Oldshire Lane Nature Reserve

Size: 0.8 hectare

Grid reference: TL 404 000                            

Owner: Epping Forest District Council

Access: Open public access

Epping Forest District Council acquired the land at Oldshire Lane in 1991, under a Section 106 Agreement relating to the development of the then Swallow  Hotel.  Originally, the land had been an old nursey site. The initial landscaping plan drawn up for the amenity land associated with the development failed resulting in the survival of just half a dozen trees. The site had then just been left and become totally overgrown with nettles, thistles, brambles, hogweed and other pernicious weeds.    

In March 2001, Countrycare was given operational responsibility for the strip of amenity land, following the failure of the landscaping scheme. A sum of £3K was given to complete the landscaping and the service began investigating  ways of increasing biodiversity on the site. Subsequently, a wildflower meadow has been sown, a small pond created and 1500 trees planted. The long term goal for the site is to have it declared a statutory Local Nature Reserve. A  management plan has been produced which which will guide our work for the next 5 years.