Some past events in the Park - apart from volunteering - April 2015 to July 2019 in reverse chronological order
In July 2019 Naturehood ran a session with the 43rd Oxford Beaver Scouts
The Naturehood website reported: 'The sunny weather meant we found lots of bees, and the younger children even had a go at catching them in pots and releasing them safely. It was a fantastic event and we hope to encourage more people in Marston to explore their local green spaces in the future. You never know what creatures you might find!
Photos taken by Naturehood of their events in the park in July and August 2019 have been put on a slideshow with their kind permission. Apart from the Beaver Scouts event and the pond dipping, there was also a bee walk (5 August).
In July 2019 Naturehood ran a session with the 43rd Oxford Beaver Scouts
The Naturehood website reported: 'The sunny weather meant we found lots of bees, and the younger children even had a go at catching them in pots and releasing them safely. It was a fantastic event and we hope to encourage more people in Marston to explore their local green spaces in the future. You never know what creatures you might find!
Photos taken by Naturehood of their events in the park in July and August 2019 have been put on a slideshow with their kind permission. Apart from the Beaver Scouts event and the pond dipping, there was also a bee walk (5 August).
19 November 2018:
Pollarding of poplar trees by Oxford City Council's Direct Services team. For photos, click here. Pollarding was necessary to make the trees safe.
19 October 2018:
Twenty-eight members of the 43rd Oxford Cubs came to the park with Cub Leader, Rachel Vallance, and Kevin Keen from Oxford City Council's Green Spaces Team. Information can be found in the captions to the photos - click on the white circle with the 'i' to show/hide captions
Pollarding of poplar trees by Oxford City Council's Direct Services team. For photos, click here. Pollarding was necessary to make the trees safe.
19 October 2018:
Twenty-eight members of the 43rd Oxford Cubs came to the park with Cub Leader, Rachel Vallance, and Kevin Keen from Oxford City Council's Green Spaces Team. Information can be found in the captions to the photos - click on the white circle with the 'i' to show/hide captions
8 August 2018
Oxford City Council staff cut the meadow areas and collected the cuttings. Collection of cuttings is important to avoid enrichment of the soil, which would favour grass growth and not wildflowers
8 August 2018
Oxford City Council staff cut the meadow areas and collected the cuttings. Collection of cuttings is important to avoid enrichment of the soil, which would favour grass growth and not wildflowers
7 July 2018 National Meadows Day
Judy Webb led a walk around the park's meadow areas. She explained how the first of these areas was created on the Harberton Mead side and others were gradually added. Many of the flowers seen today were already there but others have been introduced to increase the biodiversity. After the walk adults and children set about catching insect species (subsequently released unharmed) for identification by Judy. The children were particularly enthusiastic and caught a couple of interesting specimens.
For photos click here To see full captions click on the 'i' in the white circle at top right of window when viewing photos full size.
15 July 2017: Bees and Flowers Walk in the Park, led by Judy Webb. For photos click here
Judy Webb led a walk around the park's meadow areas. She explained how the first of these areas was created on the Harberton Mead side and others were gradually added. Many of the flowers seen today were already there but others have been introduced to increase the biodiversity. After the walk adults and children set about catching insect species (subsequently released unharmed) for identification by Judy. The children were particularly enthusiastic and caught a couple of interesting specimens.
For photos click here To see full captions click on the 'i' in the white circle at top right of window when viewing photos full size.
15 July 2017: Bees and Flowers Walk in the Park, led by Judy Webb. For photos click here
14 July 2017
St Michael's C of E Primary School on the Marston Green Health Walk through the park. See article by Will Walker and photos by Richard Cave Photograpy in Oxford Mail, 17 July 2017.
Also photos by Marilyn Cox here (in slideshow click on 'i' in white circle, top right, for info)
St Michael's C of E Primary School on the Marston Green Health Walk through the park. See article by Will Walker and photos by Richard Cave Photograpy in Oxford Mail, 17 July 2017.
Also photos by Marilyn Cox here (in slideshow click on 'i' in white circle, top right, for info)
2 June 2017
Dr Andrew Lack, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Biology, and Mary Woolliams, Senior Lecturer in Adult Nursing, both of Oxford Brookes University, carried out an orchid count in the university's Milham Ford quad. 271 Pyramidal and 6 common spotted were counted. The bee orchids were past their flowering stage but Mary had seen some a few weeks before.
For photos, click here
13 June 2017
Ellen Lee, who volunteers regularly in the park with her husband, Steve, led a 'planting for pollinators' bike ride for Isis Cyclists (the Oxford women's cycling group). They visited The Kidneys, Maggie's Centre (Churchill Hospital) and ended with a visit to Milham Ford Nature Park. The riders were really impressed by the common spotted, bee and pyramidal orchids in the park. Photo by Ellen Lee
In 1987 the Park had no meadow flower areas. Thanks to Judy's enthusiasm and the help of volunteers, a large proportion is now covered in plants that provide food for pollinators. Bees need nectar to give them energy. Buttercups offer little nectar but lime tree flowers provide a lot. Pollen is a good source of protein, needed to feed young bees. Bees that pack pollen into pollen sacs on their hind legs are not as good at pollinating as those that carry pollen in hairs on their body, from which the pollen is easily rubbed off onto flowers.
16 July 2016 Wildflower walk and seed collection
Judy Webb led a walk around the Park identifying the flowers and explaining their use for pollinators. This was followed by seed collection, directed by Mary Jo Drew. For photos taken by Marilyn Cox*, click here.
*and two of a Yellow Loosestrife bee taken by Judy Webb. For photos taken by Joanna Heath, click here.
(To see info on photos, click on white circle with ‘i’ in it at top right when in slideshow. To hide info, click on X beside ‘Info’.)
1 August 2015 Seed collection at Milham Ford Nature Park for other local wildlife sites
Judy Webb and volunteers collected seed for sowing in other wildlife sites in Oxford - photos
29 July 2015 Wildflower seed collection for Harcourt Arboretum
Staff from the University of Oxford's Botanic Garden and Harcourt Arboretum came to collect seed - photos here
14 July 2015 Children from Windmill Primary School, Headington, collected seed in the park
The Head Teacher, Lynn Knapp, and pupils collected seed for sowing in Magdalen Quarry, Headington, as part of the schools Magdalen Quarry Wildflower Project. Seed was collected to sow in Magdalen Quarry, Headington, Oxford, as part of the school's Magdalen Quarry Wildflower Project - photos here
20 June 2015 Wildflowers and Pollinators Walk around the Park, led by Judy Webb slideshow Google Photos
Click on a photo to start the slideshow and then on the 'i' (top right) to see the caption (not all photos have a caption).
The photos include one of a Helophilus pendulus Hoverfly on an ox-eye daisy. A great video of a female Helophilus pendulus washing herself has been posted on Wikimedia by a German photographer who contributes under the name of Pristurus.
18 April 2015 Bird Walk in New Marston Meadows - photos
Led by Prof Peter Somogyi. Photographs by various people, indicated in the info pane for each photo.
Dr Andrew Lack, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Biology, and Mary Woolliams, Senior Lecturer in Adult Nursing, both of Oxford Brookes University, carried out an orchid count in the university's Milham Ford quad. 271 Pyramidal and 6 common spotted were counted. The bee orchids were past their flowering stage but Mary had seen some a few weeks before.
For photos, click here
13 June 2017
Ellen Lee, who volunteers regularly in the park with her husband, Steve, led a 'planting for pollinators' bike ride for Isis Cyclists (the Oxford women's cycling group). They visited The Kidneys, Maggie's Centre (Churchill Hospital) and ended with a visit to Milham Ford Nature Park. The riders were really impressed by the common spotted, bee and pyramidal orchids in the park. Photo by Ellen Lee
In 1987 the Park had no meadow flower areas. Thanks to Judy's enthusiasm and the help of volunteers, a large proportion is now covered in plants that provide food for pollinators. Bees need nectar to give them energy. Buttercups offer little nectar but lime tree flowers provide a lot. Pollen is a good source of protein, needed to feed young bees. Bees that pack pollen into pollen sacs on their hind legs are not as good at pollinating as those that carry pollen in hairs on their body, from which the pollen is easily rubbed off onto flowers.
16 July 2016 Wildflower walk and seed collection
Judy Webb led a walk around the Park identifying the flowers and explaining their use for pollinators. This was followed by seed collection, directed by Mary Jo Drew. For photos taken by Marilyn Cox*, click here.
*and two of a Yellow Loosestrife bee taken by Judy Webb. For photos taken by Joanna Heath, click here.
(To see info on photos, click on white circle with ‘i’ in it at top right when in slideshow. To hide info, click on X beside ‘Info’.)
1 August 2015 Seed collection at Milham Ford Nature Park for other local wildlife sites
Judy Webb and volunteers collected seed for sowing in other wildlife sites in Oxford - photos
29 July 2015 Wildflower seed collection for Harcourt Arboretum
Staff from the University of Oxford's Botanic Garden and Harcourt Arboretum came to collect seed - photos here
14 July 2015 Children from Windmill Primary School, Headington, collected seed in the park
The Head Teacher, Lynn Knapp, and pupils collected seed for sowing in Magdalen Quarry, Headington, as part of the schools Magdalen Quarry Wildflower Project. Seed was collected to sow in Magdalen Quarry, Headington, Oxford, as part of the school's Magdalen Quarry Wildflower Project - photos here
20 June 2015 Wildflowers and Pollinators Walk around the Park, led by Judy Webb slideshow Google Photos
Click on a photo to start the slideshow and then on the 'i' (top right) to see the caption (not all photos have a caption).
The photos include one of a Helophilus pendulus Hoverfly on an ox-eye daisy. A great video of a female Helophilus pendulus washing herself has been posted on Wikimedia by a German photographer who contributes under the name of Pristurus.
18 April 2015 Bird Walk in New Marston Meadows - photos
Led by Prof Peter Somogyi. Photographs by various people, indicated in the info pane for each photo.