Volunteers who battled to stop Oakfrith Wood from being sold off with Urchfont Manor partied on Saturday to mark the transfer of the nature reserve to the Friends of Oakfrith Wood.
The wood has been managed by the Friends for more than 15 years and has won many awards including the Royal Forestry Society Community Woodland in 2012. At noon on Saturday villagers and volunteers marked the transfer.
Trustee Steve Russell said: “Its success is that it has been self-sustaining unlike many projects in the conservation sector, it has not relied on project funding but has the support of the community and parish council.”
In 2012 the Friends were worried Wiltshire Council would sell off the woods when Urchfont Manor College closed. But they were later told negotiations with the council meant the woods would not be part of the package.
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