The Ghyll Nature Reserve Have you discovered The Ghyll yet? Situated in the heart of our town, stretching from the Silver Jubilee Recreation Ground on Green Lane all the way across to Burdett Road in Jarvis Brook, this nature reserve is one of the jewels of Crowborough. At just over forty two acres the site is comprised mainly of Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland (ASNW) and encompasses a steep-sided wooded valley carved out by a beautiful tumbling stream which flows through its length. Like our other nature reserves The Ghyll is managed on a day-to-day basis by our Ranger and he has been working hard over the winter in order improve the area for both walkers and wildlife. In particular this winter has seen him focussing on making improvements to some of the wettest and muddiest walkways and reducing the amount of holly and bramble alongside the main paths.
display of bluebells in the centre of The Ghyll. So, if you haven’t already done so, why not make the most of the warmer weather to come and take a walk through this special nature reserve?
Bracken/bluebell glades in the centre of The Ghyll (April 2016). Bluebells are a very important early source of nectar for many insect species such as bees, hoverflies and butterflies.
The season has also seen significant work to control the amount of bracken in the central glades and pony meadows. If left unmanaged bracken will quickly suppress the bluebells and other wildflowers and grasses. This not only makes a walk through the area less enjoyable, but also leads to a significant reduction in the nesting and feeding opportunities for wildlife such as birds, insects, amphibians and small mammals. This management work should mean that spring 2017 will see a spectacular Crowborough Town Council Newsletter - Issue 1, 2017