CAMPAIGNERS are fighting to save an ancient woodland from being chopped down and fenced off from public access.

A group of Lane End residents have formed the Finings Wood Community Group in an ambitious plan to buy the wood and secure its future for the village.

As such, a sponsored walk is taking place on Sunday, April 23 to help raise funds to buy Findings Wood to secure its future for local residents.

Finings Wood, a 63 acre wood is listed for sale for offers over £600,000 and is described and could be at risk of being bought by a wood lotting company.

What is wood lotting?

Wood lotting companies break down the woodland up into small parcels of land, or ‘lots’, which are then sold to numerous different owners.

The campaign group said this causes a 'detrimental effect for nature as the woodland cannot be looked after properly as a whole.'

Individual owners may create access tracks, fell trees, trample ground flora and erect temporary buildings.

Local residents could also lose their walking routes as lots are fenced off. 

One local resident said: "This woodland is synonymous with my childhood. Time spent building dens as a kid, jogging through it as a teenager and chatting through man of life’s challenges with my parents and friends.’

Another said: As a Lane Ender, I feel so very lucky to have this ancient and unspoilt woodland on my doorstep."

Finings Wood Community Group, supported in principle by the Chilterns Conservation Board, is pursuing funding through grant applications, private donations and fundraising events such as ‘Walk the five Ends’.

The event is a sponsored spring walk through the blossom and bluebells of Lane End (including Finings Wood), Cadmore End, Bolter End, Moor End and Wheeler End on April 23.

It is open to everyone and starts at 10.30am to 12noon at Lane End Village Hall.

The approx 11km walk should take around 2.5 hours (there’s also a 2k family walk).

There’ll be free tea and biscuits at Lane End Village Hall, plus homemade cakes to buy and hot sandwiches from the BBQ in the village hall garden.

Finings Wood Community Group Chair Alastair Broom said: "We urge everyone to take part in Walk the five Ends for Finings Wood.

"The walk will go through the beautiful countryside in the area at a glorious time of year.

"Spring in the Chilterns is magnificent with blossom in the hedgerows and bluebells in the woodlands.

"We’re working hard to make it a wonderful day for walkers and we’re grateful to those who support us to reach our target to buy Finings Wood for the community."