Use these pages to learn more about Manor Road Community Woodland, and the improvements we are currently considering for this valuable local green space. This consultation gives you an opportunity to have your say on which improvement schemes will offer the most value to local people, the woodland itself, and the plants and animals within it.
The history of Manor Road Community Woodland
Manor Road Community Woodland lies on the eastern edge of Keynsham and close to the village of Saltford. This area forms part of an important green gap between the two communities, and has been designated as a Local Nature Reserve, on Green Belt land.
Over 19,000 trees and shrubs have been planted on the 21-hectare site since 1993, with grant aid from the Forestry Commission. Most of these are native broadleaves, such as oak, ash and birch, and reflect some of the species already found in the area. There is also a wildflower meadow (planted in 2005) and a pond, which both provide feeding and breeding sites for local wildlife.
A number of agencies and organisations have helped to finance maintenance and improvement work in the woodland, including our own (B&NES Council) funding, the Countryside Agency, Forest of Avon, Avon Valley Partnership, Keynsham Town Council and The Woodland Trust.
We have already used some of this funding, together with generous private donations, to complete the following work in the woodland:
- Small-scale improvements to help people access the woodland more easily
- Wildlife and landscape conservation work
The status of the woodland
As your local council, we own the Community Woodland, and we manage its upkeep through our Planning Services Team. The woodland lies within the Forest of Avon area, and is part of an ambitious plan to create a greener and healthier environment for the future, by recovering and revitalising green covering in our region.
The Forest of Avon Plan identifies Manor Road Community Woodland as one of several ‘gateways’ to the wider Forest across our region. This means that we recognise the potential of this area to encourage greater local use of, and connection to, the woodland environment. We hope to achieve this through better information about the woodland habitat and improved access to the area for everyone who would like to use it - for leisure, exercise, learning and fun.
Uses and community involvement
The Community Woodland is very popular with dog walkers, runners and families who are looking to spend time outdoors in nature. It attracts both local people and visitors. There are woodland, meadow and water environments to enjoy, and the site offers spectacular views over to the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, in particular Kelston Round Hill. Heritage features within the woodland include traditional dry stone walls, and the site is a haven for wildlife, such as birds and insects, foxes, badgers and amphibians, as well as a broad range of native trees, shrubs and wildflowers.
For over 20 years, the Friends of Manor Road Community Woodland have been actively involved in maintaining the woodland. This team of local volunteers hold regular events to publicise the importance of the woodland, and do practical work to increase its value as a space for nature, for both local people and visitors to enjoy. We will be listening carefully to the input of this committed group of local people, when deciding how we should improve the woodland area. We also want to use this consultation process to publicise the work they do, and encourage more people to join them.