Burgess Field Nature Park (also known as Burgess Field) is a
nature reserve
A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or ...
next to
Port Meadow
Port Meadow is a large meadow of open common land beside the River Thames to the north and west of Oxford, England.
Overview
The meadow is an ancient area of grazing land, still used for horses and cattle, and according to legend has never bee ...
,
Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
, in
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the north west of South East England. It is a mainly rural county, with its largest settlement being the city of Oxford. The county is a centre of research and development, primarily ...
, England, managed by
Oxford City Council
Oxford City Council is the lower-tier local government authority for the city of Oxford in England, providing such services as leisure centres and parking. Social Services, Education and Highways services (amongst others) are provided by Oxfo ...
.
Overview
The site is between Port Meadow to the west and the
railway line
Rail terminology is a form of technical terminology. The difference between the American term ''railroad'' and the international term ''railway'' (used by the International Union of Railways and English-speaking countries outside the United Sta ...
to the east, just north of the
Aristotle Lane entrance to Port Meadow and the Trap Ground Allotments.
The reserve is on a reclaimed landfill site and is approximately in area.
There are open grass areas, some
woodland
A woodland () is, in the broad sense, land covered with trees, or in a narrow sense, synonymous with wood (or in the U.S., the ''plurale tantum'' woods), a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade (see ...
, and a path around the edge of the site, as well as some paths crossing the site. Wildlife includes birds such as
cuckoo
Cuckoos are birds in the Cuculidae family, the sole taxon in the order Cuculiformes . The cuckoo family includes the common or European cuckoo, roadrunners, koels, malkohas, couas, coucals and anis. The coucals and anis are sometimes separ ...
,
short-eared owl
The short-eared owl (''Asio flammeus'') is a widespread grassland species in the family Strigidae. Owls belonging to genus ''Asio'' are known as the eared owls, as they have tufts of feathers resembling mammalian ears. These "ear" tufts may or ...
and
jack snipe
The jack snipe or jacksnipe (''Lymnocryptes minimus'') is a small stocky wader. It is the smallest snipe, and the only member of the genus ''Lymnocryptes''. Features such as its sternum make it quite distinct from other snipes or woodcocks.
Et ...
.
The site was used for landfill until the 1980s and is thus higher than Port Meadow, which regularly floods. The area was landscaped, with trees and hedge planting in the 1990s. The name may derive from the
burgesses who endowed
Godstow Nunnery
Godstow is about northwest of the centre of Oxford. It lies on the banks of the River Thames between the villages of Wolvercote to the east and Wytham to the west. The ruins of Godstow Abbey, also known as Godstow Nunnery, are here. A bridge s ...
with land.
John Thompson
![John Thompson memorial stone, Burgess Field Nature Park](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/John_Thompson_memorial_stone%2C_Burgess_Field_Nature_Park.jpg)
The site includes a memorial stone to John Thompson (1941–2015), the city of Oxford's landscape architect,
who inspired the nature reserve and planted over 10,000 trees in Oxford.
Friends of Burgess Field
There is a Friends of Burgess Field organization, formed in 2018.
Volunteers help to maintain the site.
See also
*
Hook Meadow and The Trap Grounds
Hook Meadow and The Trap Grounds is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest on the northern outskirts of Oxford in Oxfordshire.
These unimproved meadows in the floodplain of the River Thames are poorly drained and they have calcareou ...
*
Trap Grounds
The Trap Grounds (aka Trap Grounds Town Green) is a nature reserve in north Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, owned by Oxford City Council.
Overview
The site is to the east of the railway line and the Burgess Field Nature Park, to the west of the ...
References
External links
Friends of Burgess Field website
Year of establishment missing
Nature reserves in Oxfordshire
Parks and open spaces in Oxford
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