Verulamium Park Management Plan 2012-2017 v2.1

In addition, an area of unused lane adjacent to the Park at the bottom of
Abbey Mill Lane is owned by the Council and we have produced a small green
Spaces Action plan for this area. This document is available upon request
See Appendix 4 – Grounds Maintenance Specification for further information.
5.2.14 Hedgerows
The hedgerows across the site of varying degrees of quality and condition. In
some places, undermining by rabbits is destroying the hedge. The hedgerows
are important ecological corridors/habitats and landscape visual features, and
should be retained and enhanced where possible. The Council has recently
secured consent from English Heritage to plant a new hedge line in Bell
Meadow and will continue working with the Friends of Verulamium Park and
other Community Groups to continue to plant the hedge line on Seabrook
Meadow. Running through the centre of the Park is an ancient hedgerow that
divides the formal and informal part of the Park.
We plan to regenerate this hedgerow, and in doing so will ensure that it
includes a mix of native species used of local providence, characteristic of the
area, we will also allow a number of ‘standards’ to grow up to maturity, rather
than cutting the whole hedge.
5.2.15 Trees
See Appendix 4 – Grounds Maintenance Specification for further information.
The Park has a good stock of mature trees that are fundamental to its
parkland character. These include significant features, such as the avenues
that area remnant of the old field boundaries. At some point in the future
these trees will die and/or need to be felled, which will have a significant
impact on the Park. Therefore, management of the site should be looking to
retain the Park’s distinctive character in the long term through establishing
new tree planting that will eventually replace the mature tree stock.
Tree planting in the Park is constrained by its ancient monument status so
large areas within it cannot be used because of buried archaeological
remains.
The Council also has a Memorial Tree Programme where designated locations
have been agreed with English Heritage that allows the Council to plant
specimen trees in memory of a friend / relative or to celebrate an event. This
programme will be developed further. In addition to the memorial tree planting
scheme the Council will being working with English Heritage
5.2.16 Bird Wildlife Area
Located adjacent to Grebe House there is a small section of land that used to
be occupied by a small zoo some 30 years ago. The area of land until
recently was completely overgrown and unused. During spring 2012 the area
was seeded with native flower meadow grass. Working with The Herts and
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