Snape Wood is one of the most important wildlife sites in the city of Nottingham and is thought to be a remnant of Sherwood Forest.

It is one of only seven woods in the City of Nottingham which display ancient characteristics, and supports a number of species of both city and county importance. It provides the type of habitat for wildlife which is extremely scarce in the East Midlands.

Snape Wood forms part of a valuable wildlife corridor comprising of other ancient woodlands, notably Sellers Wood (which is 200 metres away), New Farm Wood, Low Wood, Temple Wood, Barkers Wood and Home Wood, all of which are within 2 km of the site.

Firstly – what is a nature reserve ?

Nature reserves are places where wildlife comes first, and which are reserved and managed for conservation. They were established to protect the most important areas of wildlife habitat and geological formations in Britain, and as places for scientific research. This does not mean they are “no-go areas” for people. However, it does mean that we must be careful not to damage the wildlife of these fragile places.

Location of Snape Wood

Snape Wood is in the Bulwell area of Nottingham, four miles north west of the City centre. It lies in the heart of the Snape Wood housing estate, between Snape Wood Road and Low Wood Road (the A6002).

The Ordnance Survey grid reference is SK525 4 53, covered by OS Landranger map 129.

Nottingham City Transport bus services 68 and 69 (between them providing a 10 minute day time service between Snape Wood and the City, via Bulwell) pass along Low Wood Road and Snape Wood Road, stopping along the edges of the Wood.

Size of Snape Wood

Snape Wood covers 2.3 hectares (5.7 acres) of mixed woodland. There is a strip of grassland parallel with Low Wood Road, which acts as a break between the main wood and a short line of trees acting as a barrier from the main road, but which also includes a small copse at the bottom of Salmon Close.

Snape Wood geology

Snape Wood rests on calcareous clay soils, originally derived form the Mercia Mudstones. Due to the presence of clay, the site is generally quite damp, although standing water is rarely seen (except along the main pathways after heavy rain).

Trees (highest layer)

The key species are ash, pedunculate oak and field maple. Subsequent human planting over many centuries has also resulted in the presence of sycamore, beech, larch and hornbeam.

Shrubs (middle layer)

As a former coppice wood, it is not surprising to see the presence of hazel in the wood, but you can also see guelder rose, redcurrant, honeysuckle, holly and even elm.

Wild flowers (ground level)

Spring is a sensational time in Snape Wood, before the trees turn into full leaf and block out the light. The key flowers to emerge are wood anemone, lesser celandine, yellow archangel, wood melick and, more obviously, the bluebell. These are all flowers traditionally found in ancient woodlands. Bluebells in particular show us that the site has existed as a woodland for at least 400 years.

Birds

A wide range of birds either visit or are resident in Snape Wood, with the following recorded in the last 18 months : blackbird, blackcap, blue tit, bullfinch, chaffinch, chiff-chaff, coal tit, collared dove, crow, dunnock, goldfinch, great spotted woodpecker, great tit, greenfinch, green woodpecker, jay, kestrel, long-tailed tit, magpie, nuthatch, robin, sparrowhawk, starling, tawny owl, woodpigeon and wren.

Mammals

There are a number of resident mammals, namely pipistrelle bats, grey squirrels, hedgehogs and wood mice, whilst the wood also receives regular visits from brown rats, house mice and foxes. And cats, dogs and humans of course !

Past management

In the past many of the woodlands in Bulwell and Nuthall were managed as hazel coppice to provide timber and fuel and evidence of this old type of woodland management can still be seen in Snape Wood today.

Coppicing involves the cutting of shrubs such as hazel to within a few inches of the ground leaving a low stump or ‘stool’. New shoots soon re-grow and the shrub is re-coppiced 10 to 15 years later. Coppicing was undertaken on a rotational basis so a different section of the wood was coppiced each year, thus ensuring an annual supply of thin stems that could be used for fencing, basket weaving and tool handles.

In some woods, this cycle of management has been repeated over hundreds of years. Coppicing benefits wildlife by creating the right conditions for the spring flowers and providing a range of different habitats for birds and animals.

In order to provide large timbers for building carts, barns, houses and boats the occasional large tree or ‘standard’ was allowed to grow above the coppice.

Snape Wood has not been managed for its timber for a number of years and is now surrounded by houses. Today the wood needs to be protected and managed for wildlife and for the enjoyment of people.

More recent management

The biggest threat to this piece of ancient woodland was the redevelopment of part of the site as social housing, to ease chronic housing shortages in Nottingham. First planned in the late 1960s, the estate was finally completed in the early 1980s. The majority of the woodland escaped development, and remains as an interesting and valuable diversion in an area of high density housing.

The site is owned by Nottingham City Homes, and limited maintenance of the site was carried out by Nottingham City Council, usually restricted to the perimeter.

The construction of a perimeter fence, planting of a hedgerow (opposite Ashton Park) and litter clearance in the early 1990s were organised by the Nottinghamshire Urban Wildlife Scheme (operated by the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust), Bulwell Environmental Group  and the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers. The work was funded by Nottingham City Council and English Nature (now Natural England) and undertaken by local volunteers and Prospects Initial Training Wildlife Project.

More recent projects have included further litter picks, and the installation of some metal benches at two entrances, as well as wooden bollards to restrict access to cars. In the late 1990s and early 2000s joyriders often deliberately drove cars onto the reserve and set light to them, causing considerable damage to some areas of the site. Only now is it starting to recover.

The site continues to attract fly-tipping, a lot of it domestic or bulky waste from a small handful of local residents. Not only does it make the reserve look incredibly neglected and messy, it also poses a considerable danger to resident wildlife  and attracts brown rats and foxes.

Very recent developments

From September 2008 onwards one volunteer, Clayts, began to start clearing some of the rubbish away, but this only scratched the surface and he quickly came to realise this was not something which he could do alone.

Clayts approached Nottingham City Council for advice and guidance. This led to the involvement of Bulwell Vision, a Local Area Partnership, which gave the much-needed impetus required to transform one man’s vision of restoring and maintaining the site into a community-wide conservation project.

In February 2009, the first steps towards forming a joint Friends group were taken, taking ownership for the maintenance and conservation of the reserve and the adjoining Ashton Park. A Big Spring Clean of the site in March 2009 saw the removal of 3 tonnes of rubbish, thanks to the help of volunteers, Nottingham City Council staff and the pupils of Snape Wood Primary School.

Future management

In March 2009 the Friends group was formed, taking responsibility for promoting both the Reserve and Ashton Park.

With support and guidance from Nottingham City Council and a number of other local initiatives, it should be possible to restore the nature reserve to some of its former glory.

Projects which need to be carried out as a priority are :

• new bins and signage at each of the four entrances
• a full survey of current flora and fauna
• creation of feeding/nesting areas for wildlife
• clearance of pathways
• addition of more hedgerow
• recommence coppicing to encourage more wildflower growth
• reviewing and amending an old management plan drawn up in 1992
• applying for formal Local Nature Reserve status

Interaction with the urban environment

The location of the reserve makes it very special, meaning birds and mammals from the woods are frequent visitors to the gardens of many residents, particularly those who go out of their way to feed them.

Unfortunately, the proximity of the site to urbanisation does mean it can attract vandalism and fly-tipping, although it is hoped that once residents see there is maintenance work being carried out to improve the site it will fulfil its potential of being a valuable recreational and educational resource for the whole community to enjoy.