Droitwich Community Woods Trail Guide
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Droitwich Get Involved In Your Local This is one of over 70 nature reserves owned or cared for by Worcestershire Community Woods Nature Reserve Wildlife Trust that form part of our vision for a Living Landscape for Worcestershire. By You can get involved in looking after your Trail Guide working with other landowners, managers Worcestershire local nature reserve in several ways. and communities we aim to restore, recreate and reconnect fragmented natural Join in on the practical conservation tasks habitats to achieve a landscape where each week, or we also run a weekend wildlife can flourish and people can lead task once a month. happier and healthier lives. You will have the opportunity to try out a Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, Lower Smite variety of tasks which could include Farm, Smite Hill, Hindlip, coppicing, footpath maintenance or wildlife Worcester, WR3 8SZ. monitoring. Tel: 01905 754919 Fax: 01905 755868 You do not need to have any previous [email protected] practical experi ence as tools and instruction www.worcswildlifetrust.co.uk are provided. You will need suitable outdoor clothing and footwear. For further details on these practical tasks please contact Worcestershire Wildlife Trust. Access to Nature Reserve Droitwich Community Woods is a great place to take a healthy walk and gain some exercise. Access on foot to the site is marked on the reserve map. These include entrances off Chawson Lane and Ombers ley Way. The reserve can be reached from the town centre by walking along the canal towpath. Whilst there is no marked car park for the Photo credits: Dan Watts, Ruth Bourne, Karen Summers, reserve, there is limited parking available on Steve Bloomfield, Debs Bull, Zoe Stevens, John Holder. Ombersley Way close to the playing field. Registered in England as a charity and a company limited by guarantee. Charity No 256618 Company No 929044 For any queries regarding this Reserve please contact Client Services at Wychavon District Council on 01386 565018. Designed by Protecting Wildlife for the future On the doorstep of many Droitwich Spa Dittander residents is Droitwich Community Woods. This Salwarpe Valley 75 acre nature reserve is managed by A legacy of the Droitwich Spa salt industry Worcestershire Wildlife Trust in partnership with remains in the form of Wychavon District Council. It is a wonderful area the Salwarpe Valley salt of woodland, meadows, grassland and hedge marsh, which covered banks, with the Droitwich Barge Canal and the the lower sections of the Briar Hill Coppice part of Salwarpe River both running through the reserve. the reserve. This results It is easily accessible on foot, only about a mile in salt tolerant f rom the town centre. Volunteers play a key role (halophytic) plants in maintaining this mosaic of habitats for wildlife occurring here, including dittander. to live in and for people to enjoy. There are some non- native, invasive species The found on the site including Japanese Woodland knotweed and This part of the Himalayan balsam, reserve is a mass of which we would like to colour in the spring, er adicate as they first with the cowslips threaten the native flora. and then bluebells. Summer gives us willows and poplars. As you walk through you may see Hay Meadow dragonflies and The wet grassland area in Hay Meadow butterflies or even a by the river is an important site for plants kingfisher by the including meadowsweet, purple loose water. Birds such as strife and great willowherb. To manage the blue tit and great this area we mow only one third of the tit use the nesting grass each year. Insects still have cover boxes we have put in in the long vegetation and cutting this part of the increases flowers in the meadow. reserve. Butterflies such as the brimstone are attracted to the nectar. Native bluebells The Grasslands These are rich in spiders and insects such as ground beetles which make excellent food for birds and small mammals such as shrews. Marbled White Gorsey Bank This area of the reserve has old oak trees which are home to many insects. If you are lucky you might catch a glimpse of the purple hairstreak butterfly high in the oak canopy. You can also see the perry pear trees which are much older than most of the woodland here. Did you know... During the summer months Meadowsweet is a white you’ll be sure to find flowering plant found dragonflies and damselflies each summer in the along the river and canal. areas of wet grassland The azure damselfly along the River Salwarpe. (pictured) is the fourth most It is strong smellingn and i common species of medieval times was used damselfly found in to scent pillows. Worcestershire. They stay around the bank and vegetation, rarely going out above the water. Species such as otter (pictured) will Coppicing is a traditional only become resident if the water quality method of managing of the river or canal is good. They don’t trees by cutting down live in polluted or disturbed waters. It is young stems to near hoped that these beautiful mammals will ground level. Regularly one day set up home in our nature coppiced trees will live a reserve. Keep a look out! lot longer and the different stages of coppicing in the wood create a variety of habitats for wildlife. Kingfishers eat fish and aquatic insects. They are occasionally sighted Whatever the season there along the canal and river is always wildlife activity for you here. They have to spot as you walk through unmistakable iridescent the nature reserve. feathers that can appear Don’t forget your binoculars or to be bright blue or green. to bring a camera with you!.