TCV
Connecting people and green spaces
Oak Avenue Nature Reserve - Bracken fern & horsetail control
An activity with Richmond Weekday Projects
Activity date: Thursday 24th July 2025
Start time: 10:00
Finish time: 16:00
Activity description
We will be completing our second trial of bracken fern control (bruising and digging) and we will also begin removing horsetail growth from the meadows. If we complete these tasks, we will look to maintain pathways and push back tree suckering off meadow edges to maintain the grassland space. The meadow is managed for biodiversity by LBRuT. Bracken fern is the UK's most common fern. It grows in dense stands in grasslands and dies off during summer creating a fire risk. Bracken is often removed from grassland sites to ensure it doesn't overpower other species/encroach on meadows. Please wear long-sleeves to this event as bracken sap/spores can irritate skin, and we will be clearing prickly seedlings (bramble, hawthorn, blackthorn) so let's reduce scratch risk!
Meeting place
Meet at the Oak Avenue Nature Reserve entrance located on Oak Avenue, Hampton, at 10am. Look for the TCV van. What3words meeting point:///exchanges.lasted.boats
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Activity location
Oak Avenue Local Nature Reserve, Oak Avenue Local Nature Reserve, Hampton, TW12 3UY
Site description
Oak Avenue is a Local Nature Reserve (LNR) and a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SiNC), spanning 1.8ha of land. Its mixed habitat is made up of species rich neutral grassland, scrub and secondary woodland consisting of Elm, Hawthorn, and Ash. These provide the ideal habitats for many species such as Blackbird, Song Thrush, and Wrens, floral species such as Yellow Rattle, Lady's Bedstraw and Field Scabious. It is also an important site for invertebrates, including various species of butterflies, bees and the Stag Beetle.
Contact
Brittany Florence-Bennett
Telephone: 07483050759
Email: B.florencebennett@tcv.org.uk
Website: https://www.tcv.org.uk/london/biodiversity-action-teams/richmond-bat-west
Please bring
- packed lunch
- suitable outdoor clothes
- suitable outdoor footwear
Further info
We provide hot drinks, so please bring your own mug (and spoon). Please bring: Packed lunch & water, suitable outdoor clothes (that will keep you warm the whole day), hat & sunblock, and suitable outdoor footwear (it can be muddy in places). Booking on Eventbrite is required. Please DO NOT attend our sessions if you have tested positive for Covid-19 in the past 5 days.
Site Facilities
- Nearest Toilets - 10m walk to Royal Oak public house, or van ride to the White House Community Centre on The Avenue, Hampton
