Farming in Protected Landscapes Case Study:
Captain’s Wood Pond Restoration
For Year 4 of the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme, £5,901 was granted to the Suffolk Wildlife Trust to renovate a pond and improve access to the woodland, which is a County Wildlife Site.
The woodland is important to the National Landscape, it is classified a Priority Habitat Inventory - Deciduous Woodland and also an Ancient Woodland.
The ponds and scrape for renovation had silted up contributing to seasonal flooding in areas around them and in some cases over the footpath.
Renovation was needed to manage surface water, holding it in the wood to prolong availability to flora and flora.
Why is this woodland so special?
Captain's Wood in Sudbourne is a precious ancient woodland full of rare plants and a superb mix of natural habitats for a wide range of wildlife, including fallow deer, barn owl and bats. The wood is also home to extremely valuable veteran Oak trees, the Rowen and Hazel all making up this unique landscape.
Concerns with lack of water as one of the complex of stress factors facing these trees any water retained in the woodland system is advantageous. The bluebells in spring are a wonderful display and very popular with visitors.
Public Access
The Nature Reserve is open all year to the public. The footfall is low but constant through out the year then very high during 3-week Bluebell flowering season up to 100 visitors a day.
The high number of visitors at this time, during the wet spring conditions had been causing damage to the trail and surrounding areas. Suffolk Wildlife Trust were keen to encourage walkers to stay on the trail and requested a grant to construct short boardwalks (up to 5m long) positioned along the trail.
The trail crosses two “wood banks” believed to be historic of an old drover’s path linking Sudbourne village to a ferry dock that carried passengers to Aldeburgh. The access improvement will avoid further damage to this structure during wet months, and make the walk more enjoyable for visitors.
Find out more about Captain's Wood on the Suffolk Wildlife Trust website.