Warwick District Council will be undertaking some essential habitat management across Kenilworth Common in the coming weeks.

This will be forming part of planned woodland management operations to work towards rejuvenating the common – for the benefit of wildlife and for the enjoyment of people who are able to access this important local nature reserve as part of their allowed daily exercise.

This work is part of a planned schedule of management with a long-term vision that the local nature reserve will benefit from increased light to the woodland floor and a greater diversity in age and structure of trees.

This will hopefully make for a healthier common that is able to continue to provide a natural and amenity resource to the people of Kenilworth and the wider area.

Kenilworth Common comprises both woodland and heathland habitats, which support a diverse range of wildlife including woodland birds, a variety of fungi, and some rarer species including glow worms and the common lizard, all which require active management of the site to ensure their success.

During successive government lockdowns over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic the common has experienced a considerable increase in the use by unauthorised mountain bikers.

WDC has said: "Whilst we appreciate the importance of outdoor space in the current times, unfortunately this has resulted in damage to trees through their roots being undermined, damage to the ground from the bike-runs, erosion to banks, and in creating 'routes' valuable wildlife habitat has been wilfully destroyed.

"As spring approaches disturbance to wildlife from bike-runs is also a concern, at a time when we typically let nature do its own thing."

In response to this issue Warwick District Council and Warwickshire Wildlife Trust will be putting up on-site notices informing people of where cycling is not permitted, where possible will make good any damage caused by unauthorised cycling, and will be selectively removing trees.

The removal of trees in order to manage this issue will only be carried out where necessary and will where possible be undertaken to be in keeping with our aims for improvement of the site for wildlife.

However, WDC has advised that there may be a need to undertake clearance and removal works that wouldn't otherwise have taken place to ensure the safety of all visitors to the site.

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