Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust Stocking Springs Wood

Nestling amongst the wooded estates of central Hertfordshire, this small wood is a beautiful example of traditional coppice management and its value to wil

At Stocking Springs Wood gnarled and twisted trees throw a dense shade. Recently coppiced trees can be seen and here the light can get to the ground, encouraging many wildflowers. In spring the woodland floor is a carpet of bluebells and wild daffodils. Other plants such as wood anemones, wood violets, early purple orchids and yellow archangel indicate that this is an ancient woodland. Among the coppiced hornbeam there are tall oak standards and these provide nesting sites for birds such as the nuthatches, great spotted woodpeckers and treecreepers, among many others.