Vincients Wood facts for kids

Vincients Wood is a special place, like a small forest, covering about 12 acres. It's located on the edge of a town called Chippenham, Wiltshire, England. It's a "nature reserve," which means it's a protected area where plants and animals can live safely.

Quick facts for kids Vincients Wood
Vincients Wood
OS grid reference	ST897733
Shire county	Wiltshire
Region	South West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Police	Wiltshire
Fire	Wiltshire
Ambulance	Great Western
EU Parliament	South West England
List of places UK England Wiltshire 51°27′32″N 2°08′56″W / 51.459°N 2.149°W / 51.459; -2.149

Vincients Wood has a road called the A350 bypass on its west side, with a small grassy area in between. All around the other sides, you'll find houses. To the north, there's a housing area called Moss Mead, separated by a long, narrow grassy strip known as Long Dragon Piece and some willow trees. To the east are Awdry Close and Brinkworth Close, and to the south are Turpin Way and Brittain Close.

How the Wood is Cared For

In Vincients Wood, you'll see hazel bushes growing under the tall oak trees. For a long time, these hazel bushes were regularly cut down in a special way called coppicing. This might sound strange, but it's actually good for the wood! The cut wood was used for things like building fences and as fuel for fires.

Another way the wood is cared for is by carefully removing some trees. This creates sunny spots called glades. Both coppicing and creating glades help the wildlife. They let sunlight reach the ground, which is perfect for many animals, birds, insects, and plants to grow and thrive.

History and Management

Vincients Wood is split into two parts by an old medieval woodbank and ditch. This woodbank stretches all the way across the wood. The southern part of the wood is much older than the northern part. It's so old that it's considered ancient woodland, meaning it has been a wooded area for hundreds of years.

The Wiltshire Wildlife Trust takes care of Vincients Wood. They have owned it since 1990 and manage the reserve with the help of volunteers. There's a footpath that goes around most of the wood, covering about one mile. You can enter and exit the wood from many different spots. At the north-by-northwest entrance, you'll find a welcome sign. It was made by the Trust and the Countryside Commission (now the Countryside Agency) and tells visitors that a Nature Trail leaflet is available.

This woodland is a special reserve meant to protect many kinds of wildlife, plants, and fungi. Visitors are asked to stay on the main paths, not to drop litter, and to leave the flowers so everyone can enjoy them.

Animals and Plants in Vincients Wood

This section lists some of the amazing living things you might find in Vincients Wood.

Animals (Fauna)

You might spot many different animals, birds, and insects here:

Plants (Flora)

The wood is home to many types of trees, shrubs, and flowers:

Fungi

You can also find various types of fungi growing in the wood: