Wick Wood and Worldham Hangers
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SU749367 | — | Favourable | 2.33 | 2010-07-01 |
| SU749374 | — | Favourable | 4.01 | 2022-06-23 |
| SU750362 | — | Favourable | 3.77 | 2013-08-14 |
| SU752358 | — | Favourable | 7.75 | 2010-07-01 |
| SU752373 | — | Unfavourable No Change | 0.96 | 2013-06-27 |
| SU753369 | — | Favourable | 16.06 | 2010-07-01 |
| SU755347 | — | Favourable | 5.03 | 2006-05-02 |
| SU756375 | — | Favourable | 9.28 | 2022-06-23 |
| SU758351 | — | Favourable | 42.65 | 2023-03-28 |
Geology & landscape
Rock Type: Greensand
Birds & fish recorded
Birds
| Species | Season |
|---|---|
| blackcap | Breeding |
| grasshopper warbler | Breeding |
| lesser whitethroat | Breeding |
| nightingale | Breeding |
| whitethroat | Breeding |
Description
Description Wick Wood and Worldham Hangers Site of Special Scientific Interest comprises a series of ancient semi natural woodlands which occupy the steep Upper Greensand escarpment and adjacent Gault Clay vale between East Worldham and Selborne on the western edge of the Weald. The Upper Greensand forms an east facing escarpment about twenty metres in height. At its base this gives way to the more gently sloping Gault Clay. At the junction of the two strata a number of springs rise. This juxtaposition of geomorphological features has a limited distribution in Britain being confined to East Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The species rich ancient woodland associated with these varied soils is ecologically distinct and contains a number of nationally rare woodland types. The woodlands, or hangers, covering the escarpment have been managed as coppice with standards, although this practice has been largely discontinued. On the freely draining upper slopes ash Fraxinus excelsior and wych elm Ulmus glabra predominate forming an extremely rare woodland type which in Hampshire is confined to the Upper Greensand. Many of the wych elms have died but a number of live trees remain, one ancient coppice stool having a girth approaching eight metres. Beech Fagus sylvatica, pedunculate oak Quercus robur and whitebeam Sorbus aria also occur on the upper slopes. A few large coppice stools of small leaved lime Tilia cordata occur in Wick Hill Hanger. This rare species is strongly associated with ancient woodlands and is known from less than twenty localities in Hampshire, three of these being on Upper Greensand. The woodland ground flora on the rock strewn, unstable slopes is sparse. Where wych elms have fallen it is dominated by stinging nettle Urtica dioica and red campion Silene dioica. Elsewhere bluebells Hyacinthoides non-scripta, dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis and pignut Conopodium majus are common with more unusual plants such as the green helleborine Helleborus viridis which are confined to the most ancient woodlands. Where the soils are deeper and moister on the lower slopes, wych elm is replaced by field maple Acer campestre and hazel Corylus avellana. The rich ground flora is dominated by wild garlic Allium ursinum with wood anemone Anemone nemorosa, herb paris Paris quadrifolia, moschatel Adoxa moschatellina, Solomon's seal Polygonatum multiflorum and the parasitic toothwort Lathraea squamaria. An outlier of the Upper Greensand lies to the east of the escarpment forming a conspicuous landscape feature known as King John's Hill. This supports an unusual suckering elm wood whose ground flora is dominated by male fern Dryopteris filix-mas, bluebell and dog's mercury. Ash and willow plantations, Warner's Wood and Wick Wood occupy the poorly draining Gault Clay. They consist of pedunculate oak high forest and areas of pedunculate oak/ash standards with hazel and field maple coppice. Within Warner's Wood an area of beech woodland occupies a steep sided stream gully where an abundance of hard fern Blechnum spicant flourishes. The ground flora in these clay woods is particularly rich and is characterised by the abundance of common dog violets Viola riviniana, primroses Primula vulgaris, wood sorrel Oxalis acetosella and wood spurge Euphorbia amygdaloides. More uncommon species include thin spiked wood sedge Carex strigosa, spurge laurel Daphne laureola and violet helleborine Epipactis purpurata. Fifty seven species of plant such as these which are indicative of ancient woodlands have been found in the SSSI. Further habitat diversity is provided by two ponds, fringed with lesser pond sedge Carex acutiformis, great horsetail Equisetum telmateia and reed mace Typha latifolia and by a rush dominated field adjacent to Warner's Wood which contains several species of plant found only in agriculturally unimproved grassland, such as ragged-robin Silene flos-cuculi and twayblade Neottia ovata. The varied woodland types and associated habitats are reflected in a rich faunal diversity. Birds include all three species of British woodpecker, nightingale, blackcap, whitethroat, lesser whitethroat and grasshopper warbler. Entomologically the site is also rich with twenty four species of butterfly being recorded including white-letter hairstreaks which breed on the elms and brown hairstreaks on the areas of blackthorn. The pond in Warner's Wood supports thirteen species of damsel and dragonflies.
Species mentioned
Show the 39 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
W12 — Beech wood
Fagus sylvatica-Mercurialis perennis woodland
Show 91 indicator speciesHedera helix, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ilex aquifolium, Betula pendula, Betula pubescens, Carpinus betulus, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Aesculus hippocastanum, Fraxinus excelsior, Prunus avium, Sorbus aria, Taxus baccata, Ulmus glabra, Buxus sempervirens, Sambucus nigra, Viburnum lantana, Viburnum opulus, Euonymus europaeus, Cornus sanguinea, Ligustrum vulgare, Clematis vitalba, Crataegus monogyna, Daphne laureola, Carex flacca, Carex sylvatica, Mnium hornum, Plagiomnium undulatum, Fissidens taxifolius, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Thamnobryum alopecurum, Tamus communis, Anthriscus sylvestris, Heracleum sphondylium, Sanicula europaea, Arum maculatum, Arctium minus, Mycelis muralis, Solidago virgaurea, Cynoglossum officinale, Alliaria petiolata, Campanula trachelium, Lonicera periclymenum, Silene dioica, Euphorbia amygdaloides, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Hypericum hirsutum, Iris foetidissima, Ajuga reptans, Glechoma hederacea, Lamiastrum galeobdolon, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Allium ursinum, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Chamerion angustifolium, Circaea lutetiana, Epilobium montanum, Cephalanthera damasonium, Neottia nidus-avis, Neottia ovata, Veronica chamaedrys, Rumex sanguineus, Anemone nemorosa, Ficaria verna, Ranunculus bulbosus, Fragaria vesca, Geum urbanum, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Galium aparine, Galium mollugo sens.lat., Galium odoratum, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Anisantha sterilis, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Bromopsis ramosa, Dactylis glomerata, Deschampsia cespitosa, Melica uniflora, Milium effusum, Poa nemoralis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Dryopteris dilatata, Dryopteris filix-mas
W14 — Beech wood, Wood pasture
Fagus sylvatica-Rubus fruticosus woodland
Show 76 indicator speciesHedera helix, Salix caprea, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ilex aquifolium, Betula pendula, Betula pubescens, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Pinus sylvestris, Prunus avium, Sorbus aria, Sorbus aucuparia, Taxus baccata, Ulmus glabra, Sambucus nigra, Ruscus aculeatus, Ligustrum vulgare, Carex remota, Carex sylvatica, Luzula pilosa, Mnium hornum, Dicranella heteromalla, Dicranum scoparium, Fissidens taxifolius, Brachythecium rutabulum, Hypnum cupressiforme, Isothecium myosuroides, Kindbergia praelonga, Plagiothecium denticulatum, Plagiothecium undulatum, Pseudotaxiphyllum elegans, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Polytrichum commune, Polytrichum formosum, Arum maculatum, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Stellaria media agg., Euphorbia amygdaloides, Mercurialis perennis, Hypericum pulchrum, Lamiastrum galeobdolon, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Circaea lutetiana, Epipactis helleborine, Oxalis acetosella, Digitalis purpurea, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus repens, Geum urbanum, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium odoratum, Galium verum, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis stolonifera, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Bromopsis ramosa, Dactylis glomerata, Deschampsia cespitosa, Deschampsia flexuosa, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Melica uniflora, Milium effusum, Poa nemoralis, Poa trivialis, Schedonorus giganteus, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris dilatata, Dryopteris filix-mas
W15 — Beech wood, Wood pasture
Fagus sylvatica-Deschampsia flexuosa woodland
Show 54 indicator speciesHedera helix, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ilex aquifolium, Betula pendula, Betula pubescens, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus hybrid, Quercus petraea, Quercus robur, Pinus sylvestris, Sorbus aucuparia, Taxus baccata, Calluna vulgaris, Rhododendron ponticum, Vaccinium myrtillus, Ruscus aculeatus, Carex pilulifera, Luzula pilosa, Luzula sylvatica, Mnium hornum, Orthodontium lineare, Dicranella heteromalla, Dicranum scoparium, Leucobryum glaucum, Hylocomium splendens, Hypnum cupressiforme, Kindbergia praelonga, Plagiothecium undulatum, Pseudotaxiphyllum elegans, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Thuidium tamariscinum, Polytrichum formosum, Tetraphis pellucida, Calypogeia fissa, Diplophyllum albicans, Gymnocolea inflata, Lepidozia reptans, Cladonia fimbriata, Cladonia squamules, Lonicera periclymenum, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Chamerion angustifolium, Oxalis acetosella, Rubus fruticosus agg., Melanpyrum pratense, Agrostis capillaris, Deschampsia flexuosa, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Molinia caerulea, Poa nemoralis, Blechnum spicant, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris dilatata