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Spalford Warren - Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust : 36.5 Ha Spalford
The reserve is a Site of special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and includes
a protected roadside verge adjacent to the site. The poor soil, derived from
aeolian or wind-blown sand was deposited after the last Ice Age (10,000 years
ago). This has resulted in an unusual animal and plant community for an inland
site.
Much of the area was planted with Corsican and Scots pine with some oak
regeneration and birch. In addition to patches of heather, gorse and broom,
more specialised sand-land plants can be found, including slender trefoil.
The dominant ground cover is wavy hair grass and sand sedge.
During World War Two, the reserve was used for the storage and disposal
of munitions to supply local airfields and from 1965 onwards the Forestry
Commission planted conifers. Many transplants did not take and patches
of grassy-heath survived. Between 1998-2000, the MOD cleared and excavated
1 ha of trees in order to remove buried scrap metals and old aluminium.
The recent excavations have created a significant area of bare sand.
Management of the Reserve
There is a phased removal of conifers alongside control of broad-leaved
trees throughout the reserve to encourage the regeneration of the grass-heath
habitat. Within the small area of mixed woodland at the northern tip of
the reserve, management will favour native species such as oak.
In order to allow for heathland restoration, areas of corsican pine trees
have been cleared, bracken is being controlled to prevent further encroachment,
and the reserve is being grazed with Hebridean sheep.
Directions
The reserve lies east of the A1133 Newark-Gainsborough road, midway between
the minor roads to Girton and Spalford.
NWT (0115) 958 8242 or www.wildlifetrust.org.uk/nottinghamshire
Key Species on Site:
Common lizard
Solitary bee
Sand wasp
Great spotted woodpecker
Redpoll
Grass wave moth
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