Epping Forest Conservation Project » News

Project 821 is full!

Mike — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 13:44:22 +0000

Due to unprecedented demand, the application process for Project 821 has temporarily closed – we are full up. We will be reviewing our set up, and seeing if we can squeeze a few more Explorers in, so applications may open again on th 1st March – watch this space!

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Dates for Project+ Announced

Mike — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 23:07:58 +0000

The dates for the next Project + have been announced as Friday 25th – Tuesday 29th June 2010. Find out more information or Apply now!

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Bulrush Pond

Mike — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 07:56:09 +0000

Past Events: Project 819: Bulrush Pond

Project 819: Other Sites

Bulrush Pond, also known as the Rising Sun Pond due to its proximity to the Rising Sun Bar in Walthamstow was our wetland reclamation task for Project 819. Our task was to remove the choking bulrushes and invading New Zealand weed and restore the pond to its former glory, where people used to go boating.

During 819 we removed a large amount of bulrushes and New Zealand weed, from the front of the pond and inwards towards the main road. There is still plenty to do at this site due to the pond’s enormous size, and may be revisited next year in Project 820.

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Epping Forest Field Centre

Mike — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 07:27:14 +0000

Past Events: Project 819: Epping Forest Field Centre

Project 819: Other Sites

The Epping Forest Field Centre is located in High Beech and is owned by the Field Studies Council. Our task here was to create a wheelchair accessible path for access in to the forest from the centre. Currently staff have to carry wheelchair users up and down a small flight of steps. During Project 819, we cleared the route for the path, dug and slatted the rocky earth, allowing a 1.4m wide path to be created from hardcore on top of a membrane and topped with fines.

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Long Running

Mike — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 07:20:21 +0000

We last visited Long Running during Project 813 (August 2002) and again this year we helped return this area of natural heathland by removing the silver birch which is forming secondary woodland. During the week we removed a number of silver birch trees, helping to preserve this endangered habitat which is so important for reptiles.

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Warren Hill

Mike — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 07:09:51 +0000

Warren Hill is a site that over the years has become overgrown with Sycamore trees. There are clusters of these trees all over the site and they are out competing some of the native trees in the Forest in particular, the Oak and Hawthorn trees. During 819 we contributed to an on going project (this is our fourth year at this site) in reducing the numbers of Sycamore trees present. An area was allocated to the groups to do some small tree felling using Bow saws and Loppers.

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Project 818 photos in Scouting Mag

Mike — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 23:11:00 +0000

Photos from Project 818 (August 2008) were used in the April/May edition of Scouting Magazine to illustrate the adventures that Kirstie, a first time project participant last year, has had as an Explorer Scout. The whole interview can be read online here.

Recently Kirstie wrote about her experiences last year on Escouts – a popular Scouting Forum. Here is an extract of what she had to say:

“I went to Project last year, initially to just get my Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award residential done. But once I was there I realised that it was an annual event and also that it was going to be much more fun that I thought it might be. We had 4 different projects, one for each day with a fun day to Thorpe Park in the middle. Each project was different and was a challenge, but they were all great fun because we all worked as a team and had such a laugh. Especially on the pond project, where once everyone got past the initial problem of mud and dirty water we all got stuck in and ended up very muddy in the end. But the hard work paid off when at the end of the week we got to see how the project we started had ended up.

It was amazing how much a place can change over 4 days of hard work by a group of Explorer Scouts. It really made me want to do it again and gave me a great sense of achievement because I can go to those places and say, ” I helped change that into what it is now!” It was a great way to finish the summer holidays, I have never slept well on camp, I think I ended falling asleep most afternoons and very early each night, just from working so hard. But the week is not just about the hard work on the projects we also get to have a laugh and play games back at the site. We learnt to work as a team and got to know each other very well which created lasting friendships.I would strongly recommend this week, it is great value for money and you cannot put a price on the sense of achievement you get from the end of it and the friends you make for life! I am definitely going to go back at some point! It was one of the best weeks of my life!So don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity.”

You can read the whole Escouts thread at www.escouts.org.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=6826

Click picture to enlarge

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Letter from a Satisified Customer

Mike — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 23:23:42 +0000

The following letter was sent in to Scouting Magazine by ‘another happy customer’ and was published in the February/March 2008 edition, which can also be read online here.

Click picture to enlarge

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Furze Ground

Mike — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 12:03:56 +0000

Past Events: Project 818: Furze Ground

Project 818: Other Sites

Furze Ground was an area of the forest that was overgrown with young trees mainly, Silver Birch and Willow, which were encroaching on an existing open area of grass and heath. The Heather present here is of great importance as it is a habitat which is very limited in Epping Forest, but in order for it to spread on this site successfully it requires plenty of open ground with few competitors for light and space from other species.

During 818 we removed young tress to halt this encroachment, and to create a clear path from the East of the slope where the Heather is located, down to the stream on the South side.

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Swaines Green

Mike — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 12:02:24 +0000

Past Events: Project 818: Swaines Green

Project 818: Other Sites

Swaines Green is an area of woodland surrounding two schools and a recreation ground, which was recently purchased by the City of London to act as a buffer zone around Epping Forest. Our task week was to improve an access path running through the site, which floods during the wetter Winter months as it is located at a natural flush zone.

During the week we assisted Country Care and The City of London in improving access for the site by digging out an overgrown stream, which contributed to the flooding. Over this we built a boardwalk, which also acted as a bridge over the newly improved stream.

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