Rosturra Wood facts for kids

Rosturra Wood is a special forest in County Galway, Ireland. It's like a protected park, known as a national nature reserve. It's also a Special Area of Conservation, which means it's extra important for its unique plants and animals. This beautiful wood is managed by the National Parks & Wildlife Service in Ireland.

What is Rosturra Wood?

Rosturra Wood became a national nature reserve in 1983. This means the Irish government decided to protect it by law. It's also a "Special Area of Conservation" because it has old, special oak trees called sessile oaks. These trees are very important for the environment.

A Special Kind of Forest

Rosturra Wood is a semi-natural forest. This means it grew mostly on its own, but humans might have helped a little. It has a mix of ash and oak trees. Long ago, huge forests of oak and ash covered this area. Rosturra Wood, along with Derrycrag Wood and Pollnaknockaun Wood, are small parts of those ancient forests that are still left today.

Plants and Animals You Might See

The forest floor at Rosturra Wood is home to many different plants. You can find hazel and holly bushes. There are also blackthorn, buckthorn, and hawthorn plants. Look out for the rare long-leaved helleborine flower. Other plants include wood anemone, dog violet, and primrose.

Many animals live in Rosturra Wood too. You might spot a pine marten, which is a shy mammal. Fallow deer also roam through the trees. Birds like coal tit, mistle thrush, and treecreeper can be heard singing. If you look closely, you might see colorful insects. These include brimstone butterflies, ringlet butterflies, and silver-washed fritillary butterflies.

Interesting Features in the Wood

Rosturra Wood is one of Ireland's "Millennium Forests." These forests were planted or protected around the year 2000. Inside the wood, there's an old ringfort, which is a type of ancient circular fort. There's also a well called "Toberphuca," which adds to the history of this special place.