Lark Wood

Also within

Gloucestershire County Cotswolds Scenic Area

Condition (Natural England)

Habitats

Coppiced woodland

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Jurassic · Rock Type: Limestone

Description

Description A small area of deciduous woodland representative of the coppice with standards oak woodland habitat of the north east Cotswolds. The soils on the site are derived from the Inferior Oolite of the Cotswold Jurassic limestone. The presence of large numbers of a nationally rare plant give the site additional importance. The canopy is dominated by pedunculate oak Quercus robur with occasional beech Fagus sylvatica and sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus. Coppiced hazel Corylus avellana and wych elm Ulmus glabra with hawthorn Crataegus monogyna forms the shrub layer which is now becoming quite open as a result of the death of most of the elm. The ground flora is composed largely of bramble Rubus fruticosus, dogs mercury Mercurialis perennis and woodruff Galium odoratum. A large population of the nationally rare mezereon Daphne mezereum is of particular interest, while other uncommon species include spurge laurel D. laureola and butchers broom Ruscus aculeatus.

Species mentioned