Flaxton Environment Group New

Flaxton Environment Group

Overview

The Flaxton Environment Group was initially established in 2023, as one of the actions following on from the Flaxton Village Plan. A majority of those responding to the questionnaire on which the Plan was based were in favour of establishing such a group. The aims of the Group are as follows:

To provide a source of information and expertise to help maintain and enhance the village environment and wildlife.
To encourage active participation by villagers, including young people, in recording, learning about and conserving the natural environment.
Work with others to improve the management of common land and other natural areas, where possible, in order to enhance wildlife and environmental value.

The group is run by a committee consisting of the following members:

Nigel Boatman (Chair)
Steve Axford (Secretary)
Simon Hudson
Chris Irish
Anne-Marie Mook

You can read the Environment Group Constitution. Villagers are invited to register an interest in receiving information and notifications about Group activities by sending an email to . Any queries may also be directed to this address.

Flaxton Environment Group News Posts

Information about Tree Works and Tree Preservation Orders and work required to trees on Flaxton Green

Wednesday November 19, 2025/in Environment Group, News /by flaxton_admin

Tree Works and Tree Preservation Orders

All mature trees in the Flaxton Conservation Area are protected by planning legislation and so a notice is required to be served on North Yorkshire Council before carrying out any work. The visual amenity value of trees is a particular consideration regarding works on trees in the Conservation Area.

A briefing note has been prepared explaining the notice application process which is free of charge and takes no more than six weeks for a decision to be given.

The briefing note is in the Village Information Sheet section of the website and contains various links to application forms and guidance notes:

https://www.flaxtonpc.org.uk/local_planning/village-information-sheets/tree-works-and-tree-preservation-orders/

Flaxton Green Gait Owners Tree Survey

Flaxton Green Gait Owners recently commissioned an independent, comprehensive report on the condition of all trees sited on the common land in Flaxton.

The tree survey findings and recommendations can be found here:

Flaxton Green Tree Safety Report

Flaxton Green Tree Works Required

You will see from the report that various works affecting trees on the Green in Flaxton are required. Tree work in any area must also be carried out with due regard to the presence of bats and breeding birds using those trees.

Certain trees already have special protection if they are covered by a Tree Preservation Order. Planning legislation now requires that development resulting in the loss or deterioration of irreplaceable habitats (such as ancient woodland and ancient or veteran trees) should be refused, unless there are wholly exceptional reasons.

Work on trees is necessary in some cases to help preserve biodiversity, nature recovery and public safety.

Three trees on the Green (two black poplars and a copper beech) have been seriously damaged by fungal heart rot and the whole trunk and branches could fall into the road in the village, endangering the public and losing the entire veteran tree. Work is required to reduce the top growth of all these trees and in the case of the copper beech it may mean entire removal to just leave the main trunk.

Work is also required to remove trees around ponds on the Green near Willow Dene and at the top of York Lane as these are causing excessive shading, poor water quality and water loss from these ponds.

These works will generate a lot of timber that is owned by the Flaxton Green Gait Owners.

There is a requirement to manage the common land in the public interest, which is defined as including nature conservation, therefore the Flaxton Green Gait Owners would welcome suggestions on how this might be achieved with this timber and how and who might maintain this use for the benefit of the public.

Suggestions will be considered by Flaxton Environment Group and actions decided by Flaxton Green Gait Owners. Please contact Steve Axford, .

Planting trees or allowing regrowth of trees on the common land is also managed by the Flaxton Green Gait Owners in the public interest. There is no duty to replace trees that have been lost, but suggestions are welcomed for tree species to replace the weeping willow and rowan that stood in front of Gorteen Cottage, the rowan that stood on the Green near Willow Dene and the copper beech that will need to be replaced at the junction of York Lane. Contact as above.

Environment Group – Sponsor a Barn Owl Nesting Box

Wednesday October 29, 2025/in Environment Group, News /by flaxton_admin

At the talk on barn owls last night the opportunity to sponsor a barn owl nest box was mentioned. The sponsorship costs £10 and the sponsor receives updates on what species is using the box (if any) and the outcome of the nesting attempt. For anyone interested in this idea, either for themselves or as a present for someone else, the leaflet gives full details.

The Tees based group and their associates manage some nesting boxes in and around the Ryedale Area including the Howardian Hills.

The link to the website is https://www.teeswildlife.org/what-we-do/current-projects/barn-owl-nest-box-network/.

Barn Owl Nest Box Sponsor Form

Environment Group Barn Owl Talk – Last Chance for Half Price Entry Tickets

Friday October 17, 2025/in Environment Group, News /by flaxton_admin

Reminder from the Environment Group

Last chance to get half-price entry to the Barn Owl Talk on 28th October 2025 – the deadline for half price entry is this Sunday 19th October.

See Flyer for details of event and how to apply and pay

Flaxton Environment Group Publications and Articles

Published Date	Environment Group Article	Document
Mon 27th Oct, 2025	Flaxton Common Tree Investigation Report	Download Tree Investigation Report
Sun 31st Aug, 2025	Flaxton Common Tree Condition and Safety Report	Download Tree Condition and Safety Report
Mon 19th May, 2025	Pond Dipping Handout	Download Pond Dipping Handout
Sat 1st Feb, 2025	Flaxton Big Garden Birdwatch Report 2025	Download Flaxton Big Garden Birdwatch Report 2025
Fri 5th Apr, 2024	Flaxton Pond Survey 2024	Download Flaxton Pond Survey 2024
Fri 16th Feb, 2024	Flaxton Environment Group Constitution	Download Flaxton Environment Group Constitution
Thu 1st Feb, 2024	Flaxton Big Garden Birdwatch Report 2024	Download Flaxton Big Garden Birdwatch Report 2024
Fri 18th Jun, 2021	Flaxton Fungi	Download Flaxton Fungi Species Report
Fri 8th Jun, 2012	Flaxton Green Botanical Survey – 2012	Download Flaxton Green Botanical Survey - 2012
Mon 31st May, 1999	Flaxton Green Botanical Survey – 1999	Download Flaxton Green Botanical Survey - 1999

Useful Links to Environment-related Websites

Below are some links to useful websites dealing with environmental issues. It is anticipated that this will be added to from time to time. If you have a particular issue you want to address, please check this list to see if it’s covered, if not let us know via .

Similarly, if you know of a useful website which is not listed, please let us know on via the above email address.

Recycling

www.recycle-more.co.uk – Where to recycle near me. A handy site where you can find the nearest place to recycle specific waste materials.

www.recyclenow.com Similar to the above, gives information on where you can recycle specific materials, including whether you can recycle them from home.

www.recycle-more.co.uk Ryedale Environmental Group – their green guide gives information on local recycling sites in Ryedale

www.stnicks.org.uk/waste-and-sustainability gives information on recycling in York

Other Local Environment Groups

The Ryedale Environmental Group is an umbrella organisation for other local environmental groups. For further information and links to the member groups see The Ryedale Environmental Group – Ryedale Environmental Group (ryedaleenvirogroup.co.uk). They also have a useful Green Guide with information on Recycling (see above), Composting, Green homes and other buildings, Food, Transport and Environmental projects in the local area.

Local Nature Restoration Strategy

This strategy is currently under development by North Yorkshire Council and City of York Council, and aims to “consider land at a county scale and will identify locations to improve nature and provide other benefits, such as capturing carbon from the atmosphere, flood regulation and access to nature-rich spaces where this is most needed for health and wellbeing”. For further information and details of how to get involved, see www.northyorks.gov.uk/environment-and-neighbourhoods/conservation/local-nature-recovery-strategy