Stratfield Brake - Kidlington
Site Description
Stratfield Brake comprises low-lying ground adjacent to the Oxford canal about a mile to the South of Kidlington and 3 miles North of Oxford. It lies on an area of green belt land that has in the past been an area of political conflict between Kidlington and Oxford to ensure that it remained open and free of development. There is a lot of developmental pressures in the area with good road links and the closeness of the M40.
The site is very close to a large area of conurbation and as such is very well used by the people of Kidlington. This area coupled with the sports field provides a large recreational area for Kidlington of formal sports and informal walking. Bird Watching is becoming an increasing pastime with the Oxford Ornithological Society taking an active role in the monitoring of the bird life on the area.
The land was acquired by long lease from Oxfordshire County Council in 1997. This was during the "Woods on your Doorstep" campaign and 5 hectares of the land was planted with new native woodland in 1998. This new planting will help to buffer the remnant ASNW that lies to the South of the area (Compartment 1)
Eight Hectares of the site was put aside to construct a wetland area. This was finally completed in 2001 and has increased the diversity of interest on the site. There is approximately three hectares of new open water, with the remaining five hectares comprising rough grassland that has developed naturally on former setaside land. This land is now grazed under a Countryside Stewardship Agreement allowing for at least 10 weeks grazing between April and November. The agreement allows for the option to graze sheep in addition to the Dexter cows that are there at present. Stocking density is reduced between 1 April and 30 June to minimise disturbance to ground nesting birds. There is an area just outside the leasehold that has been found to hold the declining water vole. The creation of the wetland can only be seen as beneficial to this species. There is a known area of Great Crested Newt to the north of the site which may well expand into the wetland area.
