Fennels Wood- littering issues

A reminder that Fennels Wood is private land — and a thank you to Tracy for letting the village access and enjoy it.

Last week, one of our committee members spent time at Fennels Wood carrying out an unplanned but necessary litter pick. The result: six full refuse sacks of rubbish, including chip boxes, energy drink cans, and packaging from local supermarkets.

It prompted us to share something that not everyone in the village may know.

Fennels Wood is privately owned land. It was originally purchased by a furniture maker based in Stokenchurch, and the family — now represented by Tracy — still owns the woodland today. The public access that so many of us enjoy is not a right of way in the traditional sense. It exists because the Parish Council pays a small annual stipend to the family in exchange for allowing the village to use the wood.

When we spoke to Tracy about the litter, she was naturally anxious as she lives some way away. We assured her that in this instance the FHRA had her back. So, her response was characteristically gracious. She was clear that the problem lies entirely with a small number of people exploiting the access — not with the community as a whole — and she expressed no desire to review access to the wonderful woods we all enjoy.

We are grateful for that generosity. More than that, we are grateful for her family's continued willingness to share something genuinely beautiful with the village.

But we do want to be honest with residents: the right of access is not permanent, and it is not unconditional. If littering were to become an unmanageable burden for the landowner, the access could, in principle, be withdrawn. We do not think that is likely. We do think it is worth knowing.

Fennels Wood is one of those quiet gifts that a village like Flackwell Heath is lucky to have. A place to walk, to think, to take the dog, to let the children run. All we ask is that those who enjoy it treat it accordingly — and take their litter home.