This compartment covers the area surrounding the main car park and two warehouse-style buildings, numbered 150 and 616, left from the former airbase. The Rangers' office is in building 616. The compartment extends around the north side of the gravel area (compartment 16) to the east of building 616. Westward it again circumvents the north side of the gravel (again compartment 16) and travels as far west incorporating two permanent ponds. The central section is fenced and is not open to livestock grazing. There is no division into subcompartments.
The car park being ungrazed contains a mixed grassland with some scrub which surrounds the gravelled parking bays. There are ponds to the east and the west of the car park, the two on the west being quite large and deep. Items of military historical interest in this compartment are the control tower and three large fuel tanks. Large areas of blackthorn and hawthorn along with some bramble occur on the north side of the compartment along the Bury's Bank Road edge. The ponds are good for dragonflies and damselflies, especially those that have developed a good number of pond plants and marginal vegetation since restoration.
Options exist for subcompartment 14.
The car park area requires regular mowing during the summer. Paths within this area need to be maintained to prevent scrub encroachment. The area should be well maintained as it is the first contact visitors have with Greenham Common. The area surrounding and within the control tower curtilage needs regular scrub clearance and mowing to give the building the appearance of being maintained. Maintain and enhance the diversity and age structure of the grassland and hedgerows by scrub control. Remove invasive aquatic species to encourage a diverse marginal aquatic flora in the ponds.
| Objective | Area | Method | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14.1) Amenity management of car park. | Central part of compartment. | Cut and treat gorse and bramble. Hedge cut bramble banks to keep controlled. Keep grass cut around visitor area. Mow every 2 to 3 months areas around car park and around visitor signs. Mow whole area annually in Autumn. | |
| 14.2) Maintain areas around historically significant buildings/objects. | Control tower and fuel tanks. | Mow or strim regularly during the summer to allow better visibility. | |
| 14.3) Maintain neutral grassland. | Between car park, control tower and main entrance. | Mow annually, remove cuttings. Leave a 2 m strip around edge for continued cover. | comment. |
| 14.4) Diversify gorse structure. | Along the northern side of the compartment, bordering Bury's Bank Road. | Remove gorse in blocks along the road edge to reduce potential fire hazard. Allow to re-grow.. | comment. |
| 14.5) Maintain the ephemeral ponds and surrounding grassland. | Ponds throughout the compartment. | Control invasive New Zealand pigmyweed. Treat with chemicals and/or remove mechanically. Remove any scrub encroachment. | To be included in site-wide ponds management plan. |
14.6) Maintain diversity and extent of heathland.HLS objectives
|
Fenced area adjacent to building 616. | Mow small sections each year. Control scrub and bramble. | Part of this area is used for bird ringing. |
14.7) Maintain current extent of grassland.HLS objectives
|
All grassland outside the car park. | Control scrub and gorse, treat stumps. Create small scrapes for bare open areas. |