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The OGE team work closely with community organisations and members of the public, holding regular events and outreach activities.

We have a long-term partnership with the nearby Hill End outdoor education centre, which has given generations of local children the opportunity to experience nature at first hand, and over the years many local schools have also brought children to Wytham Woods to take part in forest school programmes, science activities or other kinds of outdoor learning.

Museum CS

Wytham Woods (and the wider Wytham Estate of which they are part) are not only a haven of biodiversity and a place for science; they also have a rich social, economic and architectural history. This is explored by the Wytham Project: Histories and Communities, part of the Community History programme run by the University’s Faculty of History.

Oxford's connection to its local communities is central to the University's mission of research, teaching and public service.

There are various opportunities for community groups or organisations to partner with Oxford’s researchers on research projects. These include:

  • PCER Fund: Supports purposeful and responsible public and community engagement with research (PCER) activities. Members of the public and local community groups can partner with Oxford University researchers on applications.  
  • Science Together: Connects local community groups with researchers to collaborate on meaningful projects that address local challenges.
  • Community Impact Lab: Connects interdisciplinary teams of graduate researchers with local organisations tackling inequality in Oxfordshire.

Citizen Science  

CPG chronolog post

The aim is to allow local communities to actively participate in science. The OGE team organise citizen science events at Wytham Woods and other sites, including biodiversity monitoring walks and talks on research topics. See our events page to learn more.

Map | Chronolog

We have installed Chronolog posts at sites including Wytham Woods, Park Farm and Court Place Gardens, as well as at the site of the new woodland at Bear Wood. These enable members of the public to take photos of their surroundings from a consistent spot and in a consistent direction. 

They then upload their photos, which are automatically combined into a timelapse video that shows how the landscape changes as the seasons and years pass. We hope this will become a valuable record of long-term change at the sites, helping us monitor changes in vegetation and ecosystems. 

 

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