Bricket Wood Common Leaflet

Brimstone mid summer. mid

dense regrowth. dense and again briefly in in briefly again and

woodland birds, that find nesting sites in the the in sites nesting find that birds, woodland they fly from March to May May to March from fly they

habitats in the wood; good for insects and and insects for good wood; the in habitats The first butterfly of the spring, spring, the of butterfly first The

wild flowers to grow. This creates a variety of of variety a creates This grow. to flowers wild leaves. Buckthorn Alder

in which encourages the cut stumps and and stumps cut the encourages which in Brimstone caterpillars eat eat caterpillars Brimstone

every year. When it happens, the light floods floods light the happens, it When year. every

and early August. early and In each wood, only a section, or coupe, is cut cut is coupe, or section, a only wood, each In

Violets. The adults fly in July July in fly adults The Violets. every 25 years, traditionally for firewood. firewood. for traditionally years, 25 every

spring they crawl down to the ground to feed on on feed to ground the to down crawl they spring of trees to regrow. Hornbeam is normally cut cut normally is Hornbeam regrow. to trees of

caterpillars under the bark of Oak trees, then in the the in then trees, Oak of bark the under caterpillars timber which relies on the marvellous ability ability marvellous the on relies which timber

Silver-washed Fritillaries spend the winter as as winter the spend Fritillaries Silver-washed

Coppicing is a way of regularly harvesting harvesting regularly of way a is Coppicing

Silver-washed Fritillary Silver-washed Coppicing

may be lost. be may

wildlife unique their and disappearing

have ceased, heathland habitats have been been have habitats heathland ceased, have

grazing and wood-cutting. Since these practices practices these Since wood-cutting. and grazing

kept at bay by the activities of commoners: commoners: of activities the by bay at kept

early August. early streams and ponds. The trees were traditionally traditionally were trees The ponds. and streams

fly in July and and July in fly of habitats including bogs, heath, acid grassland, grassland, acid heath, bogs, including habitats of

adults The Honeysuckle. on CITY AND DISTRICT COMMON LAND mix real a is there so draining free others and wet

feed caterpillars Admiral White other special plants thrive here. Some areas are are areas Some here. thrive plants special other White Admiral White

but, when trees are cleared, Heather, Gorse and and Gorse Heather, cleared, are trees when but,

between the trees. the between

wet boulder clay which is hopeless for farming farming for hopeless is which clay boulder wet

butterflies in the open areas, the rides and glades glades and rides the areas, open the in butterflies

It’s all because of the soil under your feet. It’s It’s feet. your under soil the of because all It’s

On calm and sunny summer days, look for for look days, summer sunny and calm On which give clues to the Common’s past. Common’s the to clues give which

? so special so and an area of coppiced Hornbeam trees trees Hornbeam coppiced of area an and

ST ALBANS Hertfordshire. in mysteriously shaped Beech and Oak trees, trees, Oak and Beech shaped mysteriously

Common Wood Bricket makes What totals highest the of one years: recent in The woods are special places, too. You’ll find find You’ll too. places, special are woods The

27 different butterfly species have been recorded recorded been have species butterfly different 27

acid grassland acid

coppice The Common is also a special place for butterflies. butterflies. for place special a also is Common The

Butterflies and Woodland and heathland Wet

A5 B653 Harpenden Wheathampstead A1(M) Discover the natural M1 Welwyn Garden City A1081 beauty of Bricket Nomansland Common B653 B487 A1000 Wood Common A5183 B651 Sandridge Help us conserve it by: ST ALBANS A5183 • Protecting plants and animals; St Albans Hatfield • Keeping dogs under control; • Considering other users; A4147 A1081 • Preventing fires; A414 • Taking your litter home. M25 A1000 A1(M) Remember what’s common today, may be CITY AND DISTRICT COMMON LAND rare tomorrow. A412 A5183 Garston M1 Who to contact M25 For further information about the Common How to find us please contact St Albans City & District Council’s Parks and Green Spaces team on: 01727 819366. Bricket Wood Common is situated between Mount Pleasant Lane and School Lane in the village of Visit our website at: Bricket Wood 2 miles south of St Albans. www.stalbans.gov.uk/commons The Countryside Management Service (CMS) Car parking places are very limited, so why not works with communities in Hertfordshire to help leave the car at home and get the train? them care for and enjoy the environment. The Common is a 5 minute walk from Bricket Wood CMS provides advice on the management Station, on the railway line between Watford of the Common. Junction and St Albans Abbey Station. A regular bus service also operates between Watford and For more information contact us at: St Albans, stopping at Bricket Wood. www.hertslink.org/cms or Tel: 01727 848168 For more information about public transport contact the travel line on: 0871 200 2233 www.intalink.org.uk

Explore the Common’s special woods and rare heathland on a 2 mile (3km) trail from Station Road.