Garston Wood
| Garston Wood | |
|---|---|
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
 Information board in Garston Wood | |
 | |
| Location | Deanland, Sixpenny Handley, Dorset, England |
| Coordinates | 50°58′24″N 01°59′45″W / 50.97333°N 1.99583°W |
| Area | 34 hectares (84 acres) |
| Established | 1985[1] |
| Governing body | RSPB |
| Website | RSPB Garston Wood |
Garston Wood is a 34-hectare (84-acre) woodland nature reserve on the border between Dorset and Wiltshire in England, around 3 km (2 mi) north of the village of Sixpenny Handley, owned by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds to protect species living in the region. The reserve is a mixture of ancient woodland and managed coppices and scrubland.[2] To help maintain the park, the RSPB sets annual population targets for certain breeding pairs of birds, and manages the forest by clearing out taller and non-native trees.
In an effort to help tourists and volunteers enjoy the park, the RSPB holds an annual event programme, biannual volunteer working parties, and publishes a regularly updated trail guide. They also work to improve their visitor facilities, and maintain a media profile.
Fauna
[edit]Birds
[edit]Blackcaps, Eurasian bullfinches, garden warblers, marsh tits, tawny owls, Eurasian nuthatches, common nightingales, and spotted flycatchers are among the bird species which frequent the park, drawing in birdwatchers.
Butterflies
[edit]Butterflies found in Garston Wood include the speckled wood, silver-washed fritillary, meadow brown, small white, ringlet, brimstone, peacock and gatekeeper and comma.[3][4]
Deer
[edit]There are five species of deer in Garston Wood, including fallow deer.[5]
Flora
[edit]Several species of orchid thrive in Garston Wood,[3] along with lesser celandine, butcher's broom, wood anemone, dog violet, primrose, wild garlic, the rare toothwort and bluebells. Trees include oak, beech, hazel (which is coppiced), and a species of ash tree which is suffering from dieback.[5]
Visitors
[edit]There is a free RSPB car park near the northeastern corner of the wood and a network of trails accessible to the public. There are RSPB leaflets at the car park with information and a map of the wood. Dogs must be kept under close control and are only allowed on public footpaths and bridleways.
References
[edit]- ^ Roberts, James (1995). Walking in Dorset. Cicerone Press. p. 40. ISBN 1-85284-180-X.
- ^ RSPB Garston Wood map
- ^ a b RSPB Publication: Garston Wood: Finding your way around. Pamphlet retrieved 26 Mar 2017.
- ^ Garston Wood (RSPB), UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme. Retrieved 26 Mar 2017.
- ^ a b RSPB Information Board, Garston Wood.
External links
[edit]- About Garston Wood at www.rspb.org.uk.
- Garston Wood at www.woodlandtrust.org.uk.