a professional arboriculturist who has offered to assist us with this application. Unfortunately, the process is likely to be lengthy, but we are hoping to resume our monthly working parties in the autumn.
In the meantime, we are hoping to hold a session in March to remove some of the Rhododendron, which is an invasive species, and not covered under this particular TPO. This is dependent on obtaining the relevant permission from WBC.
We would like to thank everyone, who has participated in the conversation activities, for their support. We believe that community conservation activities are truly important, both for the maintenance of our beautiful woodland environment, its biodiversity, and for the promotion of enjoyment of natural green space by local people.
Note:Â The next Conservation Working Party due on 15th March 2020 is cancelled.
Draft Local Plan
You will probably have recently received a document from the council entitled “Right Homes, Right Places“. The document is seeking residents’ views on the Draft Local Plan that has recently been published. Fox Hill is explicitly mentioned in the draft plan, with the council minded to allocate it as green space.
The Friends of Fox Hill have produced some guidance notes to assist residents in responding to the Local Plan Survey and why it is so important that you respond. We hope you find these useful. The full Draft Local Plan is a huge document, so in our guidance we’ve taken the time to highlight areas relating to Fox Hill and the wider natural environment.
Please do take a few minutes to read the guidance notes and complete the survey!
The survey closes on Friday 20th March.