King's Wood and Urchin Wood SSSI facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
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| Area of Search | Avon |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 51°22′37″N 2°47′09″W / 51.37691°N 2.78586°W |
| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 128.1 hectares (1.281 km2; 0.495 sq mi) |
| Notification | 1990 |
King's Wood and Urchin Wood is a special natural area in North Somerset, England. It's called a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) because it's home to rare plants and animals. This SSSI covers about 128.1 hectares, which is like 316 football fields! It was officially recognized as a special place in 1990. You can find it near the villages of Cleeve and Congresbury.
Contents
Exploring King's Wood and Urchin Wood
This beautiful woodland has been famous for its plants for a very long time. People have been recording the different types of plants here since 1893.
Amazing Plants of the Woodland
The woods are home to many different kinds of plants. These include special ones called vascular plants. They have tubes to carry water and nutrients, just like our veins!
Rare and Special Flowers
You can find some very rare plants growing here. One is the Purple Gromwell (Lithospermum purpurocaeruleum). Another special plant is the Angular Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum odoratum). These plants are important because they are not found in many other places.
How the Woods Have Changed
In the 1960s, large parts of King's Wood were replanted. Workers planted trees like beech and different types of conifers. These included Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), Lawson’s cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana), and Norway spruce (Picea abies).
Nature Takes Over
However, many of these new trees did not grow very well. Now, the original hardwood trees are growing back. They are slowly taking over the areas that were replanted. This shows how nature can find its own way.
Wonderful Wildlife of the SSSI
King's Wood is also a very important place for animals. It helps protect some rare and endangered species.
Bats and Dormice
The woods are home to a large number of greater horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum). These bats are very rare and need special protection. You can also find tiny dormice (Muscardinus avellanarius) here. They are small, shy creatures that love to sleep a lot!
Special Beetles
Another rare animal found here is a beetle called the Chrysomelid beetle (Clytra quadripunctata). It's not found in many places across the country. Protecting this woodland helps these amazing creatures survive.
