Oxfordshire: Councillor ‘horrified’ as woodland vandalised

The Stanford in the Vale Community Woodland is a relatively modern woodland project created on the edge of the the village of Stanford in the Vale as part of the wider Oxfordshire Woodland Project.

It was designed to provide both a wildlife habitat and a long-term community resource for villagers.

But this week the woodlands were hit by vandals attempting to ruin the woodland

The destruction of the woodland (Image: Lee Evans)

Councillor Lee Evans said in a statement: “I was horrified to hear about the vandalism of the Stanford in the Vale Community Woodland.

“A huge amount of time and effort has been put in by local volunteers – the Stanford Woodlanders – to plant hundreds of trees in this area.

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“The aim was to improve the environment and create a wildlife corridor.”

The design for the woodland included open rides and glades for walking and wildlife, shrub planting around edges, small clusters of trees instead of rigid rows, and areas intended for biodiversity and community use.

Lee Evans, Vale Stanford councillor (Image: Lee Evans)

Mr Evans, the councillor for Kingston and Stanford, said: “Recently, some people went in determined to commit vandalism and undo all the volunteers’ efforts.

“It’s appalling. If you know anything about it, please do let me know or contact the parish council.

“I hope volunteers will come together again to repair this damage (and I’ll certainly be happy to help them).

“But the first people to sign up and help fix this mess should be those who caused the damage in the first place – it’s the least they can do to apologise to the Woodlanders and the village.”