YOUNGWOODS COPSE ON THE ISLE OF WIGHT

Wight Nature Fund

Warden: Rod Harris, Grid ref: SZ570853, Bus route: 23 (Alverstone, 500m), Footpaths: NC11b, NC12, NC51

This Isle of Wight wood is mainly oak with some silver birch, with an understorey of holly and hazel in some parts. To the eastern side just off Youngwoods Copse Road a mature wild service tree can be found. The carpet of wood anemones on the western ege of the Copse in spring is one of the best on the Island.

Red squirrels were once resident and we are trying to encourage their return. Other mammals include dormouse, woodmouse, badger, fox, rabbit and several species of bat.

Birds in the Copse include greater spotted woodpecker, tree creeper, blackcap, chiff-chaff, willow warbler, coal tit and little owl.

A border of hazel has been planted along the east boundary to provide screening now and squirrel food in the future. Additional sapling wild service trees have been planted alongside the original to continue the line of this special tree, one of the first colonisers after the ice age, but now uncommon.

Footpaths NC50/51 pass the full length of the wood. Please keep disturbance to a minimum as the wood is not very wide.