Dersingham Open Common (CWS 458)

This triangular parcel of registered common land (CLU 226) shares borders with Dersingham Closed Common (CWS 457) and Dersingham Bog SSSI. Additional County Wildlife Sites within a short radius form a valuable connected network of wildlife-rich sites within the local landscape.
Once dominated by ling heather and wavy hair grass, the Open Common now primarily consists secondary oak and silver birch woodland, a large clearing of acid grassland / heathland mosaic and scattered stands of bracken and gorse.
Amongst the oak and birch woodland which predominates the eastern half of the site, one can also find common beech, rowan, fragrant honeysuckle, alder buckthorn, wood sage and broad-leaved buckler fern. The northwest gives way to dense blackthorn and gorse-bramble scrub.
An area of neutral grassland in the southwest corner between Lynn Road and Heath Road supports wavy hair and sweet vernal grasses, yarrow, common stork’s-bill, harebell, Lady’s bedstraw, red campion, creeping cinquefoil, wild parsnip, hop trefoil, sheep’s sorrel and white campion.
The dry heath-acid grassland mosaic in the centre of this County Wildlife Site is the most botanically diverse region to be explored. It extends out south-westerly towards the road where it merges into to neutral grassland and the species to look out for here include heath bedstraw, ling, bell heather, wood sage, milkwort, wavy hair-grass, tall fescue, crested dog’s-tail and heath woodrush.
Other wildlife sights to look out for include reptiles and amphibians such as the common lizard, grass snake and common frog, and an interesting suite of fungi including fly agaric, amethyst deceiver and common earthball.
Best time to visit
In order to see the site at its most botanically diverse, the best times to visit is late spring to summer. The heather will still be in flower into late summer / early autumn. Autumn is the best time of year to see the fungi.
Is there a group associated to this site?
No
Can people get involved in managing the site?
No
Is there a website for this site?
No