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Nature Reserve

Please note we are NOT open to the public for visitors

The reserve consists of 18 acres of predominately mixed woodland that is divided into many different habitats.

On early maps it was described as marshy ground and unfit for agriculture. Later in the late 1800s it was mapped out as Lower Moss Plantation. Remnants of this can still be seen today. The wood has two large stands of very mature conifers sandwiched between oak woodland to the north and south.

There is also a large section of naturalised Silver Birch woodland to the east side of the reserve. Amongst the birch nestles a small patch of bilberry. The woodland is dissected by a drainage ditch that serves the surrounding farmland. The ditch continues underground through to a small stream known as Red Brook which then feeds into the Peover Eye.

 

There are four other man made water features in the reserve, two ponds, one of which is peat based and contains little plant life. This is home to our resident flock of mallard ducks. The other is clay based and very rich in flora and fauna. This pond is where the children go pond dipping as part of their educational visits.

There is a small pit that was excavated to investigate the water table this has no inlet or outlet and has become very pungent over the years due to rotting and decaying leaves and vegetation.

Finally there is a small peatbog overlooked by one of our three bird hides. These wetland habitats have made Lower Moss Wood one of the most important sites for dragonflies in Cheshire.

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If you have any questions about Lower Moss Wood, we're here to help.