A Crouch End charity has successfully revamped a much-loved local green space after winter rains saw it turn into an “impassable quagmire”, just in time for it to become essential to the lockdown exercise of many locals.
The three decades old Crouch End Open Space (CREOS) charity has always worked to protect the land around Crouch End playing fields, and this year, with excess rain damaging the wooded area behind Wood Vale, volunteers sprung into action with a crowdfunding campaign to help restore the space.
CREOS committee member Rob Jackson told this newspaper: “This winter was particularly wet with incessant rain in February and March. As a result some of the woodchip footpaths turned into boggy quagmires and became almost impassable. This meant that walkers understandably forged new paths through the adjoining undergrowth to avoid the mud, but this can damage wildlife habitats.”
He explained that CREOS decided urgent works were needed.
Efforts were concentrated on areas like Boundary Oak Walk – a passage through the woods near to Queen’s Wood.
Rob said: “First, all the rotting rain-soaked wood chips were removed in order to allow the path to drain.
“The path has been widened and given new log edges; a drainage ditch has been dug alongside, leading to two underground drainage pipes which will take all future rainfall away from the surface of the path; and we have started laying a rubble and hard-core base. We managed to complete about two-thirds of the project before the lockdown put a stop to further work.”
CREOS undertake the work on a voluntary basis, but have appealed for crowdfunding help to subsidise the “considerable” cost of raw
The appeal has so far raised more than £1,300, which has been supplemented with £1,000 from CREOS’s own funds.
Rob added: “While we all look forward to the ending of the lockdown, we hope everyone will continue to enjoy the green spaces on our doorstep. If you would like to contribute to CREOS in any way, please visit our website for information on how you can get involved.”
When the world is not on lockdown, CREOS hold regular “workdays” to maintain the area.
Find out more on the charity’s website at crouchendopenspace.org, and to find the crowdfunding appeal, visit givey.com/helpusrebuildtheboundaryoakwalk
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