Nature on the farm
Being so close to the city, and sited within an urban environment, it’s natural that the site is treated by many as a park, simply for human recreation. It serves this purpose very well, so that it is hard sometimes to remember that its designation as a Local Nature Reserve means that its principal purpose should be the protection and enhancement of the non-human world. This is a challenge for Friends of Eastwood Farm, as visitors create pressures that cannot be easily ignored, so that much of our work can be devoted to maintenance of paths and other work around access for visitors. However, we’re happy to look after humans too!
A survey of fungi on the LNR was carried out in 2009, followed by a series of ecological surveys in autumn 2014, with the intention of informing future management of the site. The aim was to identify habitats and other features of particular ecological value and in particular to highlight those with specific management needs. The results were compiled in a report of November 2014) with management recommendations. This was used to create a management plan, for the 5 years from 2015/16 to 2019/20.
