King's Wood Nature Reserve
In medieval times Rockingham Forest covered much of north-east Northamptonshire – King’s Wood is a small fragment of this once great forest
Location
About King's Wood Nature Reserve
This ancient woodland was managed for centuries as Crown coppice, providing shelter for the King’s deer as well as wood for fuel. With the expansion of Corby, it became the first Local Nature Reserve (LNR) in Northamptonshire.
Traditional management of the trees by coppicing has been restored.
King’s Wood is now encircled by the neighbourhoods of Danesholme, Kingswood, Beanfield and Oakley Vale, but the 32-hectare wood continues to be an important home for many plants and animals and a cherished green haven for those living nearby.
Wildlife
King's Wood is now an important urban home for all kinds of plants and animals and is a great place for spotting wildlife!
Over 250 different species of plants have been recorded at the reserve, including many that are characteristic of ancient woodlands such as wood anemone, dog’s mercury, enchanter’s-nightshade, yellow archangel and wood sorrel.
Tawny owl, treecreeper and all 3 species of woodpecker can be found at King's Wood, as well as a wide variety of other birds. The reserve is also a fantastic site for a large number of different invertebrates including many different types of butterflies, dragonflies, damselflies and beetles.
How the Nature Reserve is managed
King’s Wood is owned by North Northamptonshire Council - and managed in a partnership between North Northamptonshire Council and the Wildlife Trust.
The Woodland Project carries out the conservation management work following the management plan objectives in collaboration with the Wildlife Trust and the Friends of King’s Wood, an active volunteer group dedicated to caring for the wood.
The wood is a fine example of an oak-ash woodland and, while not quite meeting the criteria for a SSSI designation, King’s Wood represents a strong addition to the existing nature reserves within the county.
The site supports a rich and diverse fauna and flora, habitats and particular land use history. It also represents one of the last remaining fragments of the ancient woodland of Rockingham Forest.
Get involved
The Wildlife Trust is currently doing lots of exciting work at King's Wood to make it as welcoming and accessible for visitors as possible.
There will be onsite improvements to signage and interpretation as well as lots of opportunities to get involved and find out more about the reserve through organised events, activities and volunteering.
To find out more about King's Wood, upcoming events and activities and about The Wildlife Trust in general, please visit the Wildlife Trust BCN website.
Find out more about how to get involved in volunteering or Friends groups in the Corby area.
Last updated 27 April 2022