Nature reserve

At the southern end of Botany Bay Wood, about 83 hectares of land has been identified as a nature reserve. This includes the area which supports the heronry, and which has been identified by English Nature as a proposed Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), together with an adjacent area of remnant bog habitat. The area will be fenced and access will be restricted.

It is intended that an appropriate established expert Wildlife Trust will be invited to participate in the management of this area to both protect existing interest including the heronry located in this area and promote newhabitats. Ponds and marshy grassland are examples of habitats which will increase as a result of the scheme.