Brookland Wood

Brookland Wood is an attractive and successful 2.9ha WOYD site located a few miles south of Shaftesbury in the village of Fontmell Magna, just outside the Cranbourne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs AONB. Formerly improved grassland it was planted in 1998 with mixed native broadleaves, mainly oak, ash, field maple and some woody shrubs. Local people were involved in the woodland creation from the outset - with fundraising and public events having been well supported. A maturing pond in the NE corner was established as the Millennium Feature and wild flowers are developing in the open rides and around the pond. The surrounding landscape is characterised by rolling chalk hills. Dip-slopes dominated by arable farmland are overlooked by steep scarps sometimes wooded and often with prehistoric features such as hill forts. Much of the remaining land is typically species-rich unimproved calcareous grassland. Soils typical of the region are thin calcareous loams, with Brookland lying on a slightly alkaline sandy loam, gently sloping down to a bubbling stream. Management access is directly off the narrow country lane directly into the SE corner of the wood.