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Nature and Wildlife in the Forest of Dean

The Forest of Dean was designated as a National Forest Park in 1938, the first in England. This particular designation was not concerned with nature and conservation of the area, but more concerned with its natural beauty and its potential for outdoor leisure. Today, it is still a working forest and the Forestry Commission manages it sympathetically and sensitively while liaising on conservation matters with the main conservation bodies. These ancient woodlands and its variety of wildlife hold many surprises just waiting to be discovered!

The area to the north of the forest itself offers another haven for those of you wishing to explore more open land and rolling hills, with farmland, market gardens and vineyards, offering a contrasting geographical landscape.

FAUNA

The Forest of Dean is famous for its large population of free roaming sheep derived from many breeds and include welsh mountain, speckled faced or cheviots with the occasional kerry or ryeland.
"Ship Badgers" is a Forest term for the residents who claim to have ancient rights to graze sheep freely. The sheep have been around for hundreds of years and are likely to continue to be part of the Forest scenery.

In Norman times, the Forest was protected as a games reserve where red, roe and fallow deer and wild boar were hunted. These became extinct by the 14th century, and so did the wolf of the wildland, their natural predator. Today, it is only fallow deer that can be found, and very occasionally, a roe deer is spotted. Deer can be seen throughout the year, but the best time to hear them is in Autumn during the mating season or 'rut'. Early morning or dusk is the time when you are most likely to see deer in the Forest as during the day, they lay up in the undergrowth.

Badgers centre their life around their underground home or sett, emerging after sunset for food.

Smaller animals shelter in the trees and pastures including grey squirrels, voles, hedgehogs, foxes and dormice. There are several species of bats recorded within the Forest of Dean district and they are protected. The pipistrelle, noctule and long-eared bat are the most common species.

The Forest of Dean contains most of the nesting birds, which are normally associated with uneven aged, mixed broadleaves, and coniferous woodland of lowland Britain. Unusual features include a few pairs of ravens which occupy the quieter quarries, dippers which nest in the banks and bridges of our streams and the pied flycatcher which nests in natural cavities of the older oaks and readily takes to nestboxes. There is also a population of mandarin ducks which migrate between the lakes in the forest. These actually nest in the trees which is unusual for ducks.

The large oaks of the Forest of Dean individually can support up to 300 different insects and their old hollow branches and trunks have been nest sites to many generations of tawny owls and woodpeckers.

The Forest is home to over thirty different species of butterfly. Specialities include purple hairstreak, white admiral, silver washed fritillary, grizzled skipper and wood white, while open areas support small copper, marbled white, small heath and common blue.

FLORA

The underlying geology of the Forest, limestone and sandstone, influences the soil type which has resulted in a rich and varied flora. The ancient woodlands on the steeper slopes often have herb paris, sanicle, sweet woodruff and yellow archangel, but in the central Dean, the bluebell woods are very impressive and are nationally important.

The Forest of Dean is a haven for many different types of fungi which occur along forest paths, open areas as well as the more obscure places depending on growing needs. Fungi should not be handled or eaten without seeking the assistance of an expert.

Ferns are most abundant in damp and shady areas and the following are just a small sample which can be found within the Forest of Dean; male, lady, broad buckler, narrow buckler, hard and soft shield, hard fern, harts tongue, various spleenworts and polypody.

SPRING DELIGHTS

Spring-time is a favourite time to visit the Forest, with the brilliant green of the new beech, and the spectacular colours of the bluebells and daffodils. The orchards of the Severn of the valleys of Leadon turn pick and white with apple, pear and plum blossom, and you can smell a hint of may, blackthorn and elder from the hedges. Along severnside and among the Forest villages there are many old orchards with rare and local fruit trees including the Blakeney pear, Blaisdon red plum and Severn bank apple.

Delightful spring flowers in the Forest include wood anemone, celandine, dogs mercury, primrose and violet which bloom before the overhead foliage thickens.

AUTUMN COLOURS

Autumn is a spectacular time of year in the Forest of Dean when the trees display an array of reds, golds and yellows. Despite the importance of the conifers, almost half the trees in the Forest of Dean are oak or beech, with some plantations of sweet chestnut. This magnificent autumn foliage is popular and attracts many visitors. Larch - the only coniferous tree to lose its needles, also turns a magnificent russet-gold in October.

PLACES OF INTEREST

The following trails feature some of the most interesting areas of the Forest of Dean in terms of flora and fauna. In order to conserve the natural environment, we advise that you do not wander off the marked trails, and please - take your litter home!

The following Ordnance Survey Maps are recommended for the trails: Landranger 162 and Outdoor Leisure 14.

FLORA AND FAUNA TRAIL ONE

flora and fauna trail two