 Immediately to the west of the town is Brownhills Common , a 100 @-@ acre ( 0 @.@ 40 km2 ) heathland which once formed part of Cannock Forest ( also known as " <unk> Wood " ) . Although the forest was felled in the 15th and 16th centuries , the spread of heather and the grazing of sheep led to the creation of a huge area of heathland . The area was affected by mine workings but has now returned to a more natural state and lizards and dragonflies may be observed . The area now supports various habitat types , with the heathland mixing with marshy grassland , with scattered scrub and pools . In 1926 , when ownership of the Common was transferred to the local Council , a large area of barren land at the eastern end , closest to the town , was landscaped , with new trees planted . Lying south of the Common , Birch Coppice is a large area of predominantly oak and birch woodland , which , although crossed by a now @-@ dismantled railway line , mostly escaped the destruction caused to other wooded areas by mining and other industry . 
