Green Lane Wood

Green Lane Wood is a beautiful, ancient woodland which was left to Wiltshire Wildlife Trust in 1991 by its previous owner, Mrs Ashlachen, who herself lived in a wooden cabin in the wood.

The wildflower meadow that adjoins it was purchased by the Trust with sponsorship from Heron Homes and JJ Gallagher in 1998. Green Lane Wood offers a wildlife experience for almost every season. Come in spring for woodland wildflowers, in summer for butterflies and in autumn for trees and fungi.

Over 160 species of plants have been identified here, including over 30 that are only found in ancient woodland, such as Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum multiflorum), Stinking Iris (Iris foetidissima) and a host of orchids. Small trees include Dogwood (Cornus sanguinea) and Spindle (Euonymus europaeus).

The area beneath the pylons is open and wet and provides a good contrast to the rest of the woodland. It is ideal for marsh and meadow plants such as Wild Angelica (Angelica sylvestris), Cuckoo Flower (Cardamine pratensis), Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) and Ragged Robin (Lychnis flos-cuculi). In spring and summer the meadow is full of wild flowers including the scarce Adder's-tongue fern (Ophioglossum vulgatum).

Bird highlights include Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major), Nuthatch (Sitta europaea), Treecreeper (Certhia familiaris) and Jay (Garrulus glandarius); these birds preferred habitat is woodland. The thickets attract other birds such as Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus) and Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) as they provide shelter and food. Harder to see species include Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus) and Muntjac Deer (Muntiacus reevesi). Grass Snake (Natrix natrix) and Slow Worm (Anguis fragilis) are more likely to be seen in the early morning as they bask in the sunshine.

There are two ponds on the Reserve; a stray bomb in the Second World War caused the one just off the main wayleave. The other is on the edge of the wood and is currently over-shaded and filled with silt. The Trust plans to restore this in the near future.

There is evidence that the wood, which was known as Slogrove until the end of the last century, dates back to Doomsday times. The wood remained unchanged from the 17th century until the 1960s, when nearly half was felled for agricultural use - leaving the present 39ha. In the 1930s most of the large trees were felled and many of those still standing have grown from the coppice stools created at that time.

The wood has long been managed by coppicing - cutting trees down to ground level every 10-20 years and the resulting crop used for building and fencing materials and a host of other products. The wood banks on the east side are remnants of a system that divided the wood into four parts that were coppiced in turn. The amount of Oak (Quercus robur) in the wood is unusual, and may be explained by the establishment of a nearby tannery in 1780 that would need a supply for the tanning process. When new tanning methods were developed the market for coppiced oak collapsed, and the oaks were allowed to grow on.

The meadow in the north is full of many types of wildflowers. This indicates that it has always been under a traditional management regime and not been ploughed for hundreds of years.

The Trust is carrying on the traditional management. Coppicing continues today adjacent to the main rides and is cut on a twenty-year cycle, which will primarily produce firewood. This cycle of opening glades each year provides good conditions for some of the rare butterflies such as the Duke of Burgundy (Hamearis lucina) and Silver-washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia).

The rides are being covered with stones to help access (both for necessary work and visitors), and to save excessive damage to the wet clay surfaces. More remote parts of the wood are being left as non-intervention areas.

Photo Gallery

Tree Species at Green Lane Wood

Since 2010 EFORESTS has worked with the land owners and local volunteers to plant 400 new native tree species.

The following tree species were planted on the site:

IMPORTANT VISITOR INFO – Take only photos. Leave only footsteps.

To keep the woodland as natural as possible we don’t label individual trees and we ask that visitors do not place their own plaques, labels, flowers, etc in the woodland. Each tree we plant should be seen as part of a natural woodland.

Before visiting this woodland, please read our Frequently Asked Questions page, which gives you helpful tips about your tree and visitor guidance.

Dedicate a tree to be planted in Wiltshire or elsewhere in the UK.