User:Balsam basher/Three Brooks

Background
The three-brooks nature reserve is a site of about 60 hectares in the heart of Bradley Stoke. It is named after the Hortham, Patchway and Stoke Brooks which run through it,meeting at Three Brooks Lake before flowing eastwards back under the M4 as Bradley Brook.

Much of the area that Bradley Stoke was built on was low-grade farmland, although a number of attractive natural features such as Savage's Wood, Webb's Wood and Sherbourne's Brake have been incorporated into the town and form the Three Brooks Local Nature Reserve. This is a tranquil area in the middle of the bustling community of Bradley Stoke and is made up of the three previously named bluebell woodlands, linked by an important wildlife corridor that includes brooks, ponds areas of rough grassland, species-rich hedgerows and a lake.

The site is owned by South Gloucestershire Council.

History
All the woods were used predominately as sources of timber, although the original Sherbourne's Brake copse may have been used as a covert. Webbs Wood particularly supplied coppiced timber and Savages hornbeam and oak. We know that Savages Wood was preserved during the 1940's and 50's as a nature reserve by the owner of Little Stoke Farm, Howard Davis who as the largest local farmer owned the land up to and including the wood. Mr Davis was also well known as one of the founders of the Wildfowl Trust at Slimbridge.

In the same area Bradley Stoke Way cut a swathe through Savages Wood (and across the ditch) when built leaving a small remnant of the wood on the far side of the road next to Tesco's car park. Much of the ash plantations nearby were planted in reparation for this disruption of the wood.

Habitats
The Three Brooks Local Nature Reserve comprises three bluebell woodlands (Webb's Wood,Savages's Wood and Sherbourne's Brake). New trees have also been planted with funds from the Woodland Grant Scheme to help develop the Forest of Avon in South Gloucestershire.

The rich mix of habitats provides a valuable home to a wide range of wildlife, including reed buntings, skylarks, great crested newts and slow worms.

The three brooks lake attracts ducks throughout the year and has provided breeding sites for little grebe,reed warbler,sedge warbler,mute swan.

The feature known as the tump is new being comprised mainly of spill from the Second Severn Crossing, providing habitat for skylarks and other birds which are thought to have bred there.

The community orchard was planted with various fruit trees and bushes, as well as wild flowers to provide a valuable source of pollen and nectar for insects within the reserve as well as trying to provide some natural resources for the local community as fruit.

Conservation
The nature reserve is cared for by local residents who have set up a conservation group ( The Three Brooks Nature Conservation Group) that meets on the first Saturday of each month to help manage the reserve and is open to the public. The group organises a range of events and practical workdays to help raise awareness of the nature reserve and to enhance its biodiversity. These range from bat walks to traditional woodland management like coppicing and ditch clearing. The BTCV's (British Trust for Conservation Volunteers) have a 'green gym', that meets every Thursday between 10am and 1pm. The gym is a great way to get to know your local environment and meet like-minded people who wish to do their bit for their community whilst getting fitter at the same time.

Wildlife
The rich mix of habitats provides a valuable place for wildlife to thrive. The area provides food and shelter to a wide range of wildlife, including reed buntings, skylarks, great crested newts and slow worms and a great place for local residents to walk or cycle through.

Access
There are several main access points into the reserve, all with well-surfaced paths, as the well-signposted network of cycle ways throughout the reserve for people to view the many different habitats.