Charnwood Forest is a hilly tract in north-western Leicestershire, England, bounded by Leicester, Loughborough and Coalville. The area is undulating, rocky and picturesque, with barren areas. It also has some extensive tracts of woodland; its elevation is generally 600 feet (180 m) and upwards, the area exceeding this height being about 6,100 acres (25 km2). The highest point, Bardon Hill, is 912 feet (278 m). On its western flank lies an abandoned coalfield, with Coalville and other former mining villages, now being regenerated and replanted as part of the National Forest. The M1 motorway, between junctions 22 and 23, cuts through Charnwood Forest.
The Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust (LRWT) is one of 46 wildlife trusts across the United Kingdom. It manages nature reserves in Leicestershire and Rutland, and was founded in 1956 as the Leicestershire and Rutland Trust for Nature Conservation. As of January 2018, it has over 16,000 members, a staff of about 25 and more than 500 volunteers. It is based in Leicester, and is managed by a Council of Trustees which is elected by the members. It is a charity which covers all aspects of nature conservation, and works to protect wild places and wildlife.
Charnwood Lodge is a 134.2-hectare (332-acre) biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Charnwood Forest, east of Coalville in Leicestershire. It is a national nature reserve, and contains two Geological Conservation Review sites. It is managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.
Dimminsdale is a 37 hectare geological biological and Site of Special Scientific Interest partly in Derbyshire and partly in Leicestershire. It is located east of Calke in Derbyshire. It is a Geological Conservation Review site, and a area of 23.5 hectares is owned by Severn Trent Water and managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.
Ketton Quarries is a 115.6-hectare (286-acre) biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest east of Ketton in Rutland. It is a Geological Conservation Review site, and an area of 27.5 hectares is managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.
Loughborough Meadows is a 60.5 hectares biological Site of Special Scientific Interest on the northern outskirts of Loughborough in Leicestershire, England. An area of 35.3 hectares is managed as a nature reserve by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.
Cribb's Meadow is a 4.2-hectare (10-acre) nature reserve east of Wymondham in Leicestershire. It is owned and managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, and is designated a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest under the name Cribb's Lodge Meadows. It is also a National Nature Reserve and a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade 2.
Merry's Meadows is a 12.4-hectare (31-acre) nature reserve west of Stretton in Rutland. It is managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, and is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest under the name Greetham Meadows.
Lucas Marsh is a 1.5 hectare Local Nature Reserve in Oadby in Leicestershire. It is part of Brock's Hill Country Park, and is owned by Oadby and Wigston Borough Council and managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.
Wymeswold Meadows is a 4.5-hectare (11-acre) nature reserve east of Wymeswold in Leicestershire. It is owned and managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.
Breedon Cloud Wood and Quarry is a 63.3 hectares biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest north-east of Worthington in Leicestershire. It is a Geological Conservation Review site. An area of 33 hectares is managed as a nature reserve by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.
Holwell Reserves is a 16.4 hectares nature reserve north of Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire. It is owned and managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, and is composed of Brown's Hill Quarry, Holwell Mineral Line and North Quarry.
Kelham Bridge is a 8.1 hectares nature reserve north of Ibstock in Leicestershire. It is owned and managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.
Launde Woods is a 99 hectares nature reserve north of Launde in Leicestershire. It is owned by the Leicester Diocesan Board of Finance and leased to the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. The site is in two areas, Launde Big Wood, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and Launde Park Wood.
Wanlip Meadows is a 16.2 hectares nature reserve south of Wanlip and north of Leicester. It is owned and managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.
Mountsorrel Meadows is a 12.6-hectare (31-acre) nature reserve on the eastern outskirts of Mountsorrel in Leicestershire. It is purchased by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust in 2004.
Ulverscroft Valley is a 110.8 hectares biological Site of Special Scientific Interest north-west of Markfield in Leicestershire. The site is in five separate blocks, and two areas are nature reserves managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust (LRWT). Lea Meadows is owned by the LRWT and it is also a scheduled monument. Part of Ulverscroft Nature Reserve is owned by the LRWT and part is owned by the National Trust and leased to the LRWT.
Lea Meadows is a 12-hectare (30-acre) nature reserve east of Markfield in Leicestershire. It is owned and managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. It is part of the Ulverscroft Valley, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and part of it is a scheduled monument.
Rocky Plantation is a 3.4-hectare (8.4-acre) nature reserve north of Markfield in Leicestershire. It is owned by the National Trust and managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.
Ulverscroft is a 56-hectare (140-acre) nature reserve north of Markfield in Leicestershire, England. It is managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust (LRWT) and part of it is owned by the National Trust and part by the LRWT. The site is partly in Ulverscroft Valley, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
