News / Ashton Court Estate
Areas of Ashton Court Estate to be be safeguarded
With record numbers of people visiting Aston Court Estate over the winter, Bristol City Council is taking measures to ensure the site is maintained.
Sections of the park’s plateau, located near the Clifton Lodge car park of the 850-acre country park, will be roped off during the spring to create a temporary conservation area.
The roped off area will give the abundance of wildlife on the estate some recovery space.
is needed now More than ever
Because of the increased number of visitors, which can be attributed to England’s third lockdown, the area has had less time than usual to recover from the colder months.
“We recognise how important the use of Ashton Court Estate and the other parks and green spaces throughout Bristol have been in providing safe areas for people to exercise and maintain their physical and mental health during the course of the Covid-19 pandemic and we want that to continue to be the case,” says deputy mayor Asher Craig.
“The action we are taking at Ashton Court Estate is about striking a balance between maintaining these facilities and protecting the ecology within them to ensure they can be used and enjoyed by all citizens well into the future.”
Sections of the park’s plateau will be closed throughout the spring. Photo: Bristol City Council
The roped off plateau will protect breeding skylarks, which make their nests among the grass, and green-winged orchids, some of which are in danger of being damaged due to the impact of walker.
Additionally, increased visitor numbers and numbers of dogs roaming off the lead are believed to have contributed to a recent decline in the skylarks’ population.
“Everyone can play their part in safeguarding the wildlife at Ashton Court by not entering the roped-off temporary conservation areas and sticking to the mown and surfaced paths,” says Asher.
“We would also ask them to take any litter away with them and dispose of it safely as well as ensuring that dogs are controlled and, around the plateau, kept on a short lead to help with this conservation drive.’’
The roped off areas are expected to remain in place throughout the springs, with signage clearly showing the closed spaces.
Main photo: Bristol City Council
Read more: 10 walks to do with the family in and around Bristol
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