Oxford Urban Wildlife Group - who we are
Oxford Urban Wildlife Group was started in 1988 and has played a significant role in attracting and conserving wildlife in Oxford.
Some of the achievements include converting disused allotments in East Oxford into a Nature Park, which was launched in 1990 and the following year won a coveted OSCA award. Other awards followed, and the award-winning project provides opportunities for practical conservation work, provides an open space to school groups, leisure groups and many local people who drop in on open days. From the beginning, OUWG held walks and talks on a wide variety of topics and later produced a booklet: ‘Discovering Oxford’s Green Places’.
Each summer the group surveys Oxford’s green areas in order to monitor and record areas of special interest to ensure that future development would not be detrimental to wildlife. OUWG has been able to put the information to good use in supporting the case for not developing the Trap Grounds, or building a golf course at Horspath, and also intervened to stop the felling of trees along the A40.
Our objectives
With the increasing pressure on our countryside, urban areas are becoming important havens for wildlife. In cities and towns all over the country people are now becoming aware of the wildlife to be found on their doorstep. As part of this new awareness, Oxford Urban Wildlife Group was set up to:
- Help local people discover the city's wildlife and wild places.
- Help to encourage more wildlife into the city.
- Provide newsletters to tell local people what is going on.
- Hold walks and talks, practical tasks and surveys.
- Give you practical help and advice.