Enfield Council Nature Recovery

Enfield Council is investigating opportunities to improve biodiversity by creating new and expanded habitats for wildlife, and broaden access to our blue and green spaces.

The work at Enfield Chase is London’s largest woodland and nature restoration initiative. The aim is to convert up to 1,000 hectares of farmland into a publicly accessible nature space which links to our existing parks and open spaces. It will result in the creation of hundreds of hectares of new woodland, with ponds and wetlands that will be easily accessed through a network of footpaths and cycleways.

This will be one of the largest nature restoration projects close to a large city anywhere in the UK. It will deliver sustainable benefits locally, regionally and nationally.

Achievements so far

80 hectares of new accessible woodland – 142,000 trees planted, plus areas set aside for natural regeneration
Making space for water – 50 ponds and wetland scrapes provide valuable habitat and stormwater reduction
Access and usability – 3.5km of London Loop footpath upgraded
Community engagement – over 2,000 volunteers, plus hundreds of school children have taken part in planting events

Thank you for signing up to the Volunteer day at Enfield Chase. I can confirm you have a place, and we look forward to welcoming you on site for this exciting event.&nbsp;Just to remind you of the details for the day:&nbsp;Start time:&nbsp;10:00Finish time:&nbsp;14:30Location:&nbsp;Rectory Farm, The Ridgeway, Enfield ChaseMeeting Place:&nbsp;Car park https://w3w.co/bills.picked.winksWhat to bring:&nbsp;All equipment, resources and instruction will be provided. Please bring suitable footwear, warm clothes, water and a lunch.Contact:&nbsp;On the day - James Waterton (Woodland Arboricultural Officer) 07356178010 or Andrew Wall 07885138509&nbsp;Please arrive in plenty of time for a 10:00am start. We will be providing tea, coffee, and biscuits, but please bring your own lunch.&nbsp;The day may be fully booked, so please let us know if you cannot make it so that we can offer the space to someone else.&nbsp;If you have any queries, please feel free to get in touch. Otherwise, we will see you shortly for a fun day.&nbsp;All the best, James

🌿 Enfield Council &amp; Friends of Enfield Chase Invite You to Join the Landscape Recovery Project 🌿 Come and be part of the ongoing restoration of Enfield Chase! Help London breathe easier by actively contributing to the revival of our landscape. Meet like-minded people, explore the beautiful outdoors, spot rare wildlife, and chat with knowledgeable staff about the project and how you can get involved. <h3>🌱 What’s Happening?</h3>We’ll be working together to clear a grass pathway of self-seeded trees and scrub using specialist tools called&nbsp;Tree Poppers. The cleared material will be used to build a&nbsp;dead hedge, which provides valuable habitat and structure within the landscape. We hope to clear the pathway to create a new walking route. <h3>🌳 Why Are We Removing Trees?</h3>While trees are vital to our environment, not all growth is beneficial. Self-seeded trees—especially Goat Willow—can reduce the ecological value of new woodlands and hinder the growth of planted trees by competing for light, space, and nutrients. Selective thinning helps ensure the survival and success of our new woodland, boosts biodiversity, and supports natural regeneration. <h3>🧺 What Should I Bring?</h3><ul><li>Lunch &amp; Water: Teas, coffees, and biscuits will be provided. Botany Bay Farm Shop is a great nearby lunch option.</li><li>Clothing: Dress for the weather and wear sturdy boots or wellingtons.</li><li>Facilities: Please note there are no toilets on site, there are toilets about a 15 minute walk away </li></ul>A health and safety briefing will be given at the start of each session. Parking is available at the farm, and staff will be on hand to guide you. <h3>📍 Event Details</h3>Location: Rectory Farm, The Ridgeway, Enfield, EN2 8AAMeeting Point: By the farm – What3Words: bills.picked.winksGetting There:<ul><li>By Car: Head north on the A1005 from Chase Farm Hospital. Turn right and follow signs for the Clay Pigeon Shooting Grounds.</li><li>By Bus: Take the 313 or W8 to ‘Roundhedge Way Stop R’. If you reach Botany Bay, you’ve gone too far.</li><li>By Train: Enfield Chase (1.8 miles) and Gordon Hill (1.2 miles) stations are nearby.</li><li>By Bike: Great choice—eco-friendly and healthy!</li></ul> <h3>📝 Booking &amp; Contact</h3>If you struggle to book the event online please do feel free to come along to the event without booking.If you have any questions, feel free to contact: James Waterton

Volunteer day -  'Tree Popping & dead hedge creation'

Rectory farm is just opposite the clay pigeon shooting ground, there is parking area by the white buildings

Rectory Farm

Thank you for signing up to the Volunteer day at Enfield Chase. I can confirm you have a place, and we look forward to welcoming you on site for this exciting event.&nbsp;Just to remind you of the details for the day:&nbsp;Start time:&nbsp;10:00Finish time:&nbsp;14:30Location:&nbsp;Rectory Farm, The Ridgeway, Enfield ChaseMeeting Place:&nbsp;Car park https://w3w.co/bills.picked.winks What to bring:&nbsp;All equipment, resources and instruction will be provided. Please bring suitable footwear, warm clothes, water and a lunch.Contact:&nbsp;On the day - James Waterton (Woodland Arboricultural Officer) 07356178010 or Andrew Wall 07885138509&nbsp;Please arrive in plenty of time for a 10:00am start. We will be providing tea, coffee, and biscuits, but please bring your own lunch.&nbsp;The day may be fully booked, so please let us know if you cannot make it so that we can offer the space to someone else.&nbsp;If you have any queries, please feel free to get in touch. Otherwise, we will see you shortly for a fun day.&nbsp;All the best, James

🌿 Enfield Council &amp; Friends of Enfield Chase Invite You to Join the Landscape Recovery Project 🌿 Come and be part of the ongoing restoration of Enfield Chase! Help London breathe easier by actively contributing to the revival of our landscape. Meet like-minded people, explore the beautiful outdoors, spot rare wildlife, and chat with knowledgeable staff about the project and how you can get involved. <h3>🌱 What’s Happening?</h3>We’ll be mulching newly planted trees on&nbsp;Kings Oak Plain&nbsp;using locally sourced woodchip. Mulching helps:<ul><li>Enrich the soil with nutrients</li><li>Retain moisture for young trees</li><li>Regulate soil temperature</li><li>Suppress weed growth</li></ul>Your efforts will directly support the health and resilience of our new woodland. <h3>🧺 What Should I Bring?</h3><ul><li>Lunch &amp; Water: Teas, coffees, and biscuits will be provided.</li><li>Clothing: Dress for the weather and wear sturdy boots or wellingtons.</li><li>Facilities: No toilets on site. Botany Bay Farm Shop (with toilets) is a 10-minute walk away.</li></ul>All tools and instructions will be provided. A health and safety briefing will be given at the start of the event. <h3>📍 Event Details</h3>Location: Rectory Farm, The Ridgeway, Enfield, EN2 8AAMeeting Point: By the farm – What3Words: bills.picked.winks Getting There:<ul><li>By Car: Head north on the A1005 from Chase Farm Hospital. Turn right and follow signs for the Clay Pigeon Shooting Grounds.</li><li>By Bus: Take the 313 or W8 to ‘Roundhedge Way Stop R’. If you reach Botany Bay, you’ve gone too far.</li><li>By Train: Enfield Chase (1.8 miles) and Gordon Hill (1.2 miles) stations are nearby.</li><li>By Bike: Great choice—eco-friendly and healthy!</li><li> </li></ul><h3>📝 Booking &amp; Contact</h3>If you struggle to book the event online please do feel free to come along to the event without booking.If you have any questions, feel free to contact: James Waterton&nbsp;–&nbsp;<a href="mailto:james.waterton@enfield.gov.uk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(79, 82, 178);">james.waterton@enfield.gov.uk</a>

Volunteer day - Enfield Chase New Woodland 'Mulching'

Thank you for signing up to the Volunteer day at Botany Bay Farm Enfield Chase. I can confirm you have a place, and we look forward to welcoming you on site for this exciting event.&nbsp;Just to remind you of the details for the day:&nbsp;Start time:&nbsp;10:00Finish time:&nbsp;14:30Location:&nbsp;Botany Bay Farm, The Ridgeway, Enfield ChaseMeeting Place:&nbsp;Car park https://w3w.co/select.vase.marchWhat to bring:&nbsp;All equipment, resources and instruction will be provided. Please bring suitable footwear, warm clothes, water and a lunch.Contact:&nbsp;On the day - James Waterton (Woodland Arboricultural Officer) 07356178010 or Andrew Wall 07885138509&nbsp;Please arrive in plenty of time for a 10:00am start. We will be providing tea, coffee, and biscuits, but please bring your own lunch.&nbsp;The day may be fully booked, so please let us know if you cannot make it so that we can offer the space to someone else.&nbsp;If you have any queries, please feel free to get in touch. Otherwise, we will see you shortly for a fun day.&nbsp;All the best, James

Enfield Council &amp; the Friends of Enfield Chase invite you to come and join in for the continuation of the Landscape Recovery project at Enfield Chase. Come along and help London breathe for the future, take an active part in the restoration of our landscape, meet like minded people, experience the beautiful outdoors, see some rarer wildlife and speak with knowledgeable staff who can provide insight into the project and how you can get involved.&nbsp; What are we doing?The People's Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) have developed a “National Water Vole Monitoring Programme". Native Water voles have experienced one of the most rapid and serious declines of any British wild mammal ever. Between 1989 and 1998 the Vincent Wildlife Trust (VWT) conducted two national water vole surveys that demonstrated the dramatic decline of our water voles. The survey will allow us to plan and carry out effective conservation action that will really make a difference to water voles. We will survey four 500m length of riverbank at an allocated locations along salmons brook. What is the survey aiming to find out?With your help we will:-Monitor water vole presence/absence, as well as relative abundance, at Salmons Brook, twice per year so we can detect any changes in their populations and distribution.-Collect records of mink, otter &amp; other mammals presence at these sites, as well as information about whether any mink control is carried out. What do I need to bring?We will provide teas, coffees and biscuits to all our volunteers. Please bring water and something to eat for lunch (Botany bay farm shop is a great option for lunch). There is a toilet available on site. Please also dress suitably for the weather, wear long trousers if possible and bring good walking shoes/wellies! This activity will involve walking the river in wet areas. &nbsp; An induction briefing and a health and safety talk will be given at the start of every event. Parking is available at the farm for the duration of the event. A staff member or a member of Enfield Council staff will direct you at the farm. If you have time a read through the guidance will help on the day <a href="https://ptes.org/get-involved/surveys/countryside/national-water-vole-monitoring-programme/about-our-water-vole-survey/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">What is the National Water Vole Monitoring Programme? - PTES</a> Where is the event? Location: Botany Bay Farm &amp; Shop, 230 The Ridgeway, Botany Bay, Enfield, EN2 8AP. We will meet in the car park and walk over to the site. what three words location is select.vase.march. By Car: Head north on the A1005 from chase farm hospital, Please drive through the metal double gates and follow the signs for botany bay farm. By Bus: The 313 &amp; W8 stop at ‘Botany Bay / The Robin Hood’, just West from Chase Farm Hospital. Your stop is next after Roundhedge Way, If you reach Holly Cottage, you have gone too far. By Train: Enfield Chase station is 2.3 miles away and Gordon Hill station is 1.7 miles away, served by Great Northern Rail. By Bicycle: Well done! The best environmentally friendly approach. If you struggle to book the event online please do feel free to come along to the event without booking. If you have any questions about the event you can contact James Waterton at James.waterton@enfield.gov.uk.

Volunteer Day - Enfield Chase Water vole monitoring survey 

There is a large parking area, we would encourage the use of public transport, cycle/walking routes for this venue. We would encourage a visit to the shop if you have not been before.