Figure 1
Classification of community wildlife sites in the land use triangle of Holmes (2006) following Short (2008).
Table 1
The case study sites.
| Group name | Surrounding area | Site description | Site ownership | Group description | Ecological contribution? | Community involvement | Website |
| Saints Mary and John Churchyard | Urban | Formerly overgrown churchyard (woody scrub); much tree and scrub removal; currently species-poor ‘improved’ (over-fertile) grassland | Church | Voluntary group (funds managed through church; group manages separate account). Set up in 2001 | No known BAP species or habitat; may contribute to urban habitat connectivity | Irregular participation from wide social range including church members, volunteers seeking route back into work, those recovering from illness or addiction | http://www.ssmjchurchyard.org.uk/ |
| New Marston Wildlife Group | Urban | Former playing field and margins; semi-improved grassland; public interest in population of bee orchids | Owned by county council, city council will manage it. New status of “ecology park” | Voluntary group; membership payments to cover insurance for work parties | No known BAP species or habitat; may contribute to urban habitat connectivity; ecological interest of grassland due to hydrology | Very focussed on local community. Close links to former school, and to existing local primary school. Good attendance at work days | http://homepage.ntlworld.com/marilyn.cox/jsla/Milham%20Ford%20Park.htm |
| Horspath PC Wildlife Conservation Area | Peri-urban village | Former railway cutting, formerly heavily overgrown, clay. Five acres | Parish Council bought site in 1982 | Informal group since 2000. Six core members | Significant population of bats (3 species, all protected by law) | 5–10 people regularly on work days, drawn from surrounding village. Village events of 50+ once a year | http://www.shotover.clara.net/horspath/ |
| St Mary's Fields | Edge of peri-urban village | Scrub and semi-improved grassland | Parish Council | Informal, strongly dependent on core group of approx five people | Important site for breeding birds and butterflies; part of wider landscape scale conservation project | Local community involvement; species interest groups | http://kidlington-pc.gov.uk/parish/StMarys.asp |
| Wootton Conservation Trust | Edge of rural village | Mix of habitats in a 30-acre site including semi-improved grassland with small patches unimproved (chalk) grassland; wet grassland; wetland areas; old hedgerows | Wootton Conservation Trust | Trust (5 trustees) set up in 2001 | Home to water voles (UKBAP species); protected species, locally important habitat | Local community, and BTCV volunteers | http://www.ocv.org.uk/sites.php?id=16&photos=1 |
| Hailey Community Woodland Trust | Edge of rural village | Former arable, clay; newly planted woodland with native species | Hailey Community Woodland Trust | Chairman and 7/8 trustees, set up in 2001 | Increase biodiversity through native woodland creation | Strong local community involvement; links with school, planting, fundraising, ongoing events | http://www.wychwoodproject.org/wps/wcm/connect/Wychwood/What+we+do/Community+woodlands/ |