Southway Valley is located in the north of Plymouth. It's a good sized green space covering 17 hectares (that's about 17 full-sized football pitches) where you can enjoy walking and playing as well as exploring nature. There's even a miniature steam railway!
Southway Valley has some beautiful woodland to stroll through. A babbling brook follows a course into Tamerton Creek, part of the Tamar Estuary. It's a designated Local Nature Reserve and home to a variety of wildlife.
Stepping Stones to Nature have worked with local residents, pupils from Beechwood and Oakwood Primary schools and the Southway Drive Allotments Association to plant a community orchard in the reserve. Southway Valley also has a new community orchard, planted and cared for by local residents and groups. The trees are old West Country varieties and will hopefully supply us with plenty of apples in years to come!
Why not take the family for a walk through the woods starting at the miniature railway and picnic area down to the meadow and play area at Frontfield Cresent? It's about a 2km walk.
https://www.plymouth.gov.uk/parksnatureandgreenspace/localnaturereserves/southwayvalleylnr
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Radford Woods covers 38 hectares (that's around 38 full-sized football pitches). It's located in the south-east of Plymouth and is a place where you can relax, walk, play and explore nature. The site is owned and managed by us and comprises meadows, woodlands and marshland which drain into the River Plym at Hooe Lake. The site is made up of a collection of areas including Jennyscombe Wood, Barn Wood, Brixtonhall Plantation, Basinghall Plantation and Buddle Wood. A variety of habitats are present including semi-natural woodland, woodland plantation, grassland, old quarry, still and running water.
Why not take your family for a stroll along the extensive path network enjoying the sounds and sights that nature has to offer? Make up your own story by following the fairy trail signs!
https://www.plymouth.gov.uk/parksnatureandgreenspace/countywildlifesites/radfordwoodscws
https://www.plymouth.gov.uk/parksnatureandgreenspace/localnaturereserves/radfordwoodslnr
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Woodland Wood is located in the north of Plymouth immediately south of Whitleigh and north of Honicknowle. Although surrounded by housing, once you're in the wood you feel like you're in the middle of the country!
Covering 29 hectares (that's about 29 full-sized football pitches), Woodland Wood is a large green space where you can walk, play and explore nature.
Woodland Wood has some beautiful woodland to stroll through, alongside a stream which runs through to Tamerton Creek. It is a designated Local Nature Reserve and home to a variety of wildlife.
https://www.plymouth.gov.uk/parksnatureandgreenspace/localnaturereserves/woodlandwoodlnr
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We look after and develop 950 hectares of open green spaces within the city, working to provide a better cleaner, safer, greener environment and quality of life for the residents of Plymouth. This equates to roughly 1170 football pitches of greenspace.
https://www.plymouth.gov.uk/parksnatureandgreenspaces/findpark
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Local Nature Reserves (LNR's) are living green spaces which are important for people and support vibrant wildlife. They are important to the health and prosperity of our city, providing ecosystem services including absorbing carbon, cleaning the air, providing opportunities for pollinating insects and natural flood management. They are free for the public to visit, learn about nature and enjoy the health and wellbeing benefits of being outdoors in nature.
There are now 13 Local Nature Reserves in Plymouth (12 of these are owned and managed by Plymouth City Council in partnership with local communities). Volunteer groups are crucial in managing these sites, regular work parties and volunteer groups carry out management activities across the sites.
All unitary, district and county councils can acquire, declare and manage Local Nature Reserves.
In 2018 3 new reserves were designated bringing the total area of LNR within the city to 297 hectares – which is well above the national standard of 1 hectare for every 1000 people.
https://www.plymouth.gov.uk/parksnatureandgreenspaces/localnaturereserves
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County Wildlife Sites (CWS) are areas of land that are rich in wildlife such as a tract of heath, a meadow, a copse or a village pond. In general, at least five Devon notable plant species are required for the creation of a CWS but other criteria such as wintering bird interest may be used. For more detailed information on CWS contact Devon Biodiversity Records Centre. Some of our CWS are private with no access, please refer to individual site descriptions for access details.
https://www.plymouth.gov.uk/parksnatureandgreenspace/countywildlifesites
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We've planted orchards around the city to help increase wildlife and connect people with growing food in their local area.
https://www.plymouth.gov.uk/planningandbuildingcontrol/treesandhedges/orchards
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Since 2012, Plymouth City Council has been committed to increasing the number of wildflower meadows throughout the city which have created a network of 120 sites for wildlife like bees, butterflies and reptiles.
We were successful in gaining funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Peoples Postcode Lottery and Biffa to complete a few projects to improve and increase the wildflower areas in the city. Through projects like 'Plymouth's Buzzing' and 'Urban Buzz' volunteers helped to plant over 5,000 wild flower plug plants and 1,900 flowering bulbs to compliment the 52 kg of wildflower seed that has been sown.
Since then we have continued to maintain, extend and create more wildflower areas.
Wildflower meadows are managed by a single annual cut in late summer/autumn and removing the hay. Wild flowers thrive on nutrient poor soils so if managed correctly, each year they should get better and better!
https://www.plymouth.gov.uk/parksnatureandgreenspace/wildflowermeadows
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County Wildlife Sites (CWS) are areas of land that are rich in wildlife such as a tract of heath, a meadow, a copse or a village pond. In general, at least five Devon notable plant species are required for the creation of a CWS but other criteria such as wintering bird interest may be used. For more detailed information on CWS contact Devon Biodiversity Records Centre. Some of our CWS are private with no access, please refer to individual site descriptions for access details.
https://www.plymouth.gov.uk/parksnatureandgreenspace/sitesspecialscientificinterest
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Ashery Woods and Warren Plantation comprise mixed broadleaved woodland with occasional conifer trees. Buildings and ruins from the Radford Estate are located next to Radford Lake towards the east of the site. The South West Coast Path runs along the northern edge of the site.
The site is located next to the County Wildlife Sites of Hooe Lake and Radford Lake and offers fantastic views over these areas. Radford Woods (CWS), Radford Woods (LNR) and Radford Park are also located close by. Together these sites form an important network for wildlife within the city.
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