Pepper Wood - Fairfield, nr Bromsgrove

Site Description

Pepper Wood forms a significant landscape feature. It is an ASNW with records dating back to the 1200's and a remnant of the Forest of Feckenham forming part of a forest area known as Pyperode. Historically the wood is thought to have been managed as coppice with standards. Little management following the sites clear fell in 1948/49 has taken place until the winter of 1983/84 when the Trust reintroduced a coppice with standard system over a third of the site. In December 1990 the site was designated a SSSI.

The wood is dominated by oak and birch (NVC Type W10a Quercus robur-Pteridium aquilinum-Rubus fruticosus woodland, W16b Quercus spp.–Betula spp. – Deschampsia flexuosa woodland and W7b Alnus glutinosa-Fraxinus excelsior-Lysimachia nemorum woodland). The site also contains an exceptional diversity of tree and shrub species including wild service and both large and small leaved lime. Stand types vary from wet alder valley woodland with large leaved lime along the northern boundary in the West to dry more heath like woodland in the higher areas.

There are several less common, local or rare species recorded at Pepper Wood. This include-thin spiked wood sedge and broad and violet helleborine. Less common invertebrates include White Admiral and the very local land caddis fly, Enoicyla pusillan, and a variety of moths of a restricted distribution.

The wood slopes gently to the south west with an underlying geology of Dodford Clays over red sandstone giving way to thick acid clay soils and is poorly drained in places with many permanent wet areas. A small pond is situated in compartment 2f.

The presence of a small cark park at the wood means the site is easily accessible and well used by locals and interested visitors and groups. There is also a good network of rides giving visitors the opportunity to experience coppiced areas, high forest, wide rides and quiet narrow paths.