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What am I looking at?
Here you can see an area of rough grassland interspersed with thickets of scrub, which are fantastic harbourers of wildlife.
Rowley Community Woodland is neighboured by arable fields and the historic village of Stoke-by-Nayland, which boasts an array of listed Tudor buildings.
What lives here?
Rowley Community Woodland is now managed for the benefit of people and wildlife. A popular bird-watching spot, the scrub thickets provide refuge for birds such as linnets, nightingales and goldfinches.
Shrews and mice will also typically make their nests under the cover of these thickets to avoid predation by birds of prey such as kestrels and buzzards.
Piles of deadwood and bug hotels scattered around the site have been introduced to support a range of insects and reptiles such as beetles and grass snakes.
Looking back…
In 2001 the Tendring Hall Estate covenanted 2.5 acres of neglected and overgrown cherry orchard now known as Cherry Wood to the Stoke-by-Nayland community. With support from the Green Light Trust and Dedham Vale National Landscape, a small group embarked on creating a community woodland.
Walks and more
A popular local walk is the 7.5km ‘History and Mystery’ walk from Stoke-by-Nayland to Polstead, famous as the location of the Red Barn Murder, where local lass Maria Marten met a grisly end. On the way, enjoy the gentle scenery of the river Box and discover some of the hilliest countryside in Suffolk.
Find out more in our Stoke-by-Nayland Walking Guide.