Long Itchington & Ufton Woods

Also within

Warwickshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Habitats

Coppiced woodland

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Limestone

Birds & fish recorded

Birds

Description

Area, 79.32 ha. 196 ac. Description Long Itchington and Ufton Wood is one of the better oak hazel coppice woodlands in the Midlands that are still managed along traditional lines. The wood is predominantly oak Quercus robur high forest over a species rich shrub layer. It is situated on poorly drained clay soils overlying a White Lias limestone ridge in central Warwickshire. The rich groundand shrub flora exhibits a range in species composition related to these soils. On the upper slopes with heavy soils the main woodland is of a pedunculate oak hazel ash type and is composed of oak standards with ash Fraxinus excelsior and birch Betula pendula over a shrub layer dominated by hazel Corylus avellana with hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, midland hawthorn Crataegus laevigata and dogwood Cornus sanguinea. There are also patches of field maple Acer campestre and small leaved lime Tilia cordata present. The structure of the shrub layer is variable in both height and density as a result of active coppicing. The ground flora is dominated by bramble Rubus fruticosus and tufted hairgrass Deschampsia cespitosa. Other species include wood anemone Anemone nemorosa, wood sedge Carex sylvatica, enchanter’s nightshade Circaea lutetiana, with water avens Geum rivale and soft rush Juncus effusus common along the rides and in ditches. On the lower slopes of the woods the poorly drained, heavy calcareous soils support a type of ash wych elm woodland. Although many of the elms Ulmus glabra are now dead and the canopy dominated by oak and ash the rich flora is typical of an ash wych elm wood. The shrub layer is dominated by hazel with spindle Euonymus europaeus, wild service tree Sorbus torminalis and blackthorn Prunus spinosa. The field layer contains many calcicole species including abundant dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennis, slender false brome Brachypodium sylvaticum and gromwell Lithospermum officinale. Other species not commonly found in Warwickshire occur on this site including herb paris Paris quadrifolia, great butterfly orchid Platanthera chlorantha, early purple orchid Orchis mascula and twayblade Neottia ovata. The wood is also noted for its fungi. The coppice regrowth is important for a number of breeding birds including many warblers, such as blackcap, garden warbler and chiffchaff. Hole nesting species are common in the mature trees including stock dove, nuthatch, green woodpecker and great spotted woodpecker. Tawny owl and woodcock also breed in the woods.

Species mentioned