Wart Barrow
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SD391768 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 0.99 | 2021-05-19 |
| SD392765 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 15.06 | 2021-05-13 |
| SD392768 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 6.33 | 2021-06-04 |
| SD392770 | — | Unfavourable No Change | 3.55 | 2019-03-11 |
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.
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Geological Feature: Rock Outcrop · Geological Period: Carboniferous · Rock Type: Carboniferous Limestone, Limestone
Landscape processes: Coastal
Description
Area, 26.8 hectares 66.2 ac Description Wart Barrow is located two miles south west of Grange Over Sands, close to the north coast of Morecambe Bay. The site lies on an outcrop of Carboniferous Limestone which rises to a height of 115 metres. Within the site there is a mosaic of habitats made up of limestone grassland, bracken, scrub and woodland. The most interesting feature of the site is the limestone grassland which has developed on the shallow soils and which supports a number of plant species which are nationally rare. The grassland is similar to that found at Arnside Knott SSSI and Scout and Cunswick Scar SSSI, two sites which are the richest limestone grassland sites within south Cumbria in terms of the rareness and variety of plant species represented. Despite its much smaller size Wart Barrow ranks just behind these two sites. The type of grassland at the site is a habitat which is becoming increasingly scarce nationally and in south Cumbria. Within the site the mosaic of habitats, with their abundance of food plants and areas of shelter, provide good conditions for a variety of butterflies including three species which are nationally scarce. The grassland is grazed and occurs throughout the site in discrete pockets. Species present include both those typical of grassland as well as those more often found associated with woodland edges. Grasses include common bent grass Agrostis capillaris, sheep's fescue Festuca ovina, crested dog's tail Cynosurus cristatus, quaking grass Briza media and blue moor grass Sesleria caeruleae. Interspersed with these are typical herbs and sedges such as salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba, wild thyme Thymus polytrichus, small scabious Scabiosa columbaria, fairy flax Linum catharticum, mouse ear hawkweed Pilosella officinarum, burnet saxifrage Pimpinella saxifraga, common rock rose Helianthemum nummularium, spring sedge Carex caryophyllea and glaucous sedge Carex flacca. Within this community several rare or locally uncommon plants have been recorded such as green winged orchid Anacamptis morio, fly orchid Ophrys insectifera, limestone bedstraw Galium sterneri, felwort Gentianella amarella, autumn lady's tresses Spiranthes spiralis, pale St John's wort Hypericum montanum and vernal sandwort Minuartia verna. In parts of the grassland where the soils are deeper and grazing has been less intense a cover of bracken has developed. The areas of grassland are separated by larger clumps of scrub and woodland. The scrub areas, comprising of young trees and shrubs such as hawthorn, gorse Ulex europaeus, ash, blackthorn and small leaved cotoneaster Cotoneaster microphyllus give way to longer established woodland on areas where limestone outcrops as blocks or pavement. Constituents of the woodland include ash, hawthorn, sycamore, holly, hazel, elm Ulmus glabra and buckthorn Rhamnus cathartica. The ground flora of these scrub and wooded areas varies considerably depending on the degree of shading. Parts which border grassland are more open and support plants such as wood sage Teucrium scorodonia, false brome Brachypodium sylvaticum, hairy violet Viola hirta, wild strawberry Fragaria vesca, cowslip Primula veris and agrimony Agrimonia eupatoria. The denser areas of scrub and woodland support more shade tolerant plants and those which can grow within the shallow soils of the limestone grikes. These species include dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis, bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta, sanicle Sanicula europaea, enchanter's nightshade Circaea lutetiana, golden rod Solidago virgaurea, ploughman's spikenard Inula conyza and the ferns hart's tongue Asplenium scolopendrium and intermediate polypody Polypodium interjectum. These limestone habitats support a rich invertebrate fauna which includes several local and uncommon butterflies such as high brown fritillary Argynnis adippe, Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina and northern brown argus Aricia artaxerxes.
Species mentioned
Show the 39 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
W25 — Bracken scrub
Pteridium aquilinum-Rubus fruticosus underscrub
Show 53 indicator speciesHedera helix, Acer pseudoplatanus, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Sambucus nigra, Ulex europaeus, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Luzula multiflora, Mnium hornum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Angelica sylvestris, Conopodium majus, Heracleum sphondylium, Arum maculatum, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Silene dioica, Stellaria holostea, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Glechoma hederacea, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Chamerion angustifolium, Circaea lutetiana, Digitalis purpurea, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ficaria verna, Potentilla erecta, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Galium mollugo sens.lat., Galium saxatile, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris dilatata, Dryopteris filix-mas