For the past ten years the Trust for Oxfordshire's Environment has pumped millions of pounds into improving the countryside, writes ELIZABETH EDWARDS

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the Trust for Oxfordshire's Environment and since 1998 it has contributed £4.4m of grants to 375 environmental schemes across the county.

The projects supported have been many and varied, whether conserving the environment and promoting biodiversity, improving countryside access, developing sport and recreation, improving village halls, or restoring historic buildings.

The trust receives its income from the Landfill Communities Fund, formerly the Landfill Credit Scheme, and last year distributed £244,268 to local projects.

Grants can be made to communities within ten miles of a landfill site, but this is not as restrictive as it might seem. In practice, says trust administrator Fiona Danks, virtually every community in the county is eligible. Not all landfill sites have to be working to qualify.

The first scheme to receive support was the Hurst Water Meadow Trust, near Dorchester, where a £20,000 grant helped pay for a replacement bridge. A new single-span structure has enabled conservation work to continue and give access to visitors to these riverside meadows.

Another access initiative has been ToE's collaboration with Oxfordshire County Council on the People For Places scheme. So far 12 communities and organisations have been provided with £50,000 to improve countryside access.

Projects completed include a woodland roadside path at Mollington, near Banbury, a stile-free route at Chipping Norton and a community nature link between Long Wittenham and Little Wittenham.

Also under way are bridleway improvements at Otmoor, wheelchair access schemes in Charlbury, Kingston Bagpuize and Witney, improving paths in the Chilterns and by the River Thames at Wallingford.

Fritwell Parish Council and Epwell Parish Council have both successfully applied for help towards improving access along a footpath in Fritwell and new gates at Epwell.

Projects have covered the four corners of the county, as well as Oxford.

In the north, help was given in Swalcliffe towards completing a stone retaining wall at the village green and improve access. At Fewcott, tree-planting has taken place, while Tackley has a new community garden, and Duns Tew youngsters can enjoy a new playground and cycle racks.

In the west, Bourton village hall received help with roof repairs, one of more than 70 buildings to have work done.

Watchfield's new sports pavilion has been helped on its way and Shrivenham's teenagers now have their own shelter and games area.

Roger Davis, of Oxfordshire Playing Fields Association, which is a partner with ToE, was able to see the Shrivenham site when he paid them a visit.

"We look forward to many more projects in the future with ToE's financial encouragement," he said. "Together we can support playground managers, frequently town or parish councils, to introduce challenging and exciting ways of playing."

In the Oxford area, community woodlands have been established at Cutteslowe and Kennington, while in the city, ToE has been a key factor in the extension of the Boundary Brook Nature Park.

Grants are also made to the Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust. St John's Church at Fernham can now be used as a village community centre.

On historic structures, the paintwork on the Maharajah's Well at Stoke Row has been renewed, and at Steventon, the 12th-century Causeway, a public right of way, has been renovated.

Environmental projects have included the clearance of conifers at Ipsden Heath to benefit the ground flora of ancient woodland, a boardwalk to improve access at the Withymead Nature Reserve at South Stoke, help with pond management at Childrey, and at Woodcote the restoration of species-rich grassland on the landscape of the Sinodun Hills.

Among the criteria for plans is that work should be carried out on environmental principles, incorporating the latest ideas on environmental protection.

So the installation of energy-efficient photovoltaic panels at West Oxford Community Centre was looked upon favourably, as were improvements to energy efficiency at Standlake village hall.

Ensuring disabled access is an important factor, too, as can be seen at Checkendon village hall.

"Looking back over the last ten years," said Fiona, "the projects we have supported have been making quite a difference to communities and the environment in Oxfordshire."

But there will be no resting on its laurels for ToE. A new project is already in the pipeline, one of increasing the involvement of young people with their environment, with a series of volunteer projects. For more information go to the www.trustforoxfordshire.org.uk website.