Friends of the Barnet Countryside Centre

The Association of the Friends of Barnet Countryside Centre at the Denis Bland Nature Reserve, Byng Road, Barnet, EN5 4NP. Charity No. 1033774

The Friends were set up in 1991 in response to a political situation that threatened the future of this environmental education service.
The Friends of Barnet Countryside Centre provide directed activities for the local community and for schools in order to inspire a lasting interest and appreciation of the natural world.

Since May 2008 the Friends has worked in collaboration with London Wildlife Trust.

Please note that the Barnet Countryside Centre and the nature reserve are only open for:

If you want to know how to get here, click on how to get here.

A registered BBC Breathing Place, a member of the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers and a member of Barnet Voluntary Service Council.

the countryside centre

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  • The sale of the lease of the site to Noah's Ark Children's Hospice from London Borough of Barnet(LBB) took place on 16 July 2010.
    This means that Noah's Ark is now our landlord, not LBB. The terms of the sublease between Noah's Ark and us (LWT and FOBCC) will have to be agreed and approved by LBB.
    Noah's Ark are working on the final plans for their hospice building which they expect to submit together with a plan for our building to the LBB planning department in the autumn.
    Here we go, stepping into the future!

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  • Please click here for the most amazing little film about numbers - in particular, the golden ratio (derived from the Fibonacci sequence) - in nature. The Fibonacci sequence is the sequence 1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34,55,89,.. where the next number is the sum of the previous two. As you will see on the film, superimposing successive squares of these lengths leads to a spiral which is often seen in seed heads, shells and composite eyes. It is truly beautiful and less than four minutes long.
a chaffinch on the nature reserve
  • FORTHCOMING EVENTS
    Working Parties
    The next Sunday working party will be on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th September, from 10am to 3 pm - POND PROJECT WEEKEND.

    Volunteers are doing sterling work on the nature reserve - please click on Volunteering to find out more.

    • A Bat Walk and Talk, Friday 10 September, arrive at 7.45 for 8 pm
    Sorry, but no children under 14 to this session as we shall be out on site in the dark.
    Led by Patty Briggs of the Herts & Middlesex Bat Group.
    Please email info@fobcc.org.uk or ring Sue Bird on 020 8449 0705 to book your place. Places are limited.
    The charge for this will be £3 per person.
    Please click on Events to find out more.

    Other forthcoming events are a Big Draw in October, and we also hope to have a stall at the Christmas Street Fair in Barnet High Street in December.

a chaffinch on the nature reserve
  • TOWARDS THE FUTURE

    • On 3rd September 2009 the Cabinet Resources Committee took the decision that Noah’s Ark were the successful bidders for the site.
    The next few months will see the final legal details being determined – a little more waiting! Noah’s Ark, which will run a children's hospice on part of the site, will be the leaseholder of the site and have committed to creating a sub-lease to London Wildlife Trust, in conjunction with FoBCC, for the nature reserve. This will be in order to satisfy Barnet Council’s requirement for a 5 yearly reviewable management and access plan that will demonstrate how the ecological and educational objectives are to be met.
the nature reserve from the countryside centre
    Why support us?
    We need to remain active to protect and enhance the educational function of the site, both the buildings and the nature reserve. Environmental education is not a statutory service and there is no local authority funding. It is important that environmental education and its expanding remit into issues of sustainability is available for our young people and local community.
    In 2006 School Visits were reintroduced and we have welcomed nearly 500 primary school aged children in 2007 and in 2008. Click on School Visits for more information or if you would like to bring your class.
    The nature reserve is a Site of Local Importance for Nature Conservation but it is only open to the public on a limited basis. Please click on Events to find out more.
    We regularly run working parties to manage and enhance its ecological and educational value. We need a wide body of support, both financially and in volunteer time. Click on Volunteering for more details. We also need to have on board experts in varied fields and, more importantly, we need people of enthusiasm and vision.

    Please step forward and join our association!
    Annual Family Membership is £10

    Please click on Contact Us for information on how to get in touch with us.