Balls Wood is a nature reserve managed by the

Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust manages over 40 nature reserves covering nearly north of London, in Hertfordshire and the historic county of Middlesex, part of which is divided between the London boroughs of Barnet, Enfield, Harrow and Hill ...

Hertford Heath Hertford Heath is a village and civil parish near the county town of Hertford in Hertfordshire, England. The population at the 2011 Census was 2,672. Geography It is located on a heath above the River Lea valley, on its south side. Almost all of ...

in East Hertfordshire. The wood was purchased by the Trust from the

Forestry Commission The Forestry Commission is a non-ministerial government department responsible for the management of publicly owned forests and the regulation of both public and private forestry in England. The Forestry Commission was previously also respon ...

. The northern part has mature coppiced hornbeams together with ash and field maple. There are breeding birds such as

great spotted woodpecker The great spotted woodpecker (''Dendrocopos major'') is a medium-sized woodpecker with pied black and white plumage and a red patch on the lower belly. Males and young birds also have red markings on the neck or head. This species is found acros ...

s and sparrowhawks. The site also has open rides which provide a habitat for insects such as white admiral butterflies and wild flowers including bluebells, wood anemones and

early purple orchid ''Orchis mascula'', the early-purple orchid, early spring orchis, is a species of flowering plant in the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Description ''Orchis mascula'' is a perennial herbaceous plant with stems up to high, green at the base and ...

s. There are many ponds which support aquatic invertebrates. There is access by going along The Roundings from London Road past Hertford Heath nature reserve, turning right along Elbow Lane and left into Balls Wood.

References

External links

Balls Wood nature reserve leaflet, Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust
{{Authority control Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust reserves Nature reserves in Hertfordshire East Hertfordshire District