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Highgate Common is a Staffordshire Wildlife Trust reserve containing a mix of heathland and woodland. It is about 116 hectares or 286 acres in size. draft management plan The common is a popular leisure destination and a Site of Special Scientific Interest, located in Southern Staffordshire, England.
The site was previously managed by South Staffordshire District Council.
A warden is present most days and their duties are aided by various support staff and volunteers.
Highgate has 140 recorded species of fauna of which 36 are rare either nationally or regionally, 82 species of invertebrate 20 of which are regionally scarce and 51 are nationally scarce and 14 heathland specialist species. Nationally rare are at least four species of Andrena, creating burrows that are host to the kleptoparasitism cuckoo bees of the genera Nomada and Sphecodes. Also nationally rare are solitary wasps and wingless wasps and species that are regionally important include Bee. English Nature
Other animals, reptiles and insects include: , , , European rabbits, , moths, beetles, flies, and dragonflies.
The common is situated in a shallow valley on the plateau, like a dish sloping gently to the south. The land formation and vegetation together create a micro-climate warmer than expected for this part of England, with considerable impact on the local flora and fauna.
The thin, relatively dry, sandy soils were historically host to open woodland - predominantly birch, with some oak and beech. The early medieval] settlers clearly used the woods for pig-grazing, as is attested by important local Anglo-Saxon toponyms like Swindon and Kingswinford. After the Norman Conquest, the area became part of the vast Kinver Forest, which stretched as far north as the edge of Wolverhampton. In the later Middle Ages, and especially from the 16th century, the forest was denuded. The result was a sandy heathland - a landscape created by humans, but fragile and valuable to wildlife.
The ground is particularly hospitable to rabbits, which have excavated large warrens. It was turned over to agriculture during World War II and concrete roads and channels were put in. However, with careful management, including regular thinning and reduction of the rapidly encroaching trees, a diverse habitat has been recreated, consisting mainly of heathland - of which Calluna is the most dominant plant - and open woodland with occasional ponds and bogs, over Hill and often rough terrain.
A new Warden's office was opened in February 2010, incorporating toilets, a conference room, information points, an additional car park and picnic facilities.
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