Firle Escarpment
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TQ438055 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 24.04 | 2024-04-23 |
| TQ439057 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 9.9 | 2017-10-02 |
| TQ442059 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 9.9 | 2017-10-02 |
| TQ446059 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 27.84 | 2024-04-23 |
| TQ453058 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 27.84 | 2024-04-23 |
| TQ454063 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 39.91 | 2014-06-23 |
| TQ459062 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 11.04 | 2014-06-23 |
| TQ471062 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 61.24 | 2014-06-18 |
| TQ488059 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 72.13 | 2024-04-30 |
| TQ495051 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 11.16 | 2022-09-21 |
| TQ501046 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 19.73 | 2022-09-21 |
| TQ505043 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 3.86 | 2024-05-01 |
| TQ509039 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 21.3 | 2024-04-30 |
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Rock Type: Chalk
Description
Area, 301.3 ha. 744.6 ac. Description An extensive stretch of chalk grassland on north facing slopes of the South Downs. The diverse flora includes several unusual plants and one that is nationally rare. Chalk grassland is now a nationally uncommon habitat due to agricultural improvement. At this site chalk grassland is restricted to the thin rendzina soils of the steep escarpment. Deeper soils at the foot of the escarpment carry mature woodlands. Chalk scrub is scattered throughout the area of unimproved grassland. A large part of the downland is rich in plant species. Abundant species include fairy flax Linum catharticum, salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba, milkwort Polygala calcarea and the grasses, sheep's fescue Festuca ovina and upright brome Bromus erectus. Taller grasslands are dominated by upright brome, tor grass Brachypodium pinnatum and false oat grass Arrhenatherum elatius. A number of unusual chalk downland plants occur on the site including pyramidal orchid Anacamptis pyramidalis, common spotted orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii, bee orchid Ophrys apifera, felwort Gentianella amarella, clove pink Dianthus caryophyllus and a plant that is restricted to chalk in the south part of Britain, round headed rampion Phyteuma orbiculare. The rarest plant, however, is the early spider orchid Ophrys sphegodes. This orchid is known in only a few, southern localities in the UK and receives special protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Scrub is invading ungrazed areas throughout the site. Belts of gorse Ulex europaeus are most prominent but blackthorn Prunus spinosa, hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, wayfaring tree Viburnum lantana and dogwood Cornus sanguinea also occur in places. The Firle, Roundhead and Loose plantations at the foot of the escarpment consist of mature beech Fagus sylvatica with ash Fraxinus excelsior, sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus, hazel Corylus avellana and hawthorn above a sparse ground flora of dogs mercury Mercurialis perennis and slender false brome Brachypodium sylvaticum.
Species mentioned
Show the 25 species mentioned in the description, with red-list statusPlant communities
W20 — Montane scrub
Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub
Show 107 indicator speciesSalix arbuscula, Salix cinerea, Salix lapponum, Salix myrsinites, Salix phylicifolia, Salix reticulata, Empetrum nigrum, Calluna vulgaris, Salix lanata, Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium uliginosum, Carex atrata, Carex bigelowii, Carex binervis, Carex flacca, Luzula multiflora, Luzula sylvatica, Huperzia selago, Selaginella selaginoides, Aulacomnium palustre, Mnium hornum, Philonotis fontana, Plagiomnium undulatum, Rhizomnium punctatum, Dicranum bonjeanii, Dicranum majus, Dicranum scoparium, Fissidens adianthoides, Racomitrium lanuginosum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Ctenidium molluscum, Hylocomium splendens, Hypnum callichroum, Hypnum cupressiforme, Palustriella commutatum, Plagiothecium denticulatum, Plagiothecium undulatum, Pleurozium schreberi, Ptilium crista-castrensis, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Sanionia uncinata, Scorpidium revolvens, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Polytrichastrum alpinum, Sphagnum capillifolium, Sphagnum fallax, Sphagnum girgensohnii, Sphagnum palustre, Sphagnum russowii, Sphagnum squarrosum, Sphagnum subnitens, Sphagnum teres, Barbilophozia barbata, Chiloscyphus polyanthos, Diplophyllum albicans, Lophocolea bidentata, Plagiochila porelloides, Ptilidium ciliare, Scapania undulata, Cladonia squamosa, Peltigera canina, Angelica sylvestris, Caltha palustris, Hieraclium spp., Saussurea alpina, Solidago virgaurea, Campanula rotundifolia, Succisa pratensis, Valeriana officinalis, Rhodiola rosea, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Thymus praecox, Epilobium anagallidifolium, Dactylorhiza viridis, Euphrasia officinalis, Rhinanthus minor, Oxalis acetosella, Oxyria digyna, Polygonum viviparum, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus acris, Thalictrum alpinum, Alchemilla alpina, Alchemilla glabra, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum rivale, Galium boreale, Galium saxatile, Saxifraga aizoides, Saxifraga hypnoides, Saxifraga oppositifolia, Saxifraga stellaris, Viola riviniana, Agrostis canina, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Deschampsia cespitosa, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Nardus stricta, Dryopteris dilatata, Phegopteris connectilis
W21 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub
Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub
Show 81 indicator speciesHedera helix, Salix cinerea, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ilex aquifolium, Betula pendula, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Malus sylvestris, Sorbus aria, Taxus baccata, Ulmus glabra, Ulmus procera, Sambucus nigra, Viburnum lantana, Euonymus europaeus, Cornus sanguinea, Juniperus communis, Ligustrum vulgare, Clematis vitalba, Rhamnus cathartica, Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Juncus effusus, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Rhynchostegium confertum, Tamus communis, Heracleum sphondylium, Torilis japonica, Arum maculatum, Arctium minus, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Stellaria graminea, Stellaria holostea, Stellaria media agg., Calystegia sepium, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Iris foetidissima, Glechoma hederacea, Lamium purpureum, Origanum vulgare, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Allium ursinum, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Circaea lutetiana, Rumex sanguineus, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus repens, Fragaria vesca, Geum urbanum, Potentilla sterilis, Poterium sanguisorba, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubia peregrina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Anisantha sterilis, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium pinnatum, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Bromopsis erecta, Dactylis glomerata, Elytrigia repens, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris filix-mas
W22 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub
Prunus spinosa-Rubus fruticosus scrub
Show 49 indicator speciesHedera helix, Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Ulex europaeus, Prunus spinosa, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Eurhynchium striatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Lophocolea bidentata, Achillea millefolium, Cardamine flexuosa, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Silene uniflora, Stellaria media agg., Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Oxalis acetosella, Digitalis purpurea, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Armeria maritima, Rumex acetosa, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum urbanum, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris borreri, Dryopteris filix-mas