Tetford Wood
Also within
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TF329760 | — | Unfavourable No Change | 5.42 | 2009-05-12 |
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Mining / Industrial: Mine Spoil, Quarry · Rock Type: Chalk
Description
Area,5.2 hectares 12.8 ac Description Tetford Wood is one of the few remaining ancient woodlands in Lincolnshire situated directly upon the Wolds chalk. It contains examples of stand types which are nationally uncommon. These include southern calcareous hazel ash woodland and calcareous ash wych elm woodland. The associated ground flora includes plants which are now scarce and decreasing in Lincolnshire. Additional interest is provided by areas of unimproved chalk grassland which have developed on an old spoil heap from the adjacent quarry. Coppiced ash Fraxinus excelsior and hazel Corylus avellana occur throughout the wood and on the lower slopes, wych elm Ulmus glabra and field maple Acer campestre are locally abundant. There is some invasion by sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus. The characteristic shrub layer includes elder Sambucus nigra, common hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, wild privet Ligustrum vulgare and blackthorn Prunus spinosa. Dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis dominates the herb layer of Tetford Wood apart from the local abundance of wild garlic Allium ursinum towards the foot of the slopes. Wood anemone Anemone nemorosa and nettle leaved bellflower Campanula trachelium are fairly frequent, while bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta is locally abundant. Other typical plants include primrose Primula vulgaris, red campion Silene dioica, lesser celandine Ficaria verna, moschatel Adoxa moschatellina, twayblade Neottia ovata and sanicle Sanicula europaea. The richness of the site combined with the presence of a number of the more vulnerable woodland plants, such as herb paris Paris quadrifolia and broad leaved helleborine Epipactis helleborine, is indicative of Tetford Wood's ancient origin.