What can be found on site.

Kinson Common covers an area of just over 16 hectares. In 1988, the heathland of the Common together with nearby Turbary Common was designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, due to the presence of important plant and invertebrate species (paticularly on the wet heath) and because of the site's location within an urban setting. Then in 1997, Kinson Common was given Local Nature Reserve status. Habitat Types Although Kinson Common is a small area, it exhibits a rich variety of habitats.During spring and summer of 2001, local botanist Felicity Woodhead carried out a comprehensive National Vegetation Classification survey that identified a suggested 12 habitat categories. The main habitats are summarised below: Dry Heath occurs on the higher ground each side of the bog. To the south of the bog, the vegetation is dominated by common heather Calluna vulgaris and common gorse Ulex europeaus with bell heather Erica cinerea, dwarf gorse Ulex minor and bristle bent Agrostis curtissii. To the north, the heath comprises acid grassland dominated by bristle bent. Humid and Wet Heath is found in the low-lying bog extending west to east across the centre of the Common. Large areas are dominated by purple moor grass Molinia caerulea, with cross-leaved heath Erica tetralix, common heather and deergrass Trichophorum cespitosum. The wetter areas have a particularly varied and interesting bog plant community with a number of less common species. Scrub is found throughout the Common, the largest areas occuring to the west of the pond where the species are pedunculate oak Quercus robur and hawthorn Crataegus monogyna. Willow Carr occurs as two blocks; one at either end of the shallow valley running east-west across the centre of the Common. Woodland on the Common is dominated by pedunculate oak but includes a number of other common deciduous species, for example, silver birch Betula pendula, rowan Sorbus aucuparia and hazel Coryllus avellana. There are two main woodland areas, one in the south-eastern corner and the other to the east of the grassland of Poole Lane Meadows. Grassland. The principal area of grassland occurs along the western edge of the Common. This block can be divided into two: the western half being maintained as short turf for informal recreation and the eastern half being managed as hay meadow. Other areas of rough grassland occur throughout the Common, especially towards the north-west and south-east. Here, there is a tendency for coarse grass species to dominate but a number of typical grassland herb species also occur. Marsh is represented as a low-lying area towards the north of the Common that was created as part of a flood alleviation scheme. The area has been rapidly colonised by a number of typical wetland species. OpenWater. Two streams converge on the Common and flow north into a small holding pond that is also part of the flood alleviation scheme. Throughout the bog area, there are a number of shallow bog pools of varying size. An additional two ponds were created here in 1993. This range of habitats results in a varied and interesting flora and fauna, including over 350 species of plant, 3 reptile species, 40 species of breeding birds, with an additional 20 as winter visitors/ migrants. 24 species of butterfly, 19 species of dragonfly and damselfly and cricket, numerous insects and spiders and several mammal species. As well as being managed as open space for people to use and enjoy, Kinson Common is managed for its wildlife value. Work carried out includes the creation of open areas for wild flowers and insects and scrub for nesting birds. There is also yearly mowing of the meadow to encourage wild flower growth. As well as wildlife, the Common also has much historical interest. Palaeolithic implements were found between 1927 and 1934, and various small flint implements from the Neolithic and Bronze ages have been found over the years. There are also 2 Bronze Age Barrows on the Common, unexcavated and in reasonable condition.