Village Green Status

Montefiore Woodland safeguarded as a community asset – Village Green status

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A woodland area in Ramsgate has been given Village Green Status. This means Montefiore Woodland is now protected against potential future development and will remain a green open space and woodland for local residents.

Councillors Michelle Fenner and Alan Poole for Sir Moses Montefiore Ward are delighted with the outcome.

They had organised the land transfer from Thanet District Council to Ramsgate Town Council negotiated funding for its maintenance and were instrumental in setting up the Friends of Montefiore Woodland (FMW) in 2011.

The councillors supported and provided funding to FMW and requested Ramsgate Town Council apply for Village Green status.

A statement from Councillors Michelle Fenner and Alan Poole thanked the Montefiore Action Project for donating their funds to FMW.

It added “We recognised the importance of this piece of woodland for Ramsgate and throughout the last few years we have delivered on protecting Montefiore Wood as a community asset for all to enjoy. We urge the public to look after it and help the Friends of Montefiore Woodland in any way they can.”

Future events include a work party collecting litter, chipping wood, removing ground ivy and clearing the area on Friday 11th April at 10am. There is a FMW committee meeting on Thursday 24th April at 7pm at Montefiore Medical Centre.

For more information visit www.montefiorewoodland.org.uk

Sapling planting

Woodland Work Parties (January – March, 2014) and Village Green status

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Over the winter all work parties have been able to take place despite the poor weather conditions removing fallen trees/boughs as a result of the challenging winter storms. Much has been achieved, especially with the thinning of the trees as had been advised, thus opening up the canopy and allowing more light to the woodland floor which will hopefully allow an opportunity to increase the diversity in plant life. At some stage we need to tackle to the prolific ground ivy…..

Last weekend volunteers were joined by the local Montessori Pre-school (Whitecliffs) and their supportive parents to plant the saplings (previously donated by the Woodland Trust). These had been nurtured over the winter on our behalf. The pre-school regularly use the woodland for Forest School activities and is an excellent opportunity to encourage a positive interest in nature and wildlife in the young.

Finally the Friends of Montefiore Woodland were delighted to learn from Ramsgate Town Council this week that it had been successful in its application to protect the Woodland from future development, by having the land registered as a Village Green.

As RTC state;

“The new Village Green status won’t affect the day to day work of the volunteers or Council, but in the long term whatever happens in the rest of Ramsgate there will still be a piece of woodland for residents and visitors to visit long into the future”.

Our next work party is scheduled for Friday 11th April from 10am – 4:30 pm (weather permitting) and we have been fortunate in obtaining the use of a chipper once again from Brandon Hire at a discounted rate.

We are most grateful to them for their support with this community woodland. The following week Wednesday 16th April we have a further work party planned as we are hoping to spread the resulting chippings along the pathways.

So if you are free for anytime during these hours we will be pleased to see you! (It may be useful to bring a spade and wheelbarrow along, too).