Forest Town Nature Conservation Group (FTNCG)

The Forest Town Nature Conservation Group (FTNCG) works to improve nature conservation sites within and around Forest Town, including Spa Ponds and the Rushpool Open Space. Our charitable object is to “promote for the benefit of the public the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment in and around Forest Town”. The Trustees of the charity are: Shlomo Dowen (Chair), Richard Smith (Vice Chair), Lorraine Dowen (Secretary), Josh Dowen (Treasurer), Alan Alberry, Rose Powell, James Healy, and Ross Lacey.

Spa Ponds Heritage Project

Spa Ponds Nature Reserve has some fascinating history, and to celebrate its 700^th anniversary we have set up this project to find out more about the use of the site from medieval times to present day, and celebrate its heritage and to work together to produce a plan to manage the site’s heritage based on our research and sense of place. Click here to read more about the Spa Ponds Heritage Project.

Upcoming FTNCG Meetings and Events

Forest Town Nature Conservation Group meetings and events are open to the public and are scheduled for the following dates:

Saturday 17th June 2017 (10am – 3pm) – Reading the Landscape Workshop with geologist Stephen Walker at Flint Avenue Community Centre. A chance to hear about and discuss the various processes which have shaped the landscape we see at Spa Ponds. Open to all. It would be helpful if you could let us know if you intend to join us. Please e-mail spa.ponds@gmail.com (This is part of the Spa Ponds Heritage Project)
Wednesday 5th July 2017 (7pm-9pm) – FTNCG Annual General Meeting at Forest Town Arena (Welfare) Sherwood Room, followed by presentation about the Oral History element of the Spa Ponds Heritage Project
Friday 7th July 2017 (10am-3pm) – Mediaeval History Day School at Flint Avenue Community Centre (This is part of the Spa Ponds Heritage Project)
Saturday 16th September 2017 – Spa Ponds Heritage Project Stall at Forest Town Craft Market (10am-2pm), Kingsway Hall
Wednesday 4th October 2017 (7pm-9pm) – FTNCG Meeting at Forest Town Arena (Welfare) Sherwood Room, featuring Matt Beresford who will share community archaeology findings from Spa Ponds
Saturday 14th October 2017 (10am-1pm) – Spa Ponds Heritage Project exhibition at Mansfield Museum
Wednesday 1st November 2017 – FTNCG Meeting at Forest Town Arena (Welfare) Sherwood Room
Wednesday 6th December 2017 – FTNCG Meeting at Forest Town Arena (Welfare) Sherwood Room

For minutes of previous Committee meetings, see the FTNCG Minutes Archive.

UPCOMING Spa ponds WORK DAYS

FTNCG carry out volunteer work on wildlife sites. If you wish to join in then please contact us in advance via spa.ponds@gmail.com

Rushpool Open Space – Workdays (see Rushpool Open Space Facebook page):

No activities scheduled. If you are organising anything then let us know!

Spa Ponds – Workdays (see Spa Ponds Facebook page):

Work also currently being done on an ad-hoc basis – let us know if you want to get involved.

FTNCG News

Formal notice of FTNCG AGM (5th July 2017)

Dear Member / Supporter of the Forest Town Nature Conservation Group (FTNCG), I write to formally notify you of FTNCG‘s 2017 Annual General Meeting (AGM). This meeting will be open to the public, and the formal business of the AGM will be followed by a short break … Read More »

New trees identified in Spa Ponds tree map/database

FTNCG's tree map/spreadsheet has been updated to include a new area (which we call 'EMEC5b'), including mainly young trees and some intriguing damsons. Read More »

Spa Ponds Heritage Project Announcement

The Forest Town Nature Conservation Group (FTNCG) has been successful in attracting Heritage Lottery Fund money to help pay for the Spa Ponds Heritage Project. Read More »

Older Entries »

Spa Ponds Nature Reserve

Map of Spa Ponds – Click to enlarge

Local Wildlife Site purchased for the community by FTNCG in May 2014 and maintained by FTNCG volunteers
Free to access and open to the public (walkers, cyclists and horse riders)
Main entrance off Clipstone Drive, opposite White Gates Pub, Forest Town
Medieval ponds with links to the historic Clipstone Park and to King John’s Palace in Kings Clipstone
Wildlife includes water vole, birds, toads, damselflies and dragonflies

Walking around Spa Ponds:

Please keep dogs on leads near the ponds to protect the wildlife
The Mansfield InStep walking group organise walks around various sites, including Spa Ponds.
The Mansfield Ramblers‘ Mansfield & Sherwood Walking Group also visit Spa Ponds, sometimes part of much longer walks.
Walking guides that include Spa Ponds have been produced by: Warsop Footpaths & Countryside Group (‘Warsop Walks 9’), Nottinghamshire County Council (‘Mansfield Woodhouse
Heritage walks‘), Friends of Thynghowe (‘Walking Through Clipstone Park‘), Sherwood Forest Trust (‘Clipstone Park Trail‘), Mansfield District Council (‘Your guide to Local Nature Reserves & Parks in Mansfield District‘), Sherwood Forest Information (‘Kings Clipstone route 2‘) and others.

Donating to FTNCG

Donations to the Forest Town Nature Conservation Group can be made by any of the following means:

A cheque made out to: “Forest Town Nature Conservation Group” posted to: 25 The Birchlands, Forest Town, Mansfield NG19 0ER
Bank transfer to the Forest Town Nature Conservation Group bank account, Sort Code: 089299 Account Number: 65459324
The BT MyDonate facility available via https://mydonate.bt.com/charities/foresttownnatureconservationgroup

FTNCG is Charity number 1157957, which means donations are potentially eligible for Gift Aid. Those making donations should consider whether their donations would be eligible for Gift Aid, because if they are then they should fill in a Past, Present and Future Gift Aid Declaration Form or a FTNCG Single Donation Gift Aid Declaration Form.

Volunteering Opportunities

FTNCG Members and Supporters are asked to help by:

Liking our Facebook page and posting photos of Forest Town wildlife to it
Becoming a member and coming to our meetings, events and work days (see above)
Making or growing products to share and sell
Recording and monitoring species (see forms below)
Helping research and document the heritage of Spa Ponds and Clipstone Park
Spreading the word about Conservation and Heritage activities in Forest Town, and helping us promote the work of the Forest Town Nature Conservation Group