Moseley Bog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Moseley Bog |
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| Location | Moseley, Birmingham |
| Operated by | Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country |
Moseley Bog, once called The Dell, is a special nature reserve in the Moseley area of Birmingham, England. It is a protected area where plants and animals can thrive. This bog is a great place to explore nature and learn about local history.
Contents
History of Moseley Bog
Ancient Times at the Bog
Along the Coldbath Brook, which flows through Moseley Bog, you can find ancient burnt mounds. These mounds date back to the Bronze Age, which was thousands of years ago. They are protected as Scheduled Ancient Monuments. This means they are important historical sites.
From Reservoir to Woodland
Moseley Bog was once a secondary reservoir. It helped feed the millpond of Sarehole Mill, a nearby old mill. Even though the water has been drained, you can still see the old embankment on its eastern side.
The Coldbath Brook flows through the bog as an open stream. It then goes through a pipe to the millpond. From there, it joins the River Cole.
In the past, part of the reserve was used as a landfill site. This was from the 1930s to the 1960s. After that, it was made flat and turned into a playing field. This field was for the nearby Moseley Grammar School. However, it was always too wet for sports. So, from the 1980s, it was allowed to return to natural woodland.
A Special Place for Nature
The first ever International Dawn Chorus Day event happened here in 1984. It was organized by the Urban Wildlife Trust. This day celebrates the amazing sounds of birds singing at dawn.
On July 17, 1991, Birmingham City Council officially made the whole site a Local Nature Reserve (LNR). This means it's a place protected for its wildlife and natural beauty.
Saving the Bog: Joy Fifer's Campaign
In 2000, the reserve was renamed Moseley Bog and Joy's Wood Local Nature Reserve. This was to honor Joy Fifer. She was an urban conservation campaigner. Joy led a successful campaign called "Save Our Bog" in 1980. This campaign stopped the site from being built on. It also helped start the urban wildlife movement.
Her campaign made the name "Moseley Bog" popular. Before that, it was known as The Dell. The part now called Joy's Wood was the old landfill area.
Improvements and Management
Today, the Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country manages Moseley Bog. They lease it from Birmingham City Council. In 2006, they asked the public for ideas to improve the site.
In March 2010, the bog received a large grant of £376,500. This money was for improvements and restoration work. On June 26, 2011, the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Anita Ward, officially reopened the site.
Culture and Inspiration
Tolkien's Connection to Moseley Bog
The famous author J. R. R. Tolkien lived nearby as a child. He said that Moseley Bog inspired the ancient forests in his books. These include The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. He also found inspiration from nearby Sarehole Mill and the River Cole area.
In an interview in 1966, Tolkien described the area. He called it "a kind of lost paradise." He remembered "a wonderful dell with flowers." This description perfectly fits Moseley Bog.
Music History at the Bog
A house next to the reserve was once used by the reggae band UB40. They recorded some of their first songs there.
