About the reserve

Making South Yorkshire a little wilder

As part of a planning agreement between Doncaster Council and the developer at Warren Park, the Trust now owns and manages the open green space surrounding the housing estate. A combination of oak woodland, heathland, a reed-fringed pond, and grassland, Manor Farm provides the local community with easy access to nature – a connection shown to improve our physical and mental health.

Talking of connections, the site is part of a network of reserves around our flagship site at Potteric Carr which form a wilder landscape where wildlife can move from one place to another. At Manor Farm, we also demonstrate how green spaces can be havens for pollinators, from bees and butterflies to birds and bats, and corridors for amphibians and mammals to move and migrate.

Early risers can enjoy watching the morning sun through the mist and trees, and seeing spider webs outlined in dew. This is also a great place to look for different fungi in the autumn, including the shaggy inkcap.

Setting up home

There’s something to enjoy seeing all year round at Manor Farm, but a highlight is during nest building season in the spring, when swans and little grebes are on the pond, and nuthatches are in the woods.

In late summer and early autumn, the heather on the heath comes into flower, with its blues and purples creating a visual treat. As autumn continues, the leaves on the trees turn warm shades of gold and orange – and once the leaves have fallen it’s the ideal time to look for woodland birds. How many can you spot?