Our story
We are The Fourth Reserve Foundation.
We manage the Buckthorne Cutting Nature Reserve & campaign to protect and preserve the Forest Hill to New Cross Railway Cutting. Gorne Wood forms part of the Buckthorne Cutting but is a separate section of land and part of our work is to purchase Gorne Wood to protect and preserve it. Other projects include setting up the Eddystone Bridge planters/pocket garden and the Courtrai play area which are maintained by community/residents.
Our mission and aims
Our aim is to protect biodiversity and create community nature spaces.
Buckthorne Cutting Nature Reserve, lying between Crofton Park and Honor Oak Park, provides a wildlife sanctuary and nature refuge for visitors in the heart of Southeast London. Since 2018, the Reserve has been open to school groups and local community groups for educational and creative workshops. It is also open to the public via open days, volunteer workdays and events
The Charity
The Fourth Reserve Foundation is registered charity number 1186942.It was set up in 2018 and formally registered as a CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation) in 2019.
The name comes from the charity’s first major project, creating the Buckthorne Cutting Nature Reserve which then became the fourth nature reserve along the New Cross to Forest Hill railway cutting, as well as Devonshire Road Cutting, Garthorne Cutting and Vesta Road/ New Cross Gate Cutting.
As a registered charity we are run by a board of trustees. The Charity’s annual reports can be found here. Funding for the Foundation’s activities comes from public and corporate donations as well as from grants and awards.
The sites
1. The Courtrai Playground – a project to develop the cul-de-sac at the end of Courtrai Road into a children’s play area and community garden.
2. The Gorne Wood – the focus of a campaign being run by The Fourth Reserve Foundation to save the ancient Gorne Woods, the Dandy Park and the historic Dandy Fifth Scout site.
3. The Eddystone Bridge community garden – a much used community seating area built on Eddystone Road that provides not just a green space but also significantly improves road safety. A Greening the Grey project supporting residents wishing to create green spaces along the cutting such as at the railway bridge entrances.
4. The Buckthorne Cutting Nature Reserve – a nature reserve and wildlife sanctuary created by rescuing previously unmanaged Network Rail land. The reserve now opens for various community groups, children’s woodland education sessions and regular open days and volunteer sessions.
5. The Reed Beds – an ecologically rare area of upland reed beds and heritage orchards. The land is privately owned but the subject of an ongoing project to manage and restore it.
6. The Brockley Green Walk – a proposed new well being and heritage walk running continuously through ten acres of green space. The walk forms part of a broader Brockley Heritage walk in partnership with St Hilda’s Church.