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In an exciting collaboration, Hartrigg Oaks (HO) residents after engaging with St Nicks, and consulting with the HO governance committees, have partnered with St Nicks Environmental Centre to transform their beloved bog garden into a vital part of the Green Corridors York (GCY) project. This city-wide initiative aims to connect and enhance green spaces across York, boosting biodiversity and providing better habitats for local wildlife.
Key highlights of the project
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Connecting greenspaces for biodiversity: The bog garden will serve as a critical link between the River Foss and its tributary Westfield Beck, improving the areas ecological value and contribute to the wider GCY project. It will strengthen the network of green spaces that support and nurture local wildlife.
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Community-driven action: The transformation of the bog garden is being carried out by volunteers, including residents of Hartrigg Oaks, volunteers from St Nicks, with the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust (JRHT) Landscapes Team. This collaboration reflects a long-standing tradition of community involvement in the bog garden, which Hartrigg Oaks residents have cared for since JRHT permitted its creation by residents in 1998.
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Sustainable habitat management: Rather than restoring the garden to its former state, the project will embrace a more hands-on habitat improvement approach, turning the area into a thriving wildlife habitat. Native species and wild plants will be introduced to replace overgrown weeds, couch grass, wild dogwood, and pampas grass. This will create a more diverse and attractive environment for both residents and wildlife. The ongoing management of the bog garden will be fairly low maintenance, ensuring sustainability of the project.
A new vision for the bog garden
During Lockdown, the bog garden became overgrown: but the new plan, proposed by the Green Corridors York project, offers a unique opportunity to reimagine the space. The garden will be transformed into a flourishing wild planting area, providing visual appeal and important habitats for pollinators, birds, and other wildlife.
The project aligns perfectly with the River Foss and tributaries corridor, making the bog garden a key site for Green Corridors York. Volunteers from St Nicks will join forces with Hartrigg Oaks residents to tackle the heavy gardening work required to implement the habitat restoration plan.
Funding and Support
The initial costs of supporting residents in the heavy aspects of the clearing and preparing the garden will be funded by the Hartrigg Oaks Grounds account. Other sources of funding include donations from residents will used to purchase wildflowers, native tree and shrub species.
The landscapes team from the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust have been supporting residents' work by supplying a Digger for the heavy work, and by waste disposal involved in the clearing and preparation of the area for planting.
Thanks to the low-maintenance design of the plan, no recurring costs are expected, and residents will be able to keep the garden in good condition with ongoing volunteer support from St Nicks as needed. St Nicks have officially adopted the bog garden as one of their Green Corridor sites, and the bog garden's restoration design and its implementations are being led by Maria Gill, St Nicks Senior Green Corridors Officer.
A win for residents and the environment
The restoration of the Bog Garden promises to enhance the visual appeal of the area, benefiting the residents, particularly those living in the six bungalows that directly overlook the garden. Residents and visitors using the main Western Entrance footpath, which runs along the south side of the bog garden will be able to see and appreciate the enhanced beauty of this reimagined space.
This initiative builds on Hartrigg Oaks' existing wild planting areas along the Northern Hedge and Millennium Way, further integrating the Hartrigg Oaks Continuing Care Retirement Community into York’s wider green initiatives. Hartrigg Oaks’ Residents Association Constitution emphasizes supporting nearby communities, and this project exemplifies that commitment by contributing to York’s environmental sustainability efforts.
Adam Warren, JRHT's new Landscape Manager said “It gives me great satisfaction to support the residents of Hartrigg Oaks in this exciting transformation of their landscape. My team will bring expertise and provide oversight during the clearance and preparation phases of the project, to support St Nick's professional leadership of the project. The bog garden at Hartrigg Oaks is about more than just enhancing local aesthetics; it’s about creating a space that fosters connection with nature and enriches the community.”