NATURE lovers are being asked to pull on their walking boots next month to help protect Oxford’s green spaces.

A sponsored walk, organised by the Oxfordshire branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England, will follow a specially designed nine-mile route and raise money for several city conservation groups.

The Oxford Green Spaces Circular Walk also marks the launch of a new CPRE project to map every green space in the city.

CPRE Oxfordshire’s campaign manager Helena Whall said: “We thought it would be nice to link these places so people in the city know what exists on their doorsteps and so they can find out what they can do in their own area to protect green space.”

The sponsored walk route links Warneford Meadow, Trap Grounds and Oxpens Meadows, three areas that have been the subject of campaigns to protect them in recent years.

Warneford Meadow gained ‘Town Green’ status in March after a long battle.

On the day of the walk, each of the three areas will feature information stalls and children’s activities.

She added: “It’s highlighting these little oases in a noisy and busy city and what the local people have done to protect them.”

The walk will raise money for the Friends of Oxpens Meadow, the Friends of Warneford Meadow and the CPRE’s project to map and protect Oxford’s green space.

She said: “The work will map all the green spaces, what they are called, who owns them and whether they are accessible to the public, as not all of this is known.”

The group’s ambition is to link all the green space in the city with the Oxford Green Belt, to create a ‘green infrastructure’ for residents to enjoy and use.

Dr Whall said: “If we don’t know where these spaces are and they are developed on without you knowing then we have lost something very rare and beautiful.”

Walkers can take part in the full nine-mile route, or walk one or two of the three-mile sections. For details visit cpreoxon.org.uk