| Cerisy Forest | |
| Alt Name: | Forêt de Cerisy |
| Map: | France |
| Relief: | yes |
| Location: | Cerisy-la-Forêt, Montfiquet, France |
| Coordinates: | 49.1833°N -0.8917°W |
Cerisy Forest (forêt de Cerisy or forêt de Balleroy), is a 2127ha[1] beech woodland (75% of the land), located in the French Calvados and Manche departments.
Since 1976 it is a national nature reserve managed by l'Office national des forêts (ONF). At Cerisy, its goal partly resides in the conservation of an endemical golden sub-species of carabus auronitens, which is protected at national level.
One can sight deer like stags, roe, as well as boars, badgers, foxes. One is advised to be careful and not perturb the population on foot as well as by car, as accidents are frequent.
Birds and other predators are varied and diverse; one can spot the black and |middle spotted woodpecker, long-eared owl and many other species, a pleasant area for both amateurs and ornithologists.Amphibians and insects also constitute a huge wealth, namely the golden endemic carabus auronitens (Chrysocarabus auronitens ssp cupreonitens)[2] [3] but also Alpine newt, palmate newt, agile frog, salamanders. There are also remarkable butterflies and reptiles like the adder and common lizard.[4]
Cerisy Forest is made up 75% of beech, 12% oak and 3% Scots pine.There are also many other breeds such as birch, chestnut, black alder.shrubs : holly, knee holm (protégé en forêt de Cerisy), walnut treeand many flowers : wood spurge, foxglove, thimbleweed.