A community committee in Gloucestershire has one year to raise £164,000 to purchase Ruscombe Wood, an ancient 17-acre woodland near Stroud that has been open to the public for two decades. According to BBC News, landowners Margaret and David Lloyd have decided to sell the site and have given the Ruscombe Woodlands Committee until November 2027 to secure the funds needed for purchase, legal fees and surveys.
The couple, who have stewarded the woodland for 20 years, are keen for it to pass into community hands rather than be sold on the open market. Local residents hope the acquisition will preserve the site as a sanctuary for wildlife and future generations while keeping public access guaranteed through permissive footpaths.
According to Stroud News and Journal, the woodland contains mature beech and ash trees, and the committee is seeking non-binding pledges from residents as evidence of community support to present to funding bodies and charitable trusts. The committee says these pledges can help unlock matching grants from potential funders.
Why is the woodland under threat?
Margaret Lloyd, 79, explained that the couple had concluded it was time to sell their "pretty special piece of ancient woodland" after realising the responsibility had become "too much work" for them. She expressed hope that the community would acquire the site because residents "all love it" and would care for it as the Lloyds have done.
The decision to sell comes as ancient woodlands across England face mounting pressure. Research published by BBC News in November 2026 warned that the government's 1.5 million home-building target is threatening irreplaceable habitats despite planning protections, with dozens of approved schemes positioned adjacent to protected sites.
Margaret said:
We want the community to buy it because they all love it and we want it loved like we've loved it all this time. Really, we'd like it sold now and we could put it back on the market, but it wouldn't be the same, so the only snag for us is that it wont get done until November 2027.
What are the committee's plans for the woodland?
The Ruscombe Woodlands Committee, made up of local residents, has launched a fundraising campaign to raise the £164,000 needed. The group aims to protect wildlife and habitat while guaranteeing that permissive footpaths at the site remain open to everyone. Beyond conservation, the committee plans to offer free workshops covering woodland care, natural skills and creative crafts, and also intends to use the space as a forest school.
Martin Humphreys, a member of the committee, described the woodland's distinctive character and explained the appeal of community ownership. He said:
I like the idea that if we own the woods, nature will become part of the community and we can have that instead of a community hall.
Humphreys added that the woodland
has no public rights of way, it's not been spoilt or overworked, it's wild and has lots of creatures that have made their homes there. It has a wonderful silent quality.
According to Stroud News and Journal, practical volunteering in the woods will only begin after the legal arrangements are complete, allowing the committee to focus first on securing ownership and establishing the governance framework.
How does this fit into broader conservation efforts?
The Ruscombe campaign follows a series of community-led efforts to protect green spaces in the Stroud valleys, including campaigns for The Heavens, Boxwoods, Frome Banks and Rodborough Fields. These initiatives reflect growing local determination to preserve threatened landscapes.
The campaign also comes as community-led conservation gains momentum across the UK. In October 2026, conservation charities completed a £30 million purchase of the 9,500-acre Rothbury Estate in Northumberland, backed by Sir David Attenborough and over 25,000 donors, demonstrating the potential for large-scale community and charitable acquisition of significant natural sites. Meanwhile, a £1 million fund was launched in September 2026 to help Gloucestershire communities buy and protect threatened woodlands and wildlife sites, providing rapid financial support, legal expertise and capacity building to groups like Ruscombe Woodlands Committee.
What happens next?
The committee is working through legal requirements to complete the purchase by the November 2027 deadline set by the Lloyds. A Ruscombe Woods event is scheduled for 7:00–8:30 pm on 10 November 2026, providing an opportunity for residents to learn more about the campaign and pledge their support. Humphreys expressed appreciation for the couple's generosity in granting the community time to raise the necessary funds, noting that without their willingness to wait, the woodland would likely have been sold to private buyers unable to guarantee public access or conservation protections.
