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About Bricket Wood Common

Bricket Wood Common is located in St Stephens Parish in the District of St Albans in Hertfordshire. The total area of the common is 86 hectares (212 acres); its boundary is shown in the Location and Constraints maps above. This plan relates to the core area of the common, bounded by Mount Pleasant Lane to the north and School Lane to the east, which covers 63 hectares (156 acres) and is shown in the Site Description map above. The common is owned by the Munden Estate and managed by SADC through the Bricket Wood Common Management Committee, in partnership with CMS and the Munden Estate.

It covers an area rich in wildlife made up of predominantly secondary woodland and old hornbeam coppice, with a small core area of wet lowland heath and acid grassland,
containing a boggy area, birch scrub and ponds. The heathland is of particular significance as this habitat has declined markedly in southern England and the site represents an
important example in Hertfordshire.

The common has an amenity function for many mostly local people. It provides an important resource for small scale, informal recreation: walking and dog walking on the public
footpaths and other tracks; horse riding and cycling on the public bridleways; and a number of people who visit to enjoy and study the natural environment. It was a Green Flag Award Winner in 2016.

The Munden Estate has developed a woodland management plan for the parts of the site which are wooded, with the approval of Natural England and the Forestry Commission. As a result the scope of this plan is somewhat reduced from the previous plan in that it will not consider woodland management. The woodland rides and the main path network remain
within the scope of this plan.

St Albans City & District Council work closely with the Munden Estate to ensure that the two plans are complementary. All woodland management on Bricket Wood Common will continue to be monitored by the Bricket Wood Common Management Committee, Natural England and the Forestry Commission

Muden Estate