Leighfield Forest SSSI

Last updated
Leighfield Forest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
Wood Lane in Tugby Wood - geograph.org.uk - 208342.jpg
Lane through Tugby Wood
Location Leicestershire
Grid reference SK 487 301 [1]
InterestBiological
Area11.3 hectares (28 acres) [1]
Notification 1983 [1]
Location map Magic Map

Leighfield Forest SSSI is an 11.3 hectares (28 acres) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest east of Skeffington in Leicestershire, England. It consists of several fragments, including Tugby Wood, Loddington Reddish, Brown's Wood, Skeffington Wood and Tilton Wood, of the former medieval hunting Leighfield Forest, which straddles Leicestershire and Rutland. [1] [2] [3] It is a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade II. [4]

These woods in the Eye Brook valley date back at least to the thirteenth century. The dominant trees are ash and oak. The diverse moths and beetles include some rare species, and others are at the northern limit of their distribution. There are also areas of grassland and marsh. [5]

Roads and footpaths go through some of the woods but others are private.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Designated Sites View: Leighfield Forest". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
  2. "Map of Leighfield Forest". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
  3. "Living Landscapes". Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
  4. Ratcliffe, Derek, ed. (1977). A Nature Conservation Review. Vol. 2. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. pp. 84–85. ISBN   0521-21403-3.
  5. "Leighfield Forest citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 13 November 2017.

Coordinates: 52°36′40″N0°51′29″W / 52.611°N 0.858°W / 52.611; -0.858