Discover North Hertfordshire's wildlife secrets

Shhhhhhh, don’t tell anyone, but North Herts has some rather wonderful wildlife sites that are a bit off the beaten track, but well worth a visit. Read on to find out more...

Burymead Springs, Hitchin (2.4 hectares)

Sandwiched between allotments and a railway flyover on the northern edge of Hitchin, this special wildlife site has many different habitats including reedbed, a lagoon, meadows and woodland.

Follow the winding pathway alongside the River Hiz, a globally rare chalk stream river, to explore this stunningly beautiful site that is teeming with wildlife.

Ivel Springs, Baldock (15 hectares)

Drive up the A507 on the outskirts of Baldock and you could easily miss the turning for the car park at Ivel Springs Local Nature Reserve. It’s worth seeking out as careful management over the years has turned this site into a thriving wildlife paradise, with pockets of established woodland, wetland and grassland.

The grassland is visited annually by our ‘natural lawnmowers’, more commonly known as Longhorn Cattle, who graze from late spring until the end of summer. This is part of a management regime that helps a wide variety of wildflowers to grow, enriching the grassland, making it a haven for an assortment of insects.

Hill End Chalk Pit, Langley (0.5 hectares)

Tucked away on the intersection of the B651 and Hitchwood Lane in the idyllic countryside just north-west of Langley, Hill End Chalk Pit is a small but special area of chalk grassland that supports an abundance of wildlife.

This includes the biggest colony of the threetoothed moss snail known in the country. We are working with the Countryside Management Service to restore this valuable habitat to its former glory.

Pryors Wood, Great Ashby (37 hectares)

Bordering the north side of Great Ashby District Park on the edge of Stevenage, Pryors Wood has been established on this site since at least 1600 AD.

Carpets of bluebells flourish in the woodland during April and May and bat and bird boxes are dotted throughout the woodland to encourage species to breed at the site. Ongoing management, which includes coppicing trees to allow more light into the woodland encouragingmore plants to grow, will continue to benefit a range of species.

Countryside Management Service holds habitat management work groups at these sites from time to time. If you would like to get involved you can find out more on the Countryside Management Service website.