Shipley and Great Woods
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NY999225 | — | Favourable | 11.02 | 2013-01-11 |
| NZ003220 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 20.07 | 2013-01-11 |
| NZ007209 | — | Favourable | 12.65 | 2013-01-11 |
| NZ010208 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 21.26 | 2022-12-15 |
Climate exposure
This is about exposure to a nationwide pressure this habitat type carries — not a verdict on this site's own management.
Coastal habitats are exposed to sea-level rise and storm erosion. Where hard sea defences sit behind them, there's nowhere landward to retreat to — a squeeze that keeps compressing the habitat no matter how well it's managed.
Geology & landscape
Geological Feature: Gorge / Ravine · Rock Type: Limestone
Landscape processes: Coastal
Birds & fish recorded
Birds
| Species | Season |
|---|---|
| blackcap | Unknown |
| pied flycatcher | Unknown |
| redstart | Unknown |
| wood warbler | Unknown |
Description
Area, 63.35 ha. 156.50 ac. Description Situated on the steep valley slopes, cliffs and boulder screes of a ravine cut through the underlying limestones, sandstones and grit stones, by the River Tees, Shipley and great Woods is one of the most important woodland sites in North East England. The structure of the woodland and its biological diversity clearly indicate the presence of ancient woodland. On limestone soils and elsewhere on the lower slopes, ash Fraxinus excelsior and wych elm Ulmus glabra are dominant over a discontinuous shrub layer containing hazel Corylus avellana, holly Ilex aquifolium, bird cherry Prunus padus and yew Taxus baccata. The ground flora contains a rich association of woodland species characteristic of base rich soils, including ramsons Allium ursinum, wood forget-me-not Myosotis sylvatica, wood cranes’s bill Geranium sylvaticum, wood anemone Anemone nemorosa and sanicle Sanicula europaea, as well as the local species, herb paris Paris quadrifolia broad leaved helleborine Epipactis helleborine, toothwort Lathraea squamaria and wood fescue Festuca altissima. On acidic soils sessile oak Quercus petraea woodland is developed, which on the upper freely draining slopes has a ground flora containing heather Calluna vulgaris, bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus, wavy hair grass Deschampsia flexuosa, common cow wheat Melampyrum pratense and the local stag’s horn clubmoss Lycopodium clavatum. Downslope and on cliff ledges, the vegetation is dominated by great wood rush Luzula sylvatica. Along streams and in other flushed areas, alder Alnus glutinosa woodland occurs with opposite leaved golden saxifrage Chrysosplenium oppositifolium in the ground flora. Shipley and great Woods support the richest assemblage of woodland lichens known in North East England. Many of the species are nationally or regionally rare and characteristic of ancient woodland, including Lobaria pulmonaria, L. laetevirens, Pachyphiale cornea, Catillaria sphaeroides, Bacidia epixanthoides and B. affinis. In addition over 100 moss and liverwort species are recorded from this site. The invertebrate fauna includes the local woodland mollusc Limax cinereoniger. The woodland bird community contains pied flycatcher, redstart, blackcap, wood warbler and nuthatch. Beside the River Tees, seasonally inundated shingle banks and rock ledges support open vegetation containing tea leaved willow Salix phylicifolia and an association of species similar to that found on limestone in Upper Teesdale, including sea plantain Plantago maritima, northern bedstraw Galium boreale, blue moor grass Sesleria caerulea and a small population of the nationally rare shrubby cinquefoil Potentilla fruticosa.
Species mentioned
Show the 38 species mentioned in the description, with red-list statusPlant communities
A9 — Fast flowing river and stream, Marginal and inundation, Pond ditch and canal, Sluggish river and stream
Potamogeton natans community
Show 20 indicator speciesSchoenoplectus lacustris, Juncus bulbosus, Sparganium angustifolium, Sparganium erectum, Sparganium minimum, Alisma plantago-aquatica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Lemna trisulca, Nymphaea alba, Callitriche platycarpa, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus trichophyllus, Glyceria fluitans, Chara subspinosa
A14 — Fast flowing river and stream
Myriophyllum alterniflorum community
Show 15 indicator speciesIsolepis fluitans, Juncus bulbosus, Fontinalis antipyretica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton filiformis, Potamogeton gramineus, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus peltatus, Chara spp., Nitella hyalina
A17 — Chalk river and stream, Fast flowing river and stream
Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans community
Show 11 indicator speciesBerula erecta, Nasturtium officinale, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Veronica beccabunga, Polygonum amphibium, Polygonum hydropiper, Potamogeton crispus, Potamogeton pectinatus, Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans
A18 — Fast flowing river and stream
Ranunculus fluitans community
Show 12 indicator speciesFontinalis antipyretica, Fontinalis squamosa var. curnowii, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Myriophyllum spicatum, Elodea canadensis, Mentha aquatica, Lemna gibba, Lemna minor, Potamogeton perfoliatus, Ranunculus fluitans, Glyceria fluitans, Phalaris arundinacea
MC6 — Coastal vegetated shingle, Hard cliff and cliff slope
Atriplex prostrata-Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima sea-bird cliff community
Show 17 indicator speciesDaucus carota, Sonchus oleraceus, Taraxacum officianalis, Tripleurospermum maritimum, Cochlearia officinalis, Silene uniflora, Spergularia rupicola, Atriplex hastata, Malva arborea, Plantago coronopus, Armeria maritima, Polygonum aviculare, Rumex crispus, Bromus hordeaceous, Catapodium marinum, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra
SD1 — Coastal vegetated shingle, Sand dune
Rumex crispus-Glaucium flavum shingle community
Show 35 indicator speciesSolanum dulcamara, Crithmum maritimum, Cirsium arvense, Cirsium vulgare, Helminthotheca echioides, Hypochaeris radicata, Jacobaea vulgaris, Lactuca serriola, Leontodon saxatilis, Senecio viscosus, Sonchus arvensis, Sonchus asper, Tripleurospermum maritimum, Crambe maritima, Cerastium fontanum, Honckenya peploides, Sagina apetala, Silene uniflora, Atriplex prostrata, Sedum acre, Euphorbia paralias, Lathyrus japonicus, Geranium robertianum, Glaucium flavum, Plantago coronopus, Plantago lanceolata, Rumex crispus, Potentilla anserina, Ammophila arenaria, Arrhenatherum elatius, Elytrigia atherica, Elytrigia juncea, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Lolium perenne
SD2 — Coastal vegetated shingle, Sand dune
Honkenya peploides-Cakile maritima strandline community
Show 30 indicator speciesSalsola kali, Achillea millefolium, Cirsium arvense, Eryngium maritimum, Hypochaeris radicata, Senecio vulgaris, Sonchus arvensis, Tripleurospermum maritimum, Cakile maritima, Cerastium diffusum, Honckenya peploides, Silene uniflora, Stellaria media agg., Atriplex glabriuscula, Atriplex laciniata, Atriplex littoralis, Atriplex patula, Atriplex prostrata, Sedum acre, Polygonum oxyspermum subsp. Raii, Rumex crispus, Potentilla anserina, Agrostis stolonifera, Ammophila arenaria, Arrhenatherum elatius, Elytrigia juncea, Elytrigia repens, Festuca rubra, Leymus arenarius, Poa annua
SD3 — Coastal vegetated shingle, Sand dune
Matricaria maritima-Galium aparine strandline community
Show 28 indicator speciesBolboschoenus maritimus, Juncus bufonius, Juncus gerardii, Ligusticum scoticum, Matricaria discoidea, Sonchus arvensis, Sonchus asper, Tripleurospermum maritimum, Mertensia maritima, Cakile maritima, Cochlearia officinalis, Honckenya peploides, Stellaria media agg., Atriplex glabriuscula, Atriplex patula, Atriplex prostrata, Triglochin maritimum, Plantago maritima, Armeria maritima, Rumex crispus, Glaux maritima, Galium aparine, Agrostis stolonifera, Elytrigia repens, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Leymus arenarius, Poa annua