I live in Greenborough Road opposite the wood and consider myself very lucky to live in this neighbourhood and so close to a very important wildlife site.
The woods are the very reason I purchased my property.
The variety of creatures witnessed is amazing and this has definitely improved my quality of life.
I have often seen Newts, Foxes, two species of Deer and regularly have Hedgehogs, Squirrels and an occasional Sparrow Hawk in
the garden. Grass Snakes have been seen and various rare Butterflies and Insects.

This Wood is special and has been inspected by an Aboriculturalist who can verify it's significant ecology; he also considered the wood
to contain areas of Ancient Woodland, probably the 'Great Wood' as depicted on old maps (16/17th c.) of the area.
Local naturalist John Allaway .... spent several months compiling the report that helped to get part of Racecourse Plantation
in Thorpe St Andrew designated as ancient woodland. EEN 25 October 2011
It is far from being a "plantation" as can be seen from the variety of trees and the random way in which they have grown - unlike plantations
where, for harvesting purposes, the trees (all softwood) would be seeded in rows with rides between and lack the variety of wildlife.
Recent "harvesting" has resulted in blocked pathways and little clearance of stumps; one gets the impression that this is to discourage walkers
and make the area look unattractive.

Local people still walk their dogs here and sometimes I see family groups out for
a walk in the fresh air looking for animal and insect life, odd fungi etc. and generally enjoying the wood.

Within 500 yards - to the north side of Salhouse Road - is the White House Farm/Tesco/Blue Boar Lane development with hundreds (700?) of houses
being built. Just the other side of the road from those - Wroxham Road - another development has been passed eventually extending to the NDR.
Planning has been approved for more housing on the south side of Salhouse Road only 400 yards from the White House Farm/Tesco/Blue Boar Lane
development. That will extend to the Northern Distributor Road with some 1400(?) houses. Further housing development is taking place on
the other side of the woods filling in the land from Thorpe End (once known as Thorpe Garden Village - alas, that's a misnomer now!) through to the NDR.

These woods support a huge diversity of wildlife and the increasing development will leave nowhere for it to go. There are no intervening track-ways for the
wildlife to disperse to other areas and consequently this will put even more pressure on the wildlife.

I believe we have sufficient development already passed to meet current and future needs. We now require what's left of the agricultural land to feed an ever increasing population without resorting to yet ever more imports. Woods of this quality are required not only for the maintenance of the wildlife but also to maintain peoples equilibrium, appreciation of quiet spaces and the chance to see and learn from what we have on our doorstep, a wonderful, priceless asset.

Please protect it for our children and children's children. Once gone, impossible to replace or replicate.