Description
There are a number of different woodland types within the Chevin Forest Park; Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland
can be found beyond the West Chevin Road and the Danefield area of the park contains plantations of mixed
broadleaved and
coniferous woodland.
Following war-time felling, the Danefield Estate was given to the people of Otley by Major Horton-Fawkes
in memory of those who lost their lives during the war. Planting began in 1952 using a mixture of broadleaves
and conifers. The vision of those early foresters has created an attractive, well-forested estate which is used
today for a wide range of activities. This includes the production of quality timber, the income from which is
re–invested into the park to improve facilities for local people and visitors.
Following the creation of Leeds City Council in 1974 the central portion of the Chevin was purchased by the Council
between 1979 and 1988. It contains mature broadleaves, such as
sycamore,
beech and
oak as well as a number of
different species of conifer.
Great Dib Wood was designated SSSI status due to its special geological interest. This includes features such
as the exposures of rocks from the Namurian series, in particular the fossil rich bed known as the Otley Shell
Bed. An interpretative panel on site explains the fascinating geology of the area.
The entire Forest Park has been made a Local Nature Reserve (1989) and a
Leeds Nature Area. The major
attraction of the park are its extensive woodlands, which provide a habitat for numerous birds and mammals.
The trees are important for both resident and migratory birds, including the woodcock, goldcrest and redstart.
There is also a small population of roe deer. The wetland areas of the park provide a home for the only specimens
of bog asphodel in Leeds and the
gorse
scrub on the park is the only breeding site for the green
hair streak butterfly in Leeds. The area of heather moor land is the second largest owned by Leeds City
Council.
There are several areas of archaeological interest across the estate. Trees on two of these sites were felled in
1997 and are maintained as open ground to preserve features which, preliminary research indicates, may be of
national importance. These features are thought to date from the late Bronze Age to Romano-British times
(c.1000BC - 400AD).
In 1998, a landscape design plan for the Chevin Forest Park was published, which graphically illustrates how the
estate will evolve over the next 50 years. Full copies can be viewed in Otley Library.
Access and facilities :
Many footpaths and bridleways exist with full public access. Various car parks surround the park, accessible
from York Gate and East Chevin Road. Provision is made for a variety of leisure and educational pursuits
overseen by the on site Ranger Service, and two all-terrain wheelchairs are available for use on this site.
For further information on Leeds Nature Reserves, please click
here.
There is also a new website that has been set up by the Friends of Chevin Forest Park with a wealth of information
about the Park at
www.chevinforest.co.uk
