We work in partnership with Warwickshire Wildlife Trust to manage its ten local nature reserves.

Our reserves have a wide range of habitats from woodland to heathland and meadows to marsh - perfect for wildlife spotting or a family walk.

Pop to Crackley Wood or Kenilworth Common with the kids and follow our nature trails (bring some paper and wax crayons). Spot the elusive Kingfisher along the river bank at Leam Valley and search for dragonflies at Whitnash Brook.

Volunteer work parties - stay active

The trust run regular volunteer work parties at our local nature reserves. There are lots of opportunities throughout the week.

• Stay active
• Meet new people
• Improve your local nature reserve for visitors
• Protect wildlife
• Do your bit for your local community

For more information about Warwickshire Wildlife Trust's work parties, please check out their volunteering pages.

Kenilworth area

Weekly volunteer parties take place at Crackley Woods, Knowle Hill and Parliament Piece. Monthly volunteer parties take place at Kenilworth Common. 

Crackley Woods

An ancient semi-natural woodland just north of Kenilworth, once part of the Forest of Arden. Visit in May for fantastic displays of blue bells.

Kenilworth Common

Once an area of heathland, the Common has developed into an area of oak and birch woodland. However, remnants of the old heathland character remain, particularly on and close to the railway embankments.

Knowle Hill

Formerly unimproved grazed farmland, this reserve has survived while the surrounding area has been built on. Today you will find a mosaic of planted woodland, meadows and scrub.

Parliament Piece

The name Parliament Piece is believed to relate to Henry III's parliament, which met in Kenilworth in 1266. Today, the grassland is managed as a traditional hay meadow, with hay cut in late July and cattle grazing for two or three months after.

Leamington area

Monthly volunteer parties take place at Leam Valley.

Hunningham Meadow

Situated in the village of Hunningham, about three miles east of Leamington Spa, the reserve is agriculturally improved grassland with small areas of semi-improved grassland. It has been used in recent years for year-round horse grazing.

Welches Meadow and Leam Valley

Welches Meadow is a traditional flood meadow to the south of the River Leam. River water covers the land for parts of the year. Leam Valley forms part of Newbold Comyn and has lots of habitats including woodland, grassland, marsh, ponds and the River Leam itself. This area has an agricultural past with recent woodland planting and pond creation. 

Whitnash Brook

Whitnash Brook forms the eastern limit of the built up area of Leamington and Sydenham. It contains a diverse mixture of habitats including the brook, marshy grassland and swamp, woodland, grassland, tall herb and scrub.
There is a footpath through the whole length of the site.

Warwick area

Monthly volunteer work parties take place at Oakwood and Blacklow Spinneys and Oakley Wood, a plantation woodland near Bishops Tachbrook.

Oakwood and Blacklow Spinneys

Two reserves in one, the spinneys are areas of mature trees which were probably originally planted as a shooting wood in the 1920s. New planting of native species has taken place more recently.