An ancient woodland has become Basingstoke and Deane’s newest local nature reserve.

Little Pen Wood, in the Highclere area, was designated yesterday evening (Tuesday 10 February) by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s Cabinet in recognition of the area’s value to local people and its ancient trees, diverse wildlife and wet woodland habitats.

It is the 11th local nature reserve that has been created in the borough to help protect land for habitat restoration and biodiversity. The areas can still be used for everyday activities, including dog walking, running and cycling.

Declaring an area as a local nature reserve usually takes around 18 months. For Little Pen Wood, the process involved engaging with Natural England and a consultation in spring last year, where residents, nature groups and Highclere Parish Council backed the council’s plan to safeguard the woodland.

People living near Little Pen Wood are now being encouraged to join a new conservation group that is working with the council’s rangers and Natural Basingstoke to care for the area. The plan for how it is managed was agreed with Natural England.

Cabinet Member for Climate and Ecological Emergency Cllr Chris Tomblin said: “Little Pen Wood is a cherished space for local people and wildlife and I am proud that we have been able to give it the protection it deserves.

“The natural environment is a priority for this council and declaring local nature reserves is one of the ways we are actively working, together with communities and partners, to help protect wildlife and preserve the environment now and for the future.”

The council is already taking steps to declare more sites, based on a priority list. It is also looking to add land at Old Down in southern Basingstoke to that list, following a pledge in December by the council’s Cabinet to start the process to declare it a local nature reserve.

Protecting and enhancing the borough’s natural environment is a priority for the council, supporting its 2021 ecological emergency pledge and the biodiversity strategy it adopted two years ago.

More information is at www.basingstoke.gov.uk/Little-Pen-Wood-LNR

People interested in volunteering at Little Pen Wood or in another of the borough’s conservation groups should email WildlifeConservation@basingstoke.gov.uk