Edwardstone Woods
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TL927424 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 7.79 | 2009-10-20 |
| TL929426 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 7.69 | 2014-02-05 |
| TL934430 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 4.85 | 2014-02-05 |
| TL945413 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 4.68 | 2014-02-05 |
| TL946432 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 2.0 | 2009-12-17 |
Geology & landscape
Rock Type: Glacial Till
Landscape processes: Glacial
Birds & fish recorded
Birds
| Species | Season |
|---|---|
| cuckoo | Unknown |
Description
Area, 27.9 ha. 68.9 ac. Description The Edwardstone Woods SSSI are an inter related group of ancient woods containing a diversity of stand types. These form a transition from mainly ash maple hazel woods of mid Suffolk to the lime of south Suffolk. Substantial areas of hornbeam are also present. The woodland structure is predominantly coppice with standards, with the rides and woodland margins supporting a diverse ground flora typical of Suffolk boulder clay soils. Park and High Woods together form the largest woodland area in the group, at least 500 years old and regularly coppiced, at least in part, until about 70 years ago. Fine stands of small leaved lime Tilia cordata and hornbeam Carpinus betulus are present with large standards of oak Quercus robur and ash Fraxinus excelsior frequent within the canopy and occasional wild cherry Prunus avium in High Wood. Localised stands of sweet chestnut Castanea sativa and silver birch Betula pendula are also found in the wood. hazel Corylus avellana is scattered throughout the coppice layer with ash, field maple Acer campestre and wild cherry coppice present along the more base rich wood margins. Holly Ilex aquifolium is common. Shrub species present along the hedgerows in High Wood include both common and midland hawthorns Crataegus monogyna and Crataegus laevigata, honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum, crab apple Malus sylvestris and spindle Euonymus europaeus. The ground flora is dominated by glades of bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta with bramble Rubus fruticosus and male fern Dryopteris filix-mas locally abundant. Stallington Wood is situated on a steep valley side leading down to the River Box. Hornbeam dominates the coppice throughout most of the wood, with large standard oak and sweet chestnut frequent within the canopy. The margins support a wider variety of understorey species including field maple, hazel, wild cherry, hawthorn, blackthorn, Prunus spinosa, alder Alnus glutinosa, willow Salix sp., small leaved limeand crab apple. bluebell again dominates the ground flora, with dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennis, bracken Pteridium aquilinum and male fern locally abundant. The wood is surrounded by medieval banks and ditches and is an important landscape feature. Couper’s Wood and Priory Down are small neighbouring woods. Priory Down contains an unusually wide variety of species, with wild service Sorbus torminalis and large small leaved lime stools amongst oak, ash, hornbeam, field maple, wild cherry and aspen. Shrub species include hazel, spindle, holly, crab apple and both Midland and common hawthorns. Couper’s Wood has been partly planted with poplar but this has not interfered unduly with the mixed coppice understorey. This is of oak ash hazel, with an area of almost pure hazel in the north of the wood. Standards of oak, field maple and ash are scattered in an uneven aged distribution over the wood. The ground flora in Couper’s Wood is rich and varied. Species present include primrose Primula vulgaris, self heal Prunella vulgaris, figwort Scrophularia nodosa, hedge woundwort Stachys sylvatica, wood sorrel Oxalis acetosella and cuckoo pint Arum maculatum. Other areas are similar to Priory Down in being dominated by dog’s mercury or bluebell with primrose locally abundant. Wood millet Milium effusum occurs along the rides in Couper’s Wood. The western edge of Priory Down is bordered by a narrow strip of unimproved, semi-natural meadow.
Species mentioned
Show the 30 species mentioned in the description, with red-list statusPlant communities
A9 — Fast flowing river and stream, Marginal and inundation, Pond ditch and canal, Sluggish river and stream
Potamogeton natans community
Show 20 indicator speciesSchoenoplectus lacustris, Juncus bulbosus, Sparganium angustifolium, Sparganium erectum, Sparganium minimum, Alisma plantago-aquatica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Lemna trisulca, Nymphaea alba, Callitriche platycarpa, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus trichophyllus, Glyceria fluitans, Chara subspinosa
A14 — Fast flowing river and stream
Myriophyllum alterniflorum community
Show 15 indicator speciesIsolepis fluitans, Juncus bulbosus, Fontinalis antipyretica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton filiformis, Potamogeton gramineus, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus peltatus, Chara spp., Nitella hyalina
A17 — Chalk river and stream, Fast flowing river and stream
Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans community
Show 11 indicator speciesBerula erecta, Nasturtium officinale, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Veronica beccabunga, Polygonum amphibium, Polygonum hydropiper, Potamogeton crispus, Potamogeton pectinatus, Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans
A18 — Fast flowing river and stream
Ranunculus fluitans community
Show 12 indicator speciesFontinalis antipyretica, Fontinalis squamosa var. curnowii, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Myriophyllum spicatum, Elodea canadensis, Mentha aquatica, Lemna gibba, Lemna minor, Potamogeton perfoliatus, Ranunculus fluitans, Glyceria fluitans, Phalaris arundinacea
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
W23 — Brownfield, Hedgerow scrub
Ulex europaeus-Rubus fruticosus scrub
Show 40 indicator speciesHedera helix, Calluna vulgaris, Cytisus scoparius, Ulex europaeus, Kindbergia praelonga, Pseudoscleropodium purum, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Achillea millefolium, Crepis capillaris, Hypochaeris radicata, Jacobaea vulgaris, Campanula rotundifolia, Jasione montana, Cerastium fontanum, Silene dioica, Teucrium scorodonia, Digitalis purpurea, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Veronica officinalis, Rumex acetosa, Rumex acetosella, Potentilla erecta, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium saxatile, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Aira praecox, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa pratensis, Pteridium aquilinum
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