Northbrook Copse, a small area of woodland situated between D’Urberville Drive and Cauldron Barn Road, was given to Swanage Town Council by Purbeck District Council some years ago. It was near derelict woodland but showed promise. A management programme was drawn up to improve the structure, especially the ground flora of the woods. This involved coppicing compartments, periodic cutting to the ground of some species and letting them re-grow. No two compartments are cut within a few years of each other and the whole process should mean that the area will have been entirely coppiced within ten years of starting.
As areas are cut the following years see and explosion of new plants that have had their seed shaded out preventing growth. Upwards of 200 Common Spotted orchids have been counted and together with the management programme the wood should start to have a much, more varied ground flora. The coppicing will make sure that the trees that remain will be all of a different age and height which is good for the woodland as a whole. To see a list of the plants please click here.