Snape Common is the area of woodland on the North side of Priory Road and, as you might guess from its name, it was formerly heathland. Over the past 70 years or so, it has been colonised by trees to become the woodland we see today. The owners of Snape Common, Suffolk County Council, delegated the management of it to Snape Parish Council, who commissioned a five-year Management Plan. This has been produced by Alan Miller, who has recently retired after working for 28 years as Suffolk Wildlife Trust Coastal Sites Manager.
The Management Plan recommends a fairly light-touch management approach. The recommendation to install bat and bird boxes has already been carried out. In addition, a total of 3100 native daffodil, English bluebells and snowdrops have been planted. Other recommendations include the removal of some brambles and non-native shrubs, and thinning of the holly that has colonised the Common.
This work will let in more light to encourage plants on the ground, and much of the cut material will be used to make habitat piles for wildlife. The understorey that develops with increased light will also make the Common a more attractive place for those of us that like to walk through it.
The Parish Council is pleased to have the resources of GreenSnape Community Group to progress the work, starting in January.
If you’d like to view the Management Plan, you can see part of it, and download the whole (ten pages) of it, from https://snapevillage.info/pc/scmp/. Any comments, suggestions or questions would be welcome — please email the Parish Clerk at the address below.
Snape Parish Council
snapepc.clerk@gmail.com