ONE of Liskeard’s tree wardens is encouraging residents to fill in a survey that aims to highlight potential issues and opportunities for improvement at Lanchard Meadow.

The survey, being carried out by Cornwall Council, is part of its Woodland Management Plans for 2020-21. It offers locals an opportunity to have their say on how local green spaces are managed, including those in Liskeard, Saltash, Torpoint, Looe, Bodmin and Stratton.

Lynda Fletcher, member of the Liskeard tree warden team, said: “There is a big consultation regarding woodlands (Cornwall Council) own. The project is to create a woodland management plan – there are quite a few on the list from Saltash but we have one here too in Liskeard, just behind Lanchard Lane.

“I have lived here for five years and all that time I have thought that area was private land, I had no idea it was owned by the council.”

Lynda hopes to encourage as many people as possible to fill in the council’s online survey to express an interest in the site to ensure it is properly cared for: “If we can get some support and people say they want to take care of it, we could get a bunch of people down there to clear it up.

“It has been badly neglected. I think it could be a fantastic wildlife area if we got some volunteers together to look after it, clear it up, clear the river, maybe put a bench there?”

Lynda said she is conscious there is not a lot of time left for people to get their comments in and she would encourage as many people locally as possible to have their voices heard. “They have posted a sign at the entrance but no one will go down there and find it, not at the moment,” she continued. “The survey will take just five minutes to complete and it doesn’t ask you to leave any personal details – I would like to get some support for it because if we get enough responses we might be able to get a group together to care for the area.”

The results of the survey will help Cornwall Council develop woodland management plans for a number of its sites. The public are being invited to have their say on what the area is used for and whether anything can be done to improve it.

Live local projects included in the survey are: Liskeard – land west and north of Willow Way and public open space at Lanchard Meadow; Saltash – Latchbrook Valley Amenity Area, Tincombe Road and land at Oaklands Drive, Summerfields public open space, Burraton Coombe, land adjacent to Vincent Way, land at Dukes Rise Estate and north of Babis Farm Way, Notter Bridge Highways Depot and Training Centre; Torpoint – Borough Hill Woods and Great Park Plantation, Quarry Park Bottom public open space and land south side of Trevol Road; Bodmin – The Beacon and land at Respryn; Looe – Kilminorth Woods; Stratton – Tiscott Woods.

The deadline for responses is February 22. To read more about the consultation or fill in the survey for Lanchard Meadow or any other sites in the region, visit letstalk.cornwall.gov.uk/woodland-management-plans-2021