Park Wood

Also within

Cambridgeshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Habitats

Ancient woodland, Coppiced woodland

Description

Area, 8.6 hectares 21.3 ac Description Park Wood is a wet ash maple woodland of ancient origin. It is a particularly good example of avariant of the ‘typical’ form, containing a population of oxlip Primula elatior. Woodlands of this type are restricted in distribution to parts of Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Essex and are a nationally scarce and declining habitat. The woodland structure is dominated by coppice of ash Fraxinus excelsior with scattered pedunculate oak Quercus robur and field maple Acer campestre. hazel Corylus avellana predominates in the shrub layer. The ground flora is of a bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennis type with oxlip locally dominant. A good number of ancient woodland ‘indicator’ plants are present including herb paris Paris quadrifolia, butterfly orchid Platanthera chlorantha and ramsons Allium ursinum. The rides give additional structure and diversity of the wood and add to the general wildlife value.

Species mentioned