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For more information on the Friends of Shrubhill common please click
here
Shrubhill Common was Dacorum's first Local Nature reserve, its LNR status
being declared on 10th October, 1995. It consists of an area of common land (now
reverted to scrub and woodland) and a couple of fields which have been
grazed most recently by tethered horses. This has enabled these areas to survive
as herb-rich chalk grassland. Grazing ceased following the Foot and Mouth
outbreaks a few years ago. Since then the grassland has been maintained by a
regime which involves mowing selected areas at different times to retain the
features and species of chalk grassland. In addition to the mowing it also
sometimes necessary to cut back encroaching scrub species such as blackthorn and
bramble.
Butterflies on the common are recorded on a weekly basis from April until
the end of September. Between twenty and twenty-two species are recorded most
years, and last year there were 23 species, which included a vagrant
Silver-washed Fritillary. The Marbled White colony was founded less than 10 years ago
and another new arrival is the Wasp Spider which was recorded for the first
time last year.
There are also well over a hundred species of wild flowers. The grass land
is dominated by Knapweed, Agrimony and Ox-eye Daisies but also contains such
herbs as Marjoram, Basil and Cornmint. The woods contain small colonies of
Sanicle and Goldilocks Buttercup.
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