We work with Pershore Town Council and Worcestershire Wildlife Trust to look after Avon Meadows Community Wetlands and Local Nature Reserve in Pershore.
Read more about the Avon Meadows project.
We also work in partnership with Worcestershire Wildlife Trust to manage two other local nature reserves in the area.
Broadway Gravel Pit
The local nature reserve is sited to the west of Broadway on an area previously used for gravel extraction until 1957.
It now contains a variety of semi-natural habitats ranging from seasonal open water, to marsh and dry areas of grassland with scrub. The diversity of habitats has resulted in a great range of species being present on the site. Over 100 species of flowering plants have been recorded as well as many bird, mammal and invertebrate species, some of which are only found in wetland habitats such as this site supports.
For more information on the Gravel Pit visit the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust website.
Droitwich Community Woods
Ombersley Way, Droitwich, Worcestershire, WR9 0RQ
Droitwich Community Woods are located within the Salwarpe Valley, approximately 1.5km from the town centre. The nature reserve is managed in partnership with Worcestershire Wildlife Trust.
The area is divided by the A38 (Roman Way), Ombersley Way, Chawson Lane, River Salwarpe, Droitwich Canal and the main railway line to Birmingham.
There is a small car park on Ombersley Way, 250m from Roman Way.
The area covers 30.3 hectares and offers of a mixture of deciduous woodland, scrub habitat, grassland, meadows and riverbanks.
There are three themed nature trails that lead visitors through the woodland that start from the small car park. Apart from a small section where 2 of the walks pass the roadside, the walks avoid the roads. The Meadow walk is approximately 1.0km long, the Butterfly walk 0.75km long and the bird walk about 1.5km long.
The area includes a saltmarsh, which is a rare find in this in-land location. The area overlies salt-bearing rock strata laid down over 200 million years ago. The strata were close enough to the surface for saline springs to occur and salt extraction to take place from the Roman period onwards. The marshes have developed here as a result of saline water in the River Salwarpe, the local springs, streams and ditches.
What to look out for in Droitwich Woods
Birds: Kingfishers, Kestrel, Green Woodpecker, Greater-spotted wood pecker, Sparrow hawk, Buzzard, Song thrush, Bull finch, Sedge warbler, Whitethroat.
Trees: Wild pear, Perry pear, Sweet chestnut, Oak, Lime, Ash, Poplar, Sycamore, Wyche elm, Bird cherry.
Flora: Cowslip, Daffodil, Primrose, Yellow rattle, Knapweed, Oxeye daisy, Trefoil, Bluebell, Dogs mercury, Giant bellflower, Small teasel, Sea club-Rush, Lesser Sea-Spurrey.
Butterflies: Red Admiral, Peacock, Painted lady, marbled white, and comma
Other insects: Glow worms (they are beetles despite their name!), dragon flies, damsel flies,
Events
Worcester Wildlife Trust holds regular activities on site. These include Bat Walks, Seed Bombing Sessions, Hay Strewing, Glow Worm Walks. Visit WDC Park Facebook page and Worcestershire Wildlife Trust Facebook page for further information.
A trail guide is available, information can be found on the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust leaflet.
Further information
For more information on Droitwich Community Woods and Broadway Gravel Pit contact the Parks Team on 01386 565000 between 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday or email
To find out more about Avon Meadows or how to get involved with the Friends of Avon Meadows, please contact our Wetlands for All Project Officer, Liz Etheridge on 01386 565217 or