Breedon Cloud Wood and Quarry facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
Cloud Wood
|
|
| Area of Search | Leicestershire |
|---|---|
| Interest | Biological Geological |
| Area | 63.3 hectares (156 acres) |
| Notification | 1987 |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Imagine a special place where nature is protected because it's super important for plants, animals, or even rocks! That's what a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) is. Breedon Cloud Wood and Quarry is one of these amazing places, found in Leicestershire, England. It's important for two main reasons: its incredible wildlife (biological) and its ancient rocks (geological).
This special area covers about 63.3 hectares, which is like 156 football fields! A big part of it, about 33 hectares, is looked after by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. They work hard to keep it a safe home for nature.
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What Makes Breedon Cloud Wood and Quarry Special?
Breedon Cloud Wood and Quarry was officially recognized as an SSSI in 1987. This means it has unique features that need to be protected. It's also part of the Geological Conservation Review, which highlights the most important geological sites in Great Britain.
Discovering Cloud Wood's Nature
Cloud Wood is an ancient semi-natural wood. This means it's been a woodland for a very, very long time, possibly since the Middle Ages, and it grew mostly on its own without much human planting. The trees here grow on a type of soil called clay.
This old wood is home to a huge variety of plants, making its ground a beautiful carpet of green and flowers. You might spot plants like:
- Pendulous sedge: A grass-like plant with long, hanging flower spikes.
- Yellow archangel: A plant with bright yellow flowers that looks a bit like a nettle but doesn't sting.
- Giant bellflower: A tall plant with lovely bell-shaped purple flowers.
Exploring the Quarry's Ancient Secrets
The quarry part of this SSSI is like a giant history book made of rock! It's super important for understanding Earth's past. Here, you can see layers of rock from a time called the Lower Carboniferous period. This was about 359 to 323 million years ago!
These rocks show us what the area was like back then: a shallow sea. Imagine tiny sea creatures and sediments slowly building up over millions of years to form the rocks we see today. Scientists study these rocks to learn about ancient environments and the history of our planet.
Visiting Breedon Cloud Wood
If you love exploring nature, you're in luck! Most of the nature reserve at Breedon Cloud Wood is open to the public. You can walk along paths and enjoy the beautiful woodland and its wildlife. However, the quarry area is not open for public access because it's a very sensitive geological site and can be dangerous.
