Foxley Wood facts for kids
Foxley Wood is a special nature reserve located in Foxley, Norfolk, England. It's the biggest ancient woodland in Norfolk, meaning it's been a forest for a very, very long time! It's also a coppice, which means trees here are cut in a special way to help them grow back.
The Norfolk Wildlife Trust bought this amazing place in 1998 and now takes care of it. Foxley Wood is about 123 hectares (that's like 300 football fields!) in size. It's so important that it's been given special titles like a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a National Nature Reserve.
Contents
Discovering Foxley Wood: Location and History
Where is Foxley Wood?
Foxley Wood is located about 25 kilometers (around 15 miles) north-west of a city called Norwich. It's also just 2 kilometers (about 1.2 miles) from the main road, the A1067, near another woodland called Honeypot Wood.
A Glimpse into the Past: How Old is Foxley Wood?
This woodland is super old! Records show it was mentioned in the Domesday Book, which was written over 900 years ago. Some parts of the wood are even thought to be more than 6,000 years old!
For about 1,000 years, people used Foxley Wood to get wood, especially hazel. But as time went on, people needed less wood from forests, especially in the 1900s. Because of this, Foxley Wood wasn't looked after as much. In the 1990s, it was managed by the Forestry Commission. Then, in 1998, the Norfolk Wildlife Trust bought it to protect it.
Today, Foxley Wood is open to visitors every day, except for Thursdays. It's a great place to explore and learn about nature!
Amazing Plants and Animals at Foxley Wood
.jpg)
Plant Life: What Grows Here?
Foxley Wood is home to over 250 different kinds of plants! When you visit, especially in spring, you might see beautiful common bluebells. They are one of the main reasons people love to visit in springtime!
Other cool plants you can find include:
- Herb paris
- Early purple orchid
- Lily of the valley
- Dog's mercury
- Meadowsweet
- Water avens
- Fleabane (a type of flowering plant)
Most of the trees here are oak trees, especially in the middle of the wood where the ground is sandy. In the past, some pine trees were planted for timber, which changed the natural forest. But now, these pine trees are being removed to help the original woodland grow back.
Animal Life: Who Lives Here?
Foxley Wood is also buzzing with animal life, especially insects and birds!
You might spot insects like:
- Dark bush-crickets
- White admiral butterflies
- Ringlet butterflies
- Purple hairstreak butterflies
- Meadow brown butterflies
Bird watchers will love seeing different bird species, such as:
It's very common to see songbirds and sparrowhawks flying around.
In the past, the wood faced some challenges, like certain trees being cut down and chemicals being sprayed. But thanks to the Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Foxley Wood is now being carefully looked after so all its amazing plants and animals can thrive.
