Goytre House Wood

The Gwent Ornithological Society has owned Goytre House Wood since 2001 and manages it as a reserve for birds and other wildlife.  In 2013 the wood was designated a Local Wildlife Site (an area of high conservation importance in Monmouthshire) for its range of flora and fauna. The 11-acre site is a mixed deciduous woodland consisting mainly of oak, beech, ash, sycamore and silver birch. In spring the woodland floor is carpeted with bluebells and wild daffodil are also present.

Nesting birds are encouraged by the erection of nest boxes which are used by Blue and Great Tits, Nuthatch and, occasionally, Pied Flycatcher.  Spotted Flycatcher returns every year with one or two pairs present. Great Spotted and Green Woodpeckers are nearly always present, the former using the old trees for nesting; Lesser Spotted Woodpecker nested alongside the canal in the past but has sadly not been reported since 2006.  Tawny Owl breeds from time to time, Raven and Buzzard are seen and heard in the area and both Mallard and Moorhen use the pond. The Gwent Bat Group has put up bat boxes, which have been used by both common pipistrelle and noctule bats. Wood mice use the nest boxes to hibernate in winter.

If you intend visiting the wood, please keep to the footpath, particular during the nesting season. Many of the nest boxes can be seen from the path and views of the wood can be obtained from the canal towpath.  This will ensure that disturbance is kept to a minimum during the breeding season.