Plashett Park Wood
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TQ461156 | — | Favourable | 157.61 | 2021-12-14 |
Habitats
Ancient woodland, Coppiced woodland, Mixed scrub, Montane scrub
Birds & fish recorded
Birds
| Species | Season |
|---|---|
| nightingale | Breeding |
| nightjar | Breeding |
Description
Description This area of ancient woodland on Weald clays contains a rich community of breeding birds. In addition it includes a number of plants and invertebrates which have a nationally restricted distribution. The wood appears on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1816 with much the same shape and extent as at present and it is likely that continuous woodland cover has been maintained since at least the Middle Ages. Although some parts of the wood have been modified by conifer planting the bulk is semi natural. Two nationally uncommon stand types dominate most of the wood and the long term lack of disturbance has allowed the development of a rich flora and fauna. The two predominant stand types are pedunculate oak / hornbeam with birch and hazel and hazel / sessile oak. Both are nationally uncommon and the association of the two is particularly notable. The hazel Corylus avellana and the hornbeam Carpinus betulus have been coppiced in the past. A feature of the wood is the comprehensive ride system which extends throughout, including the coniferous plantations. These rides are lined by goat willow Salix caprea, aspen Populus tremula, blackthorn Prunus spinosa, hawthorn Crataegus monogyna and birch Betula pendula. Alder Alnus glutinosa and ash Fraxinus excelsior line the small ditches and the occasional areas of impeded drainage. Several rare species occur in Plashett Wood. The spiked rampion Phyteuma spicatumis a nationally rare plant which occurs only in Sussex. The lily of the valley Convallaria majalis, although less uncommon, is also well represented. The scrub bordered rides and ancient woodland foster important butterfly and moth populations. Particularly notable are the broad bordered bee hawk moth and purple emperor butterfly. Also among the 25 species of butterfly present are white admiral, purple hairstreak, pearl bordered fritillary and silver washed fritillary. The 67 species of bird which breed include barn owl, little owl, nightjar, nightingale, all 3 woodpecker and the rare woodlark. This number of breeding species is exceptional.
Species mentioned
Show the 15 species mentioned in the description, with red-list status| English name search for this in other sites |
Latin name search with Google |
IUCN / Red List | Type | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| woodlark | Lullula arborea | VU (Breeding) | bird-lark | alaudidae |
| nightjar | Caprimulgus europaeus | LC (Breeding) | bird-nightjar | caprimulgidae |
| little owl | Athene noctua | Not listed in GB list | bird-owl | strigidae |
| barn owl | Tyto alba | LC (Breeding) | bird-owl | tytonidae |
| nightingale | Luscinia megarhynchos | VU (Breeding) | bird-robin | muscicapidae |
| lilly of the valley | Convallaria majalis | LC | herb | liliaceae |
| hawthorn | Crataegus monogyna | LC | shrub | rosaceae |
| blackthorn | Prunus spinosa | LC | shrub | rosaceae |
| alder | Alnus glutinosa | LC | tree | salicaceae |
| birch | Betula pendula | LC | tree | betulaceae |
| hornbeam | Carpinus betulus | LC | tree | betulaceae |
| hazel | Corylus avellana | LC | tree | corylaceae |
| ash | Fraxinus excelsior | LC | tree | oleaceae |
| aspen | Populus tremula | LC | tree | salicaceae |
| goat willow | Salix caprea | LC | tree shrub | salicaceae |
Plant 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