About the reserve

This wood is one of the best examples of an ash/oak/maple wood in Nottinghamshire. The canopy is dominated by ash with the majority of the oak restricted to the southern part of the wood. The shrub layer comprises hazel, field maple, Sallow and guelder rose. Flowering plants include many indicative of ancient woodland such as wood anenome, bluebell and primrose.

Ponds within the reserve support marsh marigold, yellow iris and water crowfoot and are home to great crested and smooth newts as well as more than 12 species of water beetle.

Stoats and foxes are regularly seen in the woodland and large molehills are evident. An extensive bird-ringing programme started in 1972, which included a major nest-box scheme. A common bird census has been undertaken since 1976. The woodland birds include woodcock, jay, great spotted and lesser-spotted woodpecker, nuthatch and, in summer, blackcap, garden warbler and spotted flycatcher. The speckled bush cricket can be found in the wood, being on the northern edge of its range and another indicator of the wood’s age. In 1995 the wood was chosen as the site for the reintroduction of the dormouse in Nottinghamshire with a further introduction in 2013. The population of dormice is monitored by the Nottinghamshire Dormouse Group and seems to be doing very well.