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• Managing Organisation:

  Essex County Council

• Contact:

  Tony Bovis

• Telephone:

  01708 865 628 
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Information about this open space

Essex County Council bought land in the mid 1930’s as part of Green Belt acquisitions with the site becoming a 94 acre Country Park in 1983. Since then the addition of a visitor centre, educational facilities, inclusion of clubs and more land has resulted in a site in excess of 310 acres with more than 220,000 visitors per year attaining “Green Flag” status in 2004.  The parks origin is its ancient woodlands and these still remain as a major feature. Over this time out grown coppice has been restored to create a rare example of properly rotated traditional “coppice with standards” management.  Timber from this practice generates both wildlife diversity and income from materials for hedge laying, thatching gads and hurdles.  The inclusion of restored gravel extraction has added greatly to the sites appeal to wildlife and visitors. Some gravel extraction have been kept as lakes offering opportunities for both conservation and fishing, others are now hay meadows and recreation areas.  The park is a major educational resource for the area, not only giving information to those that visit but also by advising schools on wildlife areas within their grounds, giving slide talks to societies and running volunteers. The park also has a long-standing tradition of working with local disabled groups by offering individual placements and group activities.  Once just a small local site the park is now one of the first significant green spaces accessible to those venturing from east London for a breath of fresh air.