Rabbit Warren Wood and Castle Cottage

The Wood

Bird Box Conservation Programme

Rabbit Warren Wood is a valuable example of ancient Cotswold beech woodland, supporting a characteristic fauna but, most importantly, a number of uncommon and nationally scarce species. The wood has been designated as of County Key Wildlife quality.

The Cotswold Hills have been covered in woodland for millennia. The Cotswolds have been inhabited for at least 50,000 years from Mesolithic times (the finding of mesolithic flint tools is not uncommon). The people then were hunter-gatherers. However, six thousand years ago, a change took place and the communities became agricultural based and settlements were laid down. The trees within Rabbit Warren Wood match the charcoal remains found in a nearby Neolithic long barrow (burial site) that is over 4000 years old: beeech, ash, hawthorn, hazel, yew, elm and cherry.

Important species within the wood include:

Dirhagus pygmaeus: a red data book False Click Beetle

Carex digitata: nationally scarce Fingered Sedge

Helleborus foetidus: nationally scarce Stinking Hellebore

Neottia nidus-avis: Bird’s Nest Orchid

Chrisops nagatomii: nationally scarce Soldier Fly

Nanogona polydesmoide: a millipede on the UK Biodiversity Plan

Paradelphomyia dalei: a crane fly. This is the only known location in Gloucestershire

In total, there have been 133 species of flora recorded, 93 invertebrate species (2 nationally scarce and 8 nationally or locally uncommon).

The number of bird species is encouraging and has grown as the conservation programme has been implemented (over 30 have now been recorded). Specific activity has taken place to encourage birds to nest including the setting up of 36 nest boxes and the dispersal of brushwood. This has led to the wood becoming the habitat of two nationally declining species (and which are part of the UK’s biodiversity plan): the Song Thrush and the Spotted Flycatcher. Buzzards are now nesting in the wood and several warbler species are now being recorded as new dense shrub layers are created.

Within the wood, rabbit, badger, bats, fox, deer, shrews, mice, squirrel are often seen. Adders and grass snakes are common. It has become a rich habitat.

Over the last ten-years a programme of extensive management work has been instigated to substantially improve the environment, ecology and long-term well being of the wood in order to improve the flora and fauna, and the beauty and sustainability of the wood. As public footpaths run through the wood, we knew there was the opportunity to create an asset that could be enjoyed by all and not just ourselves.

A comprehensive annual conservation plan has been implemented including significant tree replanting, the creation of regeneration areas, the opening up of walkways and glades, coppicing, the digging of ponds and the creation of decayed and brush wood piles.

(There are further pages devoted to Rabbit Warren Wood including a Diary).

Home Contact Rabbit Warren Wood II Diary