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 The current Management Plan for Troopers Hill Local Nature Reserve was produced jointly by Bristol Parks and Friends of Troopers Hill and adopted in January 2007.
Aims & Objectives
The most important habitat on Troopers Hill is the acidic grassland and heathland, this covers the central area of the site and is the core of the reserve and the reason it was created.
Our vision in writing the plan is for this core habitat to be protected and where possible to be restored to areas where the surrounding scrub and woodland has encroached over the last twenty or more years (see our Old Photographs page).
To achieve this aim it is necessary to remove some of the trees and scrub that has grown in that time, this work is carried out in the winter to avoid the bird nesting season. Most of the Proposed Works for 2007/8 were completed as planned, though the wet weather after Christmas meant that the work to enlarge Sally's Glade has been postponed until next year. The work is being managed by Bristol Parks and carried out by their contractor Bristol Contract Services. Surveys of two of the areas cleared in the winter 2006/7 have shown encouraging signs that heathland plants are re-establishing themselves - download the report here.
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 Areas of scrub will be maintained around the outside of the site but these will be managed to prevent them becoming woodland. Between the scrub and the grassland and heathland on some parts of the site are areas of broom. Troopers Hill is the only site in Bristol where broom grows in such profusion. As the hawthorn and bramble is pushed back we hope to encourage the broom to re-establish itself in these areas. Areas currently covered in broom will then be returned to grassland and heathland. This will be a reversal of the natural progression that has occurred over the last 20 years where bramble has choked areas of broom and then hawthorn has grown amongst the bramble.
Plan DetailsFor the purpose of the plan the hill is divided up into 11 compartments and the management aims for each area are set out, together with details of how they will be achieved. As well as the main document there are three maps, all are available for download as pdf files.
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The plan covers a five year period and so extends to April 2012. An additional year will be added to the plan at each annual review so that we are always looking 5 years ahead. Friends of Troopers Hill have learnt a great deal about the ecology of Troopers Hill since the original plan was produced in 2004 and this has allowed us to plan an improved management regime. Our initial focus had been to try and maintain the hill in its current state, but with the support of Bristol Parks we are now able to work towards improving the habitat with particular focus on the acid grassland and heathland.
The plan also shows how the Management of Troopers Hill fits in to the various policies that have been adopted by Bristol City Council. The format follows Bristol City Council's ‘template’ for future management plans for parks and green spaces which is based on guidance from the Commission for Architecture, Buildings and Environment (CABE Space).
Adoption of the plan demonstrates Bristol City Council's committment to ensure that Troopers Hill Local Nature Rerserve is both maintained and improved for the benefit of both wildlife and people.Have Your SayIf you have any comments on the plan or the planned work please Contact Us or post your views on our Friends' Forum. The plan is a living document that is reviewed each year so we welcome your input.Earlier Management Plans
The 2004 plan and the updates produced in April 2005 and 2006, can be downloaded as pdf files using the links below. Please note the original Plan is 65 pages and nearly 6MB it will take sometime to download.
If you have any problems downloading the documents, or wish to receive a copy in printed form or on CD please email
, a donation to cover costs would be appreciated.
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The Plan was officially launched at a signing ceremony on the hill on Wed 9th June 2004. It was signed by Peter Wilkinson, Head of Bristol Parks and Susan Acton-Campbell, Chair of Friends of Troopers Hill
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