Annual Reviews

Each year we now produce an 'Annual Review' for Friends and Members, which incorporates a summary of our formal Year-end Report, plus what we hope are some interesting highlights of the year in question.

Previous Annual Reviews can be downloaded here:

2020 Annual Review

2019 Annual Review

Members and Friends are sent these annual reviews as soon as they are produced each summer, and have an opportunity to attend our AGM each October and raise any issues.

If you would like to become a Friend, you can read more on our Join Us page, and then complete the application form.

News from the Down prev : next

News Round-up - September 2013

New Hedge Planting
In order to enhance the habitat for cross-site nature pathways, it is proposed that a hedge is planted across the site along the crop line, punctuated with a copse of trees at the paddock intersection. Not only will this enhance habitat, but will improve the general view looking southwards and break up the pronounced linear aspect of the site. About 500m of mixed natural species is to be planted; each £1 you give will help. Your donation will help with the planting and maintenance of this new feature on Magog Down.

Winter Bird Feeding

Once the naturally occurring seeds on the Magog Downs and surrounding agricultural fields have been exhausted, the winter–spring period becomes a time of prolonged hunger for many of our resident birds. During this ‘hungry gap’ mortality is high and the surviving birds tend to enter the breeding season under-nourished. Starting in January 2013 and lasting till late April, the Trust decided to improve the winter food supply by providing supplementary feeding at sites in the Car Park and Vestey Wood. Blackbirds, chaffinches, greenfinches, yellowhammers, dunnocks, robins and wood pigeons were the most frequently recorded species eating grain at the Car Park, and chaffinches and yellowhammers at Vestey. Your donation will help us to carry out this programme again in future years.

Volunteer Tasks
A band of volunteers meets monthly on Magog Down to carry out tasks such as cutting back blackthorn, laying woodchips, planting new hedges, pulling ragwort. A couple of hours in the open air helping maintain the Down can be a rewarding experience. Presently the group meets on the second Wednesday of the month at 2pm. We would like to have another group at the weekends, giving more people the opportunity to help. Please let us know if you would like to be involved at either time; it would be great if someone would volunteer to lead a weekend group. If you are interested in helping, please e-mail admin@magogtrust.org.uk quoting subject Volunteer.

Picture Gallery
We have an ever increasing number of photos which we desperately need someone to organise so that they can be shared on the website. Do please get in touch if you could help with our picture library: e-mail admin@magogtrust.org.ukquoting subject Photos.

Dog Champion
Many enjoy walking their dogs on Magog Down and also meeting other dog owners in Fair Field, the dog play area. The majority of dog owners respect this beautiful area, clean up after their dogs, respect the Countryside Code by keeping their dogs under control and have them on a lead where requested. Sadly some are less caring of the countryside and those around them. Much is done for dog walkers: provision of off-lead walking, play area, winter and summer path maintenance, dog bin clearance – all amounting to well into thousands of pounds. Emptying the dog bins alone costs in the region of £4,000 annually. We would like some dog walkers to help us keep Magog Down a pleasant environment for everyone. If you would like to become a dog champion for the Down, along with others, then please e-mail admin@magogtrust.org.uk subject Dogs.

Old Newsletters

Up until 2011 we produced a twice-yearly Newsletter, and you can still download copies of some of these here:

In 2011 the re-designed website was launched, and so the decision was taken to stop producing these Newsletters, and instead to use this website as the main means of communication for news and articles of interest.

This move away from a regular Newsletter meant that more of the Members' and Friends' subscriptions could be spent directly on the costs of upkeep and husbandry on the Down.

We would love every regular visitor to Magog Down to help support its upkeep by becoming a Friend. Read more on our Join Us page, and then complete the application form.