Baddesley Close Meadow and Woodland
Baddesley Close meadow and woodland is a small but diverse parcel of land, featuring wet woodland, meadow, pond, and grassland habitats within just 1 hectare. The site is designated as a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) primarily due to the presence of purple moor grass and rush habitat, which is classified as a priority habitat under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UKBAP).
The wet woodland features mainly willow and silver birch trees, with some wetland ground flora where breaks occur in the canopy and light is able to penetrate the woodland floor. The site features wetland habitats suitable for a range of invertebrates, mammals (such as foraging bats), reptiles (such as grass snakes) and amphibians such as frogs and toads. Although the site may be small in itself, it connects ultimately to the much larger protected areas of Emer Bog Special Area for Nature Conservation (SAC) and Baddesley Common Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This and the presence of UKBAP habitats and species on site, has informed the long term management of the site for both conservation and recreational purposes, and will govern many of the management strategies you may see on site.