Buckpool and Fens Pool Local Nature Reserve facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Buckpool and Fens Pool |
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Middle Pool - one of the large pools inside the local nature reserve
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| Type | Local Nature Reserve |
| Location | Pensnett, England |
| Created | 1993 |
| Operated by | Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council |
The Buckpool and Fens Pool Local Nature Reserve is a special natural area. It is located in the Pensnett part of the West Midlands in England. This reserve has the largest amount of open water in the Dudley area.
Here you can find big and small ponds. There's also a part of the Stourbridge Canal. You will see streams and wide grassy areas too. This important nature reserve was created in 1993.
What is the History of Buckpool and Fens Pool?
This area was once part of a huge hunting ground. It was called Pensnett Chase a long time ago. Powerful noble families, like the Barons of Dudley, used to hunt here.
Over time, the land changed. People started using it for industries. They dug for coal and clay. There was also a factory that made bricks. A private railway, owned by the Earl of Dudley, even ran through here.
The coal mines and clay pits closed in the early 1900s. The brick factory and railway kept going until the 1960s. After these industries stopped, nature began to take over. The old mining waste land turned into green grassland. The deep holes where clay was dug filled with water, becoming ponds.
Today, this area is a beautiful nature reserve. It was officially protected in 1993.
Where is the Buckpool and Fens Pool Reserve Located?
The Buckpool and Fens Pool Local Nature Reserve is in the Pensnett area. Pensnett is a town in the West Midlands. You can easily get to the reserve from Pensnett Road.
What Does the Landscape of the Reserve Look Like?
The reserve has four large pools. They are not perfectly round but have interesting shapes. Three of these pools are close together in the north-eastern part. These are Fens Pool, Middle Pool, and Grove Pool. They are so important that they form the Fens Pools Site of Special Scientific Interest. This means they are protected because of their special wildlife.
The fourth large pool is called Foot's Hole. It is a bit further away, to the south-west. A sports ground called the Dell Stadium separates it from the other three pools. Middle Pool is the longest, stretching about 400 meters!
Besides the big pools, there are many smaller ponds. You will also find wide areas of grassland. Some parts have scrubland, which is land covered with small bushes and trees.
Even though this area was once busy with factories, you can still see signs of its past. In some parts of the reserve, you might spot what looks like waves in the ground. This is called a ridge and furrow system. It shows where farmers used to plow the land in medieval times.
