Court Place Gardens Woodland

Welcome to Court Place Gardens, approximately 1.5 hectares of woodland available to the public

Court Place Gardens was acquired by the University of Oxford in 1966. It is a mosaic of lowland mixed deciduous woodland with elements of calcareous alkaline fen, wet woodland, and old punting channels. Scattered ornamental, non-native species can still be found from when the site was the manor house's ornamental garden.

Introduction

Court Place Gardens is managed as a green space for the public, with the aim of providing a source of education to the local community, and investigating ways to enhance its habitats and nature value.

The map shows the permissive footpath through the woodland at Court Place Gardens. The main entrance to the gardens is via Rivermead Nature Park, with an explanatory board providing details about the flora, fauna and wildlife. Please come and enjoy this beautiful green space open all year round. If you're an academic looking to undertake research, please get in touch at: oge@admin.ox.ac.uk.

Woodland Management Plan

The woodland at Court Place Gardens is less than a century old. Some of the larger trees were planted for landscape reasons within the garden of the Mansion House. A 10-year Woodland Management Plan has been approved by the Forestry Commission, with objectives to:

create a biodiverse woodland with a varied structure;
maintain and enhance the current diversity of tree species present in the woodland;
create a network of paths to enable the local residents to enjoy the woodland;
maintain the integrity of the woodlands in the local landscape.

Alkaline Fen

Calcium rich waters emerge from spring lines throughout the site. These are a relatively rare local phenomena. Similar spring lines and associated species are found nearby at the Lye Valley and Hinksey Heights. A restored fen can be found next door at Rivermead Nature Park.

Wildlife

The woodland is probably less than a hundred years old. The area was formerly meadows and then an Ornamental Garden. There are no notable species but in all probability the larger trees are home to local bat species. There are signs of a local badger sett. The woodland flora and fauna though are constantly evolving. In terms of woodland development, ecologically speaking, a century is a relatively small period of time.