Puckham Woods
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP007216 | — | Unfavourable No Change | 8.14 | 2024-12-06 |
| SP008224 | — | Unfavourable No Change | 17.81 | 2024-12-06 |
| SP010215 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 6.34 | 2024-12-06 |
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Jurassic · Rock Type: Limestone
Description
Area, 32.38 ha. 79.98 ac. Description This site is of special interest for its flower rich, ancient semi natural woodland and unimproved limestone grassland, which are representative of vegetation types much reduced by recent changes in land use and management. The site lies on the edge of the Cotswold scarp to the east of Cheltenham. It consists of two broadleaf woodlands and two unimproved pastures. The underlying geology is of the Jurassic period consisting of Inferior Oolite limestone with a narrow band of Fuller's Earthout cropping in the northern block of woodland. The woodlands are species rich ash – maple – dog’s mercury Fraxinus excelsior – Acer campestre – Mercurialis perennis plant communities. Such woodlands are scarce in the Cotswolds where beech Fagus sylvatica dominated woodland is more commonly encountered. Puckham Woods are also important as one of only a few woods of this type where past forestry practice has maintained a woodland composed of species native to the site. The general practice locally has been the conversion of such stands to broadleaf or conifer plantations. In addition to ash, the canopy includes pedunculate oak Quercus robur, silver birch Betula pendula, whitebeam Sorbus aria and rowan Sorbus aucuparia. In places the shrub layer retains a coppice structure, an unusual feature in woodlands of the Cotswolds. hazel Corylus avellana, is the dominant species with some field maple, wych elm Ulmus glabra, hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, guelder rose Viburnum opulus and holly Ilex aquifolium. The ground flora is very rich with over twenty species indicative of ancient semi natural woodland. In spring, the woodland floor is carpeted with bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta, a particular attribute of British woodlands in the European context. Dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennis, ramsons Allium ursinum, yellow archangel Lamiastrum galeobdolon and woodruff Galium odoratum are frequent. There is a colony of the nationally scarce angular solomon's seal Polygonatum odoratum and several uncommon species such as herb paris Paris quadrifolia, lily of the valley Convallaria majalis, greater butterfly orchid Platanthera chlorantha, wood vetch Vicia sylvatica and meadow saffron Colchicum autumnale. The unimproved pastures occupy moderately steep south to south east facing slopes. The grassland is a species rich upright brome – tor grass Bromus erectus – Brachypodium pinnatum plant community. Other characteristic grasses of the grazed sward include red fescue Festuca rubra, meadow oat grass Avenula pratensis and quaking grass Briza media. Herbs typical of this plant community are present including common rock rose Helianthemum nummularium, dwarf thistle Cirsium acaule, wild thyme Thymus praecoxand salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba. Several orchid species are found here, namely pyramidal orchid Anacamptis pyramidalis, bee orchid Ophrys apifera and green winged orchid Anacamptis morio. The site also supports the nationally scarce bastard toadflax Thesium humifusum. Scrub, principally composed of hawthorn, has developed over parts of the grassland.
Species mentioned
Show the 35 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