20 cyclists left Abingdon this morning to visit a nature reserve near Sutton Courtenay and celebrate World Car-Free Day. (Car-Free Day will be on  Sunday, 22nd September 2024. So this was getting in early with being car-free.)

The 19 acre nature reserve, near Milton Park, has woodland, meadow and ponds and an Environmental Education Centre with two classrooms. The land is owned by Didcot Power Station. 55 years ago it was given to the local council as an environmental education centre to mitigate some of the damage done by building the power station. Some of the group remembered going there as children or bringing their children there for their first night away from home. That was when it had some scout-style huts on land now sold for an Asda warehouse

It is now managed by BBOWT (Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wild Life Trust) and the new education centre was built in 2004.

The centre has a mix of rare and common species. The reserve has rare great crested newts. There are too many grey squirrels, which are killing trees by eating their bark. The reserve monitors for mink that eat rare water vole babies. We saw a Red Kite’s nest, and a buzzard flying. It was an enjoyable visit thanks to Clive who organised the event, and the Senior Learning Officer at the centre.

For more information or to see events at the centre, visit https://www.bbowt.org.uk/explore/discover-and-learn/sutton-courtenay-oxon.