Wild places

Covering an area of 4.96 ha (12.26 acres), The Blackberry Wood lies on the outskirts of the hamlet of Farm Town. It was planted in 2007 as part of the National Forest and contains a variety of young native trees bounded by mature hedges. The site offers some good views of the surrounding area.

Designated a Local Wildlife Site in 2006, The Drift verge at the Pickworth end is approximately 1,600 metres in length, on both sides of the track, varying between 1.5 and 2.5 metres in width. The main habitats are mesotrophic, calcareous and mixed grassland.

Designated a Local Wildlife Site in 2006, The Drift verge at the Ryhall end is approximately 2.2 kilometres in length, on both sides of the dirt track. The main habitats are mesotrophic, calcareous and mixed grassland on the south side, and calcareous and mixed grassland on the north side.

The Drift is an ancient track that follows the boundary between Lincolnshire and Leicestershire, forming part of the modern long distance footpath known as The Viking Way. A section of The Drift between the A607 and Saltby airfield is part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), designated because it is one of the best remaining examples of limestone grassland in Lincolnshire. Lowland calcareous grassland is rare throughout Europe and is ecologically rich in a range of plants and insects not found elsewhere.

Designated a Local Wildlife Site in 2009, the verge is 318 metres in length and 3-4 metres wide between the road tarmac and the Freewards woodland edge (on the eastern side of the road only). The main habitat is mesotrophic grassland and reportedly reasonably species diverse. The site is shaded at the north end, and partly shaded along the southern section.

This small woodland, possibly ancient, lies just south of Essendine. It was named as Freewards Thorns on the 1st edition O.S. map.

The site was previously orchards and allotments which were decommissioned and allowed to grow wild for some time.  Since 1985 the site has been in some form of conservation management with a number of organisations taking on this role.  Currently it is being managed by the City Council’s Leicester Environmental Volunteers and Parks Services.
The site is designated as a Local Nature Reserve and also a Local Wildlife Site due to the rich mosaic of woodland, scrub and grassland.

The Seek is new native woodland covering 10.83 hectares on the eastern edge of Braunston-in-Rutland, 1 mile south-west of Oakham and Rutland Water and has panoramic views over surrounding countryside. Prior to planting the area was arable land, which is still the dominant land use in the locality. There is a small stream which runs along the eastern boundary of the wood, leading in from the SE, providing a ribbon of riparian shrubs and trees.

This site is an area of unimproved grassland with stands of sedge situated alongside the River Soar. It also features hedgerows, ditches and boggy ground including a previous water course.  The fields are the core area of what was once a larger Aylestone Bog, part of which is now buried under the playing fields to the west. It is maintained through grazing by English Longhorn cattle during the summer months.

Designated a Local Wildlife Site in 2005, the Green Lane verge includes both sides of the road, with the southern side 511 metres in length, and the northen side 632 metres in length. The verges are 1-5 metres wide, and the main habitat is mesotrophic grassland.

Designated a Local Wildlife Site in 2003, the New Road verge stretches for 1.3 kilometers on both sides of the road. The main habitats are mesotrophic grassland, calcareous grassland and mixed grassland. The verge is reported to be species-diverse.

Thomas Estley Community College is located in the centre of Broughton Astley village, serving 11 - 14 year olds. TECC is a modern school with a large green space, used mainly as playing fields but with a few mature trees and hedges along some its boundaries. We have included TECC as a Wild Space because of the special interest by the staff and pupils in learning more about the wildlife on their site and their support for the Broughton Astley NatureSpot development.

These meadows are long-establish and unimproved meadows which are being restored through an appropriate mowing regime. The Leicestershire Round footpath cuts across the site. A playground and multi-use games area have been built in part of the site and the north-east corner has been flattened as a football area. However the surrounding meadows are wonderfully rich.

The churchyard of St Mary the Virgin Church is central to the village and provides the setting for the prominent grade 2 listed church on the hilltop. The trees around the churchyard perimeter offer a sense of seclusion, although the adjacent A607 is an intrusion on the tranquil setting. The churchyard provides a central focus for a village divided by the busy road. It is a valued community and heritage space with good accessibility and visibility.

This verge is being managed to improve biodiversity as part of the County Council/Parish Council urban verges trial. It was surveyed in 2020 by NatureSpot volunteers.

A large area of the verge on one side of the road had been dug, levelled and reseeded prior to the 2020 survey so only the remaining untreated area was surveyed. Here the floral diversity was reasonable and with a few species found in quality grassland. Species of note include Crested Dogs-tail and Smaller Cats-tail.