From BBC.co.uk: Birmingham’s historic Moseley Bog, said to have inspired JRR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, is to get a major revamp. The area’s Wildlife Trust will use up to £500,000 of lottery grants to transform the wetlands, adding new car parking, footpaths and public art. The news has been welcomed by fans of Tolkien. The author used the bog as a childhood playground. His great nephew, Tim Tolkien, says he hopes the spirit of the site will be preserved throughout the work. Moseley Bog dates back to the Bronze Age and is thought to have inspired the “Old Forest” in the author’s books. The city council has entered into an agreement with the Wildlife Trust to jointly manage Moseley Bog. The council will retain the freehold lease while the Wildlife Trust will manage the site for the next 25 years.