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.

Garston Wood
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
Information board in Garston Wood
LocationDeanland, Sixpenny Handley, Dorset, England
Coordinates50°58′24″N 01°59′45″W
Area34 hectares (84 acres)
Established1985[1]
Governing bodyRSPB
WebsiteRSPB Garston Wood

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

Birds

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

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

There are five species of deer in Garston Wood, including fallow deer.[5]

Flora

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

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
  1. Roberts, James (1995). Walking in Dorset. Cicerone Press. p. 40. ISBN 1-85284-180-X.
  2. RSPB Garston Wood map
  3. RSPB Publication: Garston Wood: Finding your way around. Pamphlet retrieved 26 Mar 2017.
  4. Garston Wood (RSPB), UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme. Retrieved 26 Mar 2017.
  5. RSPB Information Board, Garston Wood.
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