Jeskyns
| Jeskyns | |
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Path in Jeskyns
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| Coordinates | 51°24′14″N 0°23′14″E / 51.4038°N 0.3872°ECoordinates: 51°24′14″N 0°23′14″E / 51.4038°N 0.3872°E |
| Area | 360 acres (150 ha) |
| Created | 2006 |
| Operated by | Forestry Commission |
| Status | Open 7 days a week, dawn until dusk |
| Website | www |
Jeskyns is near Cobham, in Kent, England. A former farm, now large open-space recreational area with areas being developed as new wildlife habitats.
This was once a large farm which was put on the market in 2005, following the death of its owner. The guide price for the land was between £1.1 million and £1.3 million. As one of John Prescott's last acts as the head of the Office of Deputy Prime Minister, money from the ODPM's sustainable communities fund was given to the Forestry Commission to buy the land and turn it into a community woodland. However when tractors ploughed up the arable crop fields and with them went around 60 nests full of newly-born skylarks and their eggs. A Forestry Commission spokesman later admitted that the ploughing was an "operational misjudgement which we regret". "We certainly had no intention of harming any birds," he said. "We have commissioned an ornithologist to advise us on the way forward."
The design of the new woodland, was similar to Thames Chase (another Forestry Commission Wood http://www.forestry.gov.uk/thameschase). The site is part of the Green Belt around Gravesend. The west part of the site is a Special Landscape Area and east part of the site is in the North Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Since then, 150,000 trees and shrubs have been planted, 2054 traditional orchard trees have been planted, 6.8 km (4 miles) of all accessible paths have been laid (this includes disabled friendly paths as well), 5556m2 of new ponds created (Henhurst Lake - wildlife lake and Ashenbank Pond - quiet, meadowland pond), 765 people planted a tree (or ten!) not including independent contractors, 145 tonnes of rubbish removed from the site (including over 700 tyres, 3 cars and many washing machines!). Also 13 local Cobham area schools and 14 uniformed children’s groups have been involved in the project.
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Wikipedia