About the reserve

Sitting alongside the Dilham canal, Pigney’s Wood is a fantastic example of conservation work in action and what can be achieved in a short space of time.  

The site was farmland when it was bought in 1993 by the North Norfolk Community Woodland Trust, who planted over 20,000 native trees of 40 different species. An area of flower-rich grassland was also created, and a pond and the surrounding fen was restored. In 2017, we took over the conservation management of this young yet wildlife-rich reserve. 

Pigney’s Wood is home to an ancient trackway and an impressive 450-year-old oak tree. Nearby, the original wooded area boasts a wonderful carpet of bluebells in spring.  

The reserve has developed into an important refuge for wildlife, with woodland birds such as nuthatch, treecreeper, great spotted woodpecker, and woodcock all established here. For a developing nature reserve, we have seen an unusual number of rare vagrant visitors, including a Camberwell beauty butterfly in 2011, and a Blyth’s reed warbler in 2020.