Our Environment

The parish includes a large area of the Broxbourne Woods complex, Hertfordshire’s only National Nature Reserve and one of the largest oak-hornbeam woodlands in the country. This is mostly ancient woodland which has been in existence for at least four centuries.

The entire parish lies within the Metropolitan Green Belt and is designated as a Landscape Conservation Area. The central area of the village of Brickendon is a Conservation Area. We are proud of our environment and the parish council works with a number of other bodies to help protect and enhance the area.

Village Greens

Brickendon Green is a registered village green, rented to the parish council on a peppercorn rent. Emanuel Pollards and Coldhall Green, together with the verges on either side of White Stubbs Lane are also registered village greens.

Common Land

Within the parish Well Green and Edwards Green are registered common land, as is a small patch of land in Mangrove Lane and the verges along Brickendon Lane, Pembridge Lane and West End Road.

Parish Map

With funding from the Parish Paths Partnership and the Hertfordshire Environmental Landfill Partnership the parish council undertook the production of a parish map in 2004/5.

Interpretation Board

An interpretation board featuring the parish map together with some commissioned wildlife paintings and information was officially unveiled in May 2007. More...

Brickendon PEAP

The Parish Environmental Action Plan sets out specific plans and actions that have been and will be undertaken to maintain and enhance the environment in the parish. This has included improvements to the wildlife habitat on the village green.

Countryside Management Service

The Countryside Management Service together with the Woodland Trust and Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust is responsible for the management of much of the woodland in Broxbourne, Wormley and Bencroft Woods. CMS relies on volunteers to help maintain and enhance the woods, ponds and a number of permissive paths and bridleways.

Broxbourne Woods Area Conservation Society

The aims and objectives of the Broxbourne Woods Area Conservation Society are to:

act as guardians to protect and preserve the Broxbourne Woods Area;
maintain close contact with County Planners, in order to prevent, as far as possible, undesirable developments taking place;
encourage more people to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of this National Nature Reserve Area.

Broxbourne Trust for Open Spaces

The trust, formed by the Broxborne (sic) and Hoddesdon Open Spaces and Recreation Grounds Act 1890, exists to protect, care for and regulate certain areas of Common land, some of which now lies in Brickendon Liberty parish. These include strips of waste land on either side of White Stubbs Lane, Broxbourne Common and Emmanuel Pollards.

Celtic Harmony Camp

Nestling in Bourne Woods just off Brickendon Lane, Celtic Harmony is a not-for-profit organisation promoting a more sustainable way of life through natural and cultural heritage education for children and adults. For more details see www.celticharmony.org.

Great Groves

A detached part of the Broxbourne Woods complex, this 18.2ha site is privately owned and managed. It is mainly semi-natural woodland mostly oak and ash with hornbeam underlay. For more details see www.greatgroves.co.uk.