The Fairfield Association is inviting proposals for a permanent name for the new nature reserve, which has been known up to now as FAUNA (Fairfield Association Urban Nature Area). We are looking for a memorable and distinctive name for the reserve, which will be known as ‘X [or XX] Nature Reserve’ (the word ‘Urban’ is inaccurate and will be dropped). Once the name is decided, we will apply to register the site as an official Local Nature Reserve with Natural England, so it can appear on Ordnance survey and other maps. Registration may also help us in applying for funding in future.

The winning name will be selected by the Association’s FAUNA and Orchard Group on June 2, and will be announced at the Open Garden event (National Gardens Scheme) at Carr House Farm, Lancaster (Robin and Helen Loxam’s garden) on June 11/12. As well as the satisfaction of giving a permanent name to the site, the winner will be acknowledged in our publicity material.

We would also like suggestions for names for different areas of the reserve (see map). These are:

A. The field lying east of the centre line and north of Lucy Brook. This will be restored as a hay meadow, and will be lightly grazed during the autumn/winter months.

B. The big field west of the centre line, north of Lucy Brook and running parallel to the Orchard. This will be grazed year round, and we will be digging new scrapes and small ponds within it to attract wading birds, including (hopefully) snipe, lapwing and curlew over the winter months.

C. The small triangular field south of Lucy Brook. The low-lying parts of this will be excavated to create ponds and reed beds for wading birds, ducks etc.

D. The seasonal pond on the land we are leasing from the Girls’ Grammar School, just north of the boundary between A and B. Sluices will be installed so that, hopefully, this will remain wet for much of the year.

E. The ‘paddock’ beside the access path to the Orchard from Sunnyside Lane, bordering the allotments on the east.

F. The small field above Robin Loxam’s garden (used for barns and equipment plus cattle treatment as needed).

The words in bold on this page (see above and below) may give you some ideas, but of course there are many other possibilities – feel free to be inventive! If you want, you can use the Comments section on the form to explain why you think your name(s) is/are appropriate.

Some local names:

Fairfield refers to the nearest area of urban Lancaster (and of course to the Orchard, Play Area and Allotments).
Edenbreck refers to the nearest houses to the Orchard side of the reserve.
Sunnyside Lane and Piggy Hill are nearby.
Carr House (Farm and Lane) refers to the nearest houses on the northeast.
Aldcliffe Road and Cromwell Road are the nearest streets to the east.
Lucy Brook runs through the middle of the site.
The Girls’ Grammar School’s fields just to the north were historically known as Monmouth Closes, Carr Meadow and (probably) Swallowholme.
The fields to the south of Lucy Brook were historically known as Sourholme or Sowerholme.

The Loxam family has farmed the land for at least three generations.