Arger Fen & Spouse's Vale is a rich mosaic of habitats with ancient woodland, fen, heath, grassland, regenerative woodland, and scrub. This fascinating nature reserve in the south-west of Suffolk has grown over the years under our care, with different areas being bought by or gifted to the Trust, starting with Spouse’s Grove in 1991 which was presented to the Trust by sisters Frances and Edith Vale.  

Arger Fen has year-round interest with its varying habitats providing a different view whichever way you turn – from a twisty tunnel of blackthorns which look particularly ‘spooky’ in the autumn around Halloween, to an open hilltop view of the valley; take the time to explore the reserve and you will be richly rewarded.  

In the autumn and winter months, listen out for the characteristic ‘kronk’ of raven and the rich number of berries present in the winter support an array of bird species including long-tailed tit, redwing and fieldfare. In the spring, enjoy the blossom blooming on the wild cherry trees. Then in the summer, the woodland areas become the perfect place to stay cool and enjoy the embrace of nature; keep your eyes peeled for beautiful silver-washed fritillary and purple emperor butterflies. Each season has a new interest! 

Cormac is the Warden at Arger Fen and Groton Wood, and carries out seasonal tasks including managing bracken, coppicing, pathway management, and species surveying. When needed, he also ventures out across West Suffolk to assist with conservation and survey work on other reserves.  

Previously working alongside Alex at Bradfield Woods, Cormac has a great knowledge of woodlands and the history of land management.  

As the nature reserve has grown over time, bordering fields - once used for arable agriculture - have been added to the site’s landscape. Through natural reversion over the past 20 years, these fields are gradually transforming into a complex mix of open grassland and dense woody scrub; excellent areas of habitats rich in biodiversity. The grassland habitats provide appealing feeding areas for barn owls, nesting opportunities for skylark, and the dense scrub provides an enticing location for nightingale to sing their songs.

When visiting Arger Fen in the autumn, Cormac explained ‘It might look messy and unkempt at times, but nature doesn't like things tidy. When areas of land have all stages of succession from low grass, scrub and woodland it creates a great amount of habitat for a large range of species. Invertebrates can thrive in scrubby areas like this, the bare soil of an anthill for example sits at the perfect temperature for grasshopper and cricket eggs to hatch in the spring while also providing basking areas for reptiles through the year. ' 

Useful definitions: 

Coppicing - felling trees at the base to encourage light to lower levels and regrowth of the trees. Find out more about coppicing in our video. 

Scrub - transitional areas between grassland and woodland. It is an extremely valuable habitat which many species depend on, however if it is not managed properly is can overtake grassland habitats.