Three people working tidying bushes in a park
New countryside event guides now available
Test Valley Borough Council’s guides to events and activities taking place in Nature Reserves and open spaces across Test Valley in 2024 are now available to download.
Test Valley Borough Council’s guides to events and activities taking place in Nature Reserves and open spaces across Test Valley in 2024 are now available to download.
Events range from nature discovery days and bat walks, to opportunities to learn new skills by volunteering, to helping with the management of local nature reserves and wildlife sites. This includes coppicing, pond maintenance, vegetation control and more, to encourage everyone to get out and enjoy the great outdoors.
Two guides, one for the north part of the borough and a second for the south, have been compiled by Test Valley Borough Council with local groups including Tadburn Conservation Volunteers, Friends of the Parks, Wilder Romsey and The River Anton River Conservation Association (TARCA).
The north test valley area covers wildlife sites and nature reserves including Anton Lakes, Ladies Walk, Rooksbury Mill Nature Reserve, Harewood Common and Ox Drove Meadow. The south includes Valley Park Woodlands, Tadburn Meadows and Abbotswood Nature Reserves.
One volunteer, who came along to help with his wife in 2023, said: “We have both volunteered, to put something back into society. Volunteering is good for our physical and mental health, as it enables you to meet other people who become friends. There is no downside, only positives!”
Cllr Alison Johnston, Portfolio Holder the Climate Emergency and Countryside, said:
“We would like to thank everyone who has volunteered throughout 2023 to help maintain our parks and green spaces. One of the priorities of our four-year plan is the environment and at these events we work with local volunteers and groups to create a greener borough for our communities. Everyone is welcome to help, including families; it’s a great way to help take care of the place where you live.”
Both guides are available to download at: https://www.testvalley.gov.uk/communityandleisure/parksandgreenspaces/countryside-events. They'll also be posted on the noticeboards at each site.