Jackson's Coppice and Marsh facts for kids

Jackson's Coppice and Marsh is a special place in Staffordshire, England. It is a nature reserve looked after by the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust. This beautiful area is found along the River Sow, close to a village called Bishop's Offley. It is also about 2.5 miles (4 km) west of Eccleshall.

Discover Jackson's Coppice and Marsh

This nature reserve covers about 8 hectares (20 acres) of land. That's about the size of 10 football fields! The land is rented from the Sugnall Estate, which helps protect it. The reserve sits right beside the River Sow. Upstream, you'll find Offleybrook Mill, and downstream is Walk Mill.

For a long time, back in the 1200s, a dam at Walk Mill helped raise the water level in the marsh. This allowed the fields to be used as special "water-meadows" until the 1950s. Water-meadows are fields that can be flooded on purpose. This helps the grass grow better for farm animals. After the 1970s, Walk Mill was no longer used. Its mill pond then filled up with mud and dirt, which is called "silted up." Luckily, the pond has since been cleaned and brought back to life!

Exploring the Marsh

The marsh area is a very wet woodland called an alder carr. It is full of alder trees. To help you explore without getting your feet wet, there is a special boardwalk. This wooden path lets you walk right through the marsh.

In this part of the reserve, the River Sow splits into many smaller, narrow channels. This creates a perfect home for many unique plants and insects. If you visit, keep an eye out for colorful dragonflies and damselflies flying around!

Discovering Jackson's Coppice

Jackson's Coppice is an old woodland that has been around for a very long time. In the past, people used a special way of cutting trees here called coppicing. This means cutting trees close to the ground to encourage new shoots to grow. It helps keep the wood healthy and provides wood for people to use.

Originally, the wood had trees like oak, rowan, and hazel. Later, in the late 1800s, other trees like sweet chestnut, beech, and hornbeam were planted.

In the spring, Jackson's Coppice is famous for its amazing display of bluebells. The ground becomes a carpet of beautiful blue flowers! The soil here is sandy, which is great for animals. It has encouraged a large badger sett, which is a home for badgers. You might also spot different kinds of woodland birds, such as nuthatches, treecreepers, and great spotted woodpeckers.