Conservation

Conservation at Batsford falls broadly into two categories; botanical conservation of exotic plant varieties and conservation of native flora and fauna. The former is the main priority but with such a varied habitat there is plenty of scope to develop the latter as well.

Global conservation of plant material embraces the importance of maintaining a large genetic variability (biodiversity). When plants are grown commercially they are often propagated from a limited source of mother plants with a limited gene pool. As a result we have to try to give nature a helping hand.

Various botanic gardens have supplied wild collected seeds and plants to the arboretum. These are all recorded enabling them to be traced if the source garden requires any information or plant material for breeding programmes in the future.

Because of its nature, the arboretum contains a large variety of native flora and fauna and a sympathetic management regime does much to encourage these.

If you have an interest or expertise in any field of native conservation and would be willing to carry out methodical surveys then we would like to hear from you.

A list of Bird Species, Mammals, Reptiles and Amphibians found in the grounds of Batsford Park can be viewed below.  For further specific information on visiting and nesting birds in 2010, please click here.