Macclesfield Forest - Geography and Ecology

Geography and Ecology

Macclesfield Forest lies on the western edge of the Peak District, within the South West Peak. The eastern two-thirds of the forest fall within the National Park, and the area has been covered by the Park's ranger service since the 1970s. A total of 401 hectares (991 acres) has been designated a Site of Biological Importance (grade A); an area of 19 hectares (47 acres), including all of Trentabank Reservoir, was also made a non-statutory nature reserve in 1982, and is managed by the Cheshire Wildlife Trust.

The area ranges in elevation from around 225 metres to 475 metres, and includes two hills, Toot Hill (SJ970719) in the east and Nessit Hill (SJ962706) in the south. Within the forest are two reservoirs, Trentabank (SJ962713) and Ridgegate (SJ954713), which are fed by Bollin Brook. They are the highest of a series of four reservoirs, the lower two being the Bottoms and Teggsnose Reservoirs, south of Tegg's Nose.

A continuous area of approximately 400 hectares (988 acres) is covered with woodland or plantation. The forest is managed for timber by United Utilities, using a continuous cover policy (rather than clear felling and restocking). Macclesfield Borough Council plans to increase the area of the former royal forest that is covered by woodland. The predominant species are Sitka spruce and Japanese larch, with some Scots pine, Lodgepole pine, Corsican pine and Norway spruce. There are also areas of semi-natural mixed and broadleaved woodland, mainly oak, sycamore and beech; in 2004, broadleaved species made up 23% of the total, although current forestry management aims to increase the proportion. The woodland supports mosses and thirty species of fungi, including fly agaric, stinkhorns, honey fungus and the sickener. The area also includes areas of acidic unimproved upland grassland, including approximately a hectare within the Trentabank nature reserve; this supports species including bluebell, tormentil, pignut, birdsfoot trefoil, foxglove and lesser knapweed, while the reservoir margins support aquatic plants including amphibious bistort, water mint, water horsetail and common spikerush.

A heronry is located by Trentabank Reservoir within the reserve; with around twenty-two nests, it is the largest in the Peak District. The heronry is visible from several viewpoints, and close-up CCTV pictures of the nests can also be seen in the Trentabank ranger station. Other birds observed in the woodland include crossbills, siskins, goldcrests, pied flycatchers, garden warblers, blackcaps and woodcocks, while the reservoirs support abundant waterfowl including cormorants, coots, goldeneyes, pochard, mallards, tufted ducks, teal, great crested grebe, little grebe and common sandpipers. A herd of around twelve red deer, the remnant of the royal forest herd, still frequents the forest. Small mammals present in the woodland include badgers and weasels.