Shorn Cliff and Caswell Woods

Also within

Gloucestershire County WYE VALLEY (England) Scenic Area Offa's Dyke Path National Trail

Condition (Natural England)

Climate exposure

This is about exposure to a nationwide pressure this habitat type carries — not a verdict on this site's own management.

Habitats

Coppiced woodland, Fast flowing river and stream

Geology & landscape

Geological Feature: Gorge / Ravine · Geological Period: Carboniferous · Rock Type: Carboniferous Limestone, Limestone, Sandstone

Landscape processes: Coastal, Fluvial

Birds & fish recorded

Birds

Description

Description The woodlands of the lower Wye Valley form one of the most important areas for woodland conservation in Britain, comparable with the Caledonian pine woods, the oceanic oak woods of western Britain, the New Forest and the mixed coppices of East Anglia. Semi natural woodland is abundant and virtually continuous along the gorge. The woods are a mixture of many types, some of which are very localised, for example the lime sessileoak stands on limestone, beech stands on both acid and alkaline soils in which lime Tilia spp., elm Ulmus spp. Oak Quercus spp. and other species share dominance. Most woods are a rich mixture of stand types which are believed to be similar in composition to the original natural woods of the valley. Many rare and local species are present, including some of the rarest native tree species, for example large leaved lime Tilia platyphyllos, whitebeams Sorbus spp. and trees close to the edge of their European range, for example hornbeam Carpinus betulus and beech Fagus sylvatica. Furthermore these woods sit in a matrix of unimproved grassland and other semi natural habitats which, together with the woods, make the Wye Valleys one of the most diverse, rich and attractive areas in southern Britain. Shorn Cliff and Caswell Woods overlie the Carboniferous Limestone and Old Red Sandstone of the eastern slopes of the lower Wye Gorge. They form part of a continuous belt of woodland which stretches from Brockweir to Tutshill. It contains an exceptional number of semi natural woodland stand types and several rare or uncommon plant species. On the upper slopes the woodland is generally dominated by beech, often in the form of ancient coppice. On the calcareous soils it is accompanied by small leaved lime Tilia cordata, ash Fraxinus excelsior and yew Taxus baccata. Where occasional areas of more acidic soils occur, silver birch Betula pendula and oak accompany the beech. Ground vegetation under the mature woodland is generally very sparse, dominated by ivy Hedera helix and calcicolous species such as spurge laurel Daphne laureola. Where recent coppicing has been carried out the additional light has resulted in a dense growth of bramble Rubus fruticosus agg. The lower slopes have less beech and support two main types of woodland. Coppiced ash and small leaved lime with occasional field maple Acer campestre forms one type rare in the country as a whole while the second is distinguished by the dominance of wych elm Ulmus glabra, much of it now dead or dying as a result of Dutch Elm Disease. Shrubs such as hazel Corylus avellana, wayfaring tree Viburnum lantana and guelder rose Viburnum opulus occur on these slopes. Here the ground flora is more varied with, in places, numerous ferns. These include hart’s tongue fern Asplenium scolopendrium, soft shield fern Polystichum setiferum and hard shield fern P. aculeatum. A small area of alder Alnus glutinosa is present over wetter soils adjacent to the River Wye in Caswell Wood Lynweir Grove. Some of the woodland rides are particularly rich floristically, especially along their margins. On the lower slopes of Shorn Cliff Woods are a number of base rich springs and seepages. These provide a suitable environment for damp loving plants such as great horsetail Equisetum telmateia, hemp agrimony Eupatorium cannabinum and pendulous sedge Carex pendula as well as supporting an interesting bryophyte flora. The whole site supports a variety of uncommon plants. These include the nationally rare wood fescue Festuca altissima and narrow leaved bitter cress Cardamine impatiens with the locally uncommon southern wood rush Luzula forsteri, wild madder Rubia peregrina, lily of the valley Convallaria majalis and tutsan Hypericum androsaemum. Upright spurge Euphorbia stricta occurs in this part of the Wye Valley and martagon lily Lilium martagon present in adjacent replanted woodland. The exposures of bare limestone rock provide breeding sites for birds such as kestrel Falco tinnunculus.

Species mentioned

Plant communities