Secret green space comes out in the open

By John Lawrence
A miraculous transformation is taking place on a small parcel of green land sitting almost hidden alongside the North Circular.

In the past two years, Long Lane Pasture has evolved from an overgrown thicket of brambles into a beautiful open space featuring a wildlife pond, neat walkways and a butterfly border.

All this has been achieved by volunteers who turn up each Saturday morning to do the back-breaking work of digging and clearing.

Little green oasis
There is much more still to do but Ann Brown, from the Long Lane Pasture Trust, says the day when the pasture will be fully open to the public is not far away.
“We want to provide open access,” she said. “The pasture needs a lot of care and maintenance but it’s a beautiful spot and we want people to enjoy it.”

Ann and the other trustees are negotiating with Barnet Council to win a longer lease than the current five-year arrangement. Their commitment to the land has been shown by the startling transformation they have achieved in such a short time. They were also successful in winning two grants from the Big Lottery Fund to provide a metal fence around the pasture.

This year, the volunteers plan to finish off the landscaping of the pond, clear away even more brambles (which have a habit of coming back), and create a viewing area on the pasture’s highest point, which enjoys a panorama across the rooftops of Finchley.

If you’d like to join their work, you’ll find the pasture open from 10am to 12 noon on Saturday mornings. The entrance is opposite the fire station on Long Lane.
 

The Archer

Back