History, wildlife and heathlands

History, wildlife and heathlands

Looking across Dropping Well Farm to The Devil's Spittleful by Paul Lane

Explore the history, wildlife and restoration of Worcestershire's biggest block of heathland...

In 2021 the Trust fitted the final piece of a jigsaw into place when it bought 95 acres of land at the heart of nature reserves owned by both the Trust and Wyre Forest District Council. This land at Dropping Well Farm created a block of over 600 acres of connected habitat and the biggest area of heathland, either mature or under restoration, in the county.

The restoration of heathland here is incredibly important; Worcestershire has lost around 98% of its heathland in the last 200 years. The Trust is already restoring heathland on adjacent fields at Blackstone Farm Fields. These fields, and those at Dropping Well Farm, are separated from the mature heathland of The Devil's Spittleful and Rifle Range by the Severn Valley Railway so restoration can, at times, prove challenging.

Join host Lee Robinson as he meets up with reserve manager Andy Harris to take a walk through this amazing landscape. You'll discover how heathland has evolved, why carpet is often found on the site, why rabbits are important and how the habitat will develop over time.

National Lottery Heritage Fund and Severn Waste Services logos

The project has been made possible by funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Severn Waste Services, The Banister Charitable Trust, The Rowlands Trust, The Helen Mackaness Charitable Trust and generous donations from Trust members and supporters. Thank you.