List of Local Nature Reserves in Hertfordshire
Sites

List of Local Nature Reserves in Hertfordshire

Section Title: Sites
Table Section Text: None

Site	Photograph	Area	Location	Map	Details	Other classifications	Description

Albans Wood	Albans Wood 2.JPG	4.1 hectares (10 acres)	Watford 51°41′39″N 0°23′54″W / 51.6941°N 0.3983°W TL 108 007	Map	Details	The site is ancient semi-natural woodland. It is mainly oak with other trees such as beech, horse chestnut and sweet chestnut.

Batford Springs	River Lea Waterfall at Batford Springs	3.5 hectares (8.6 acres)	St Albans 51°49′22″N 0°20′19″W / 51.8228°N 0.3386°W TL 146 151	Map	Details	The main feature of the reserve is a number of small springs which are the source of chalk streams and ponds.

Cassiobury Park	Daffodils in Cassiobury Park	25.1 hectares (62 acres)	Watford 51°39′34″N 0°25′32″W / 51.6594°N 0.4256°W TQ 090 968	Map	Details	HMWT	This large park in Watford has a variety of habitats, including streams, ponds, watercress beds, wet grassland and wet woodland. The Grand Union Canal and River Gade run through the site.

Cheshunt Park	Cheshunt Park 11.JPG	40.0 hectares (99 acres)	Broxbourne 51°43′00″N 0°02′45″W / 51.7167°N 0.04575°W TL 351 038	Map	Details	The history of the park goes back to Roman times. It is grass and woodland which has ancient hedgerows, wildflower meadows, a pond and an orchard which is cropped by traditional cattle breeds.

Chorleywood Common	Chorleywood Common	75.6 hectares (187 acres)	Three Rivers 51°39′15″N 0°30′40″W / 51.6542°N 0.5110°W TQ 031 961	Map	Details	CAONB	Some 300 fungi, 70 plant species and fifty birds have been recorded on the common, which has habitats including acid heathland, neutral grassland, chalk meadows and secondary woodland.

Chorleywood House Estate	Chorleywood House Estate	64.3 hectares (159 acres)	Three Rivers 51°39′47″N 0°30′08″W / 51.6631°N 0.5021°W TQ 037 971	Map	Details	The River Chess runs through the estate, which has formal parkland surrounding a 200-year-old manor house, meadows and mature woodland.

Colney Heath	River Colne in Colney Heath	22.5 hectares (56 acres)	St Albans 51°44′17″N 0°15′38″W / 51.7380°N 0.2606°W TL 202 058	Map	Details	The site is acid grassland, which is unusual in Hertfordshire, and the River Colne runs through it. The heath is managed to maintain the grassland and the diversity of plant species along the river.

The Commons	The Commons, Welwyn Garden City 2.JPG	13.2 hectares (33 acres)	Welwyn Hatfield 51°47′01″N 0°10′34″W / 51.7835°N 0.1762°W TL 259 110	Map	Details	The site has a variety of habitats including oak woodland, flower-rich meadows, wet fens, ditches and ponds. The meadows are grazed by livestock.

Croxley Common Moor	River Gade in Croxley Common Moor	41.2 hectares (102 acres)	Three Rivers 51°38′30″N 0°26′11″W / 51.6416°N 0.4363°W TQ 083 948	Map	Details	SSSI	The site is mainly grass heathland with some ancient woodland and hazel coppice. Over 250 species of plants have been recorded.

Danesbury Park	Danesbury Park 6.JPG	24.5 hectares (61 acres)	Welwyn Hatfield 51°50′14″N 0°13′03″W / 51.8372°N 0.2176°W TL 229 169	Map	Details	The site was formerly the park of Danesbury House, and it still has some large mature trees which are important to wildlife.

Fisher's Field	Fisher's Field 2.JPG	1.8 hectares (4.4 acres)	Hertsmere 51°39′28″N 0°22′56″W / 51.6579°N 0.3823°W TQ 120 967	Map	Details	The area was allotments during the Second World War. There are areas of woodland, with trees including oak, rowan and wild cherry, and a wildflower meadow and scrub with bramble, raspberry and willow herb.

Furzefield Wood and Lower Halfpenny	Pigeon in Furzefield Wood	7.4 hectares (18 acres)	Hertsmere 51°42′21″N 0°12′14″W / 51.7057°N 0.2040°W TL 242 023	Map	Details	The wood has been managed for coppicing for over 300 years. It now provides a habitat for birds, and fallen branches are important for invertebrates.

Garston Park	Garston Park Local Nature Reserve 9.JPG	6.4 hectares (16 acres)	Watford 51°41′28″N 0°22′47″W / 51.6912°N 0.3796°W TL 121 004	Map	Details	The nature reserve has woodland which is mainly oak, ash and sycamore, and there are also areas of grassland and wetland.

Harebreaks Wood	Harebreaks Wood 6.JPG	5.1 hectares (13 acres)	Watford 51°40′51″N 0°24′32″W / 51.6808°N 0.4089°W TQ 101 992	Map	Details	The site is semi-natural woodland of oak, ash and cherry, which goes back to at least 1600. Birds include treecreeper and nuthatch, and there mammals such as muntjac deer and pipistrelle bats.

Hilfield Park Reservoir	Hilfield Park Reservoir 23.JPG	74.7 hectares (185 acres)	Hertsmere 51°38′57″N 0°19′39″W / 51.6491°N 0.3276°W TQ 158 958	Map	Details	HMWT	This large reservoir is of national importance for pochards, tufted ducks and common tern. The margins have marshy areas with many breeding birds and marsh plants, such as reedmace and reed canarygrass.

Howe Dell	Howe Dell 9.JPG	4.0 hectares (9.9 acres)	Welwyn Hatfield 51°45′26″N 0°13′20″W / 51.7572°N 0.2222°W TL 228 080	Map	Details	The site is woodland which runs along both sides of a stream with steep sides. The main trees are hornbeam, oak and beech.

Howe Grove Wood	Howe Grove Wood 9.JPG	8.5 hectares (21 acres)	Dacorum 51°45′58″N 0°28′00″W / 51.7661°N 0.4668°W TL 059 086	Map	Details	This site is dense woodland next to the A4147 road in Hemel Hempstead.

Ivel Springs	Spring at Radwell feeding the Ivel	15.4 hectares (38 acres)	North Hertfordshire 51°59′39″N 0°11′38″W / 51.9942°N 0.1939°W TL 241 344	Map	Details	The site, which was a rubbish dump until the 1950s, has habitats including woodland, wetland and pasture. Its springs are the source of the River Ivel, and they have a wide variety of wildlife.

The Lairage Land	The Lairage Land 1.JPG	4.4 hectares (11 acres)	Watford 51°38′41″N 0°24′21″W / 51.6448°N 0.4059°W TQ 104 952	Map	Details	The site is mainly rough grassland, with some woodland and scrub. The River Colne runs along its southern boundary, with stream water crowfoot and yellow water lily growing in the water.

Mardley Heath	Mardley Heath	41.1 hectares (102 acres)	Welwyn Hatfield 51°50′58″N 0°11′33″W / 51.8494°N 0.1925°W TL 246 183	Map	Details	In the middle of the twentieth century the heath was used for gravel extraction, and it is now regenerating naturally. Oak and hornbeam woodland around the perimeter remains, and it is managed to enhance biodiversity.

Marshalls Heath	Marshalls Heath 7.JPG	4.0 hectares (9.9 acres)	St Albans 51°49′15″N 0°19′01″W / 51.8207°N 0.3169°W TL 161 149	Map	Details	The site is secondary woodland and scrub on acid heathland, but the many species recorded include forty on national lists of threatened species.

Northaw Great Wood Country Park	-	120.7 hectares (298 acres)	Welwyn Hatfield 51°43′22″N 0°08′28″W / 51.7227°N 0.14105304°W TL 285 043	Map	Details	SSSI	The park has one of the county's most extensive areas of ancient hornbeam woodland, with other trees including oak and silver birch.

Norton Common	Trees on a snowy Norton Common	25.7 hectares (64 acres)	North Hertfordshire 51°59′05″N 0°13′40″W / 51.9848°N 0.2278°W TL 218 333	Map	Details	Woodland on this site has diverse wildlife including black squirrels, muntjac deer, and birds such as chiff chaffs and blackcaps. There are also meadows with wild flowers, and the Pix Brook, which is fed by mineral-rich springs.

Oughtonhead Common	River Oughton at Oughtonhead Common	17.4 hectares (43 acres)	North Hertfordshire 51°57′39″N 0°18′05″W / 51.9607°N 0.3015°W TL 168 305	Map	Details	The common is part of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It has a wide variety of habitats, and the River Oughton flows along the edge.

Oxhey Woods	Oxhey Woods	100.2 hectares (248 acres)	Three Rivers 51°37′27″N 0°24′29″W / 51.6241°N 0.4080°W TQ 103 929	Map	Details	The site is mainly semi-natural woodland, and some areas date back to the end of the last Ice Age, the Younger Dryas, 11,500 years ago.

Oxleys Wood	Oxleys Wood 6.JPG	1.2 hectares (3.0 acres)	Welwyn Hatfield 51°45′03″N 0°13′24″W / 51.7509°N 0.2232°W TL 227 073	Map	Details	The wood floods in wet weather, particularly the northern part, which has a pond. Tree species include oak, ash, elm and willow, and they provide a habitat for insects which provide food for birds.

Prestwick Road Meadows	Prestwick Road Meadows 6.JPG	2.8 hectares (6.9 acres)	Three Rivers 51°37′03″N 0°23′17″W / 51.6176°N 0.3880°W TQ 117 922	Map	Details	This site was formerly farm meadows. It has many insects and flowers include purple knapweed, yellow birdsfoot-trefoil and red clover.

Purwell Meadows	River Purwell in Purwell Meadows 5.JPG	8.6 hectares (21 acres)	North Hertfordshire 51°57′14″N 0°15′19″W / 51.9538°N 0.2552°W TL 200 298	Map	Details	The River Purwell runs through the meadows. Wildlife includes kingfishers, which are native to the area, and water voles.

Rickmansworth Aquadrome	Rickmansworth Aquadrome	41.0 hectares (101 acres)	Three Rivers 51°37′59″N 0°28′43″W / 51.6331°N 0.4785°W TQ 054 938	Map	Details	There are two lakes and a diverse range of wildlife habitats. The site has trees such as oaks and willows, birds including herons and moorhens, and small copper and gatekeeper butterflies.

Sherrardspark Wood	Sherrardspark Wood	73.2 hectares (181 acres)	Welwyn Hatfield 51°48′37″N 0°13′02″W / 51.8102°N 0.2172°W TL 230 139	Map	Details	SSSI	Much of this site is sessile oak woodland. Some trees are 250 years old, and diverse flora includes violet and broad-leaved helleborine, both of which are rare.

Shrubhill Common	Shrubhill Common 5.JPG	9.8 hectares (24 acres)	Dacorum 51°45′14″N 0°30′07″W / 51.7539°N 0.5020°W TL 035 072	Map	Details	CAONB	The common is woodland and scrub, together with two fields which are chalk grassland. There are over 100 species of wild flowers, and herbs such as marjoram and basil.

Singlers Marsh	River Mimram in Singlers Marsh 4.JPG	6.3 hectares (16 acres)	Welwyn Hatfield 51°50′07″N 0°13′14″W / 51.8354°N 0.2206°W TL 227 167	Map	Details	The River Mimram runs along the edge of this site. It has grassland, which is managed by cattle grazing and cutting, and areas of willow scrub with some more mature trees.

Stanborough Reedmarsh	Stanborough Reedmarsh and River Lea 3.JPG	3.3 hectares (8.2 acres)	Welwyn Hatfield 51°48′37″N 0°13′02″W / 51.8102°N 0.2172°W TL 230 139	Map	Details	HMWT	The site is wet willow woodland on the bank of the River Lea. It is important for water voles and birds such as reed and sedge warblers.

Stocker's Lake	Stockers Lake	37.9 hectares (94 acres)	Three Rivers 51°37′47″N 0°29′19″W / 51.6297°N 0.4887°W TQ 047 934	Map	Details	HMWT	This is an old flooded gravel pit which has over sixty species of breeding birds, including shoveler and goldeneye ducks in nationally important numbers.

Therfield Heath	Pulsatilla Vulgaris On Therfield Heath	147.3 hectares (364 acres)	North Hertfordshire 52°02′32″N 0°03′18″W / 52.0423°N 0.05491°W TL 335 400	Map	Details	SSSI	This is unimproved pasture and has some of the richest chalk grassland in England. Plants include the rare pasque flower, and there are insects such as the chalkhill blue butterfly.

Top Field and Cozens Grove	Top Field 2.JPG	6.1 hectares (15 acres)	Broxbourne 51°44′30″N 0°01′54″W / 51.7416°N 0.03164°W TL 360 066	Map	Details	Top Field is a wildflower meadow which is mown to provide a habitat for small mammals, birds and insects. Cozens Grove is an ancient wood which has coppiced hornbeam and a medieval sunken ditch.

Watercress Wildlife Site	Watercress Wildlife Site 4.JPG	1.2 hectares (3.0 acres)	St Albans 51°44′37″N 0°19′58″W / 51.7436°N 0.3328°W TL 152 063	Map	Details	The site was formerly one of the many commercial watercress beds in the area. It has a wide variety of wildlife, including water rails, kingfishers, little grebes and muntjac deer.

Waterford Heath	Waterford Heath	35.2 hectares (87 acres)	East Hertfordshire 51°49′05″N 0°05′32″W / 51.8181°N 0.09215°W TL 316 150	Map	Details	HMWT	The site is mainly grassland, with areas of scrub, wood plantation and semi-natural woodland. Breeding birds include skylarks and willow warblers, and there are reptiles such as slow worms and grass snakes.

Weston Hills	Weston Hills 3.JPG	17.0 hectares (42 acres)	North Hertfordshire 51°48′15″N 0°10′55″W / 51.8042°N 0.18189°W TL 250 326	Map	Details	Chalk grassland is its most important ecological feature and one of the best examples in Hertfordshire; plants are very diverse because the harsh conditions do not allow vigorous species to become dominant.

Wheathampstead	Wheathampstead LNR 4.JPG	5.9 hectares (15 acres)	St Albans 51°48′15″N 0°10′55″W / 51.8042°N 0.18188°W TL 177 131	Map	Details	This L shaped site has ash woodland, thorn scrub, mature hedgerows, and rough grassland. There are plants such as grass vetchling and bee orchid, birds including yellowhammer and whitethroat, and many butterflies.

The Wick	The Wick LNR 4.JPG	3.4 hectares (8.4 acres)	St Albans 51°45′43″N 0°18′39″W / 51.7619°N 0.3108°W TL 166 083	Map	Details	This is ancient woodland which is semi-natural, and the main trees are oak and hornbeam. Other features are a seasonal pond and historic field boundaries of bank and ditch.

The Withey Beds	The Withey Beds 7.JPG	7.5 hectares (19 acres)	Three Rivers 51°38′04″N 0°26′38″W / 51.6345°N 0.4438°W TQ 078 940	Map	Details	The site borders the River Colne, and it has a variety of habitats including dry grassland, wet woodland, marsh and ditches.

Sentence(s)

The largest site is Therfield Heath with 147.3 hectares (364 acres).

final_sentence: The largest site is Therfield Heath with 147.3 hectares (364 acres).