£3,000 grant for Buckingham conservation volunteers

A group of conservation volunteers in Buckingham have received a £3,000 grant from the Heart of Bucks Community Foundation.

The Railway Walk Conservation Group is dedicated to maintaining a wildlife corridor along the old train line, discontinued in the 1960s, at the western end of Buckingham.

The mile-long route has been carefully restored and conserved by the group, creating a series nature-friendly ponds and additional habitats for insects, reptiles, small mammals, bats, butterflies, moths, and birds, alongside glades, an orchard and raised bridges.

The group, which has been running since 2006, takes action to conserve local wildlife by caring for the green space, promotes wellbeing by encouraging others to enjoy the benefits of being close to nature and educates people about the biodiversity of the site.

The funding from Heart of Bucks will allow more people in Buckingham to reap the benefits of the group’s work and enjoy the improved outside spaces the project develops, or to learn new conservation skills as volunteers.

The group’s activities are co-ordinated by The Conservation Volunteers (formerly known as the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers), a charity founded in the 1950s that brings people together to create, improve and care for green spaces.

Volunteer co-ordinator Katherine Miskin said: “The trust are delighted to be working with the Buckingham Railway Walk Conservation Volunteers.

"This funding will allow us to support the group by leading more sessions, reaching more volunteers and training the volunteers in a range of practical conservation techniques.”

The group holds regular work parties on the first Saturday of each month. Previous activities have included thinning trees, fence repairs, glade cutting and clearing, nest and bat boxes and hedge maintenance.

On Saturday, November 5, the volunteers will be coppicing and removing rubbish from ponds, on December 3 they will be clearing fallen branches and cutting back overhangs, and on January 7 the group will be holding a Wassail event as well as pruning apple trees at Bertie’s Walk.

Other work coming up in the new year includes making bird feeders, step repairs and a small mammal survey

To find out more or to get involved with the project, contact [email protected]