Spalford Warren

Also within

Nottinghamshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Habitats

Bracken scrub

Description

Description The site comprises the best remaining example of grass heath dominated by wavy hair grass and sand sedge remaining in Nottinghamshire and is one of the few sites of this type to be found in the Midlands. Biology A remarkable inland example of grass heath dominated by tussocks of wavy hair grass Deschampsia flexuosa and sand sedge Carex arenaria developed on soils derived from postglacial blown sands. Although parts of the site have been planted with conifers, substantial areas of the original grass heath remain. Patches of heather Calluna vulgaris, gorse Ulex europaeus, broom Cytisus scoparius and bracken Pteridium aquilinum occur within the grass heath while in the shorter turf adjacent to the paths and boundary roads, herbs characteristic of sand land habitat such as slender trefoil Trifolium micranthum, bird's foot Ornithopus perpusillus, field mouse ear Cerastium arvense and shepherd’s cress Teesdalia nudicaulis occur. This vegetation type, which has affinities with certain of the Breckland grass heaths, is of very restricted inland occurrence.

Species mentioned

Plant communities