Panshanger Park celebrates 10 years

Panshanger Park is celebrating 10 years since it opened to the public on 1st April 2014.

The park’s eastern side was opened in 2014 with visitors being able to explore and enjoy the land around Osprey Lake. Over the past 10 years, Tarmac has worked with partners Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust, Hertfordshire County Council, and contractors Maydencroft, to restore the park and open more areas to the public.

To mark the anniversary, park owner Tarmac have announced that the park has successfully applied for funding from the Countryside Stewardship Scheme. The 10-year agreement will lead to further restoration of the park’s historic landscape.

The new funding from the Countryside Stewardship Scheme will be used to maintain and restore the park, along with creating wood pasture and new parkland.

In addition to the Longhorn cattle, there are plans to introduce other livestock to graze the park in an ecologically considerate manner.

More trees will be planted, and the veteran trees will be sensitively managed to prolong their lifespan.

To enhance the River Mimram chalk stream which runs through the park, bankside coppicing will be completed to prevent overshading and to allow members of the public to enjoy this rare river habitat.

The funding will also allow important restoration works to take place on historic features in the park, including an icehouse and a barrel-vaulted store. Larger scale works such as the clearance of invasive laurel and the opening up of the Cole Green oak avenue will help to restore the parkland back to its former wood pasture glory as well as protecting the integrity of the site for decades to come.

Michael Charlton, estates manager at Tarmac, said: "We are excited to be receiving funding from the Countryside Stewardship Scheme. The grant will allow us to develop the park and enhance the progress we have already made in making Panshanger an outstanding country park. 

"We are very proud of what we have achieved at the park and can’t wait to see how it develops in the future." 

Tim Hill, conservation manager at Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust, said: "Panshanger Park is a wonderful refuge for both wildlife and people. Its historic landscape contains habitats of international importance to nature whilst at the same time providing one of the most popular places in Hertfordshire for people to experience and enjoy the beauty of the mix of woodlands, wetlands, and grasslands.

"The park is now established in the local community with over 200 volunteers helping to care for its habitats and the animals which depend upon them."