Longleat Woods

Also within

Somerset CountyWiltshire County Cranborne Chase & West Wiltshire Downs Scenic Area

Condition (Natural England)

Habitats

Bracken scrub, Coppiced woodland

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Cretaceous, Jurassic · Rock Type: Greensand, Limestone, Shale

Birds & fish recorded

Birds

Description

Description This site is a large, ancient, semi natural, broadleaved woodland with a predominantly high forest structure which is unusual in South West Britain. There are a wide range of woodland types present, some of which are more characteristic of central England and which occur only rarely in the west. The geology of the area and the overlying soils greatly influence the woodland types which occur here. Much of the central part of the site is underlain by Jurassic Oxford Clay from which poorly drained clay soils have developed. In the northern part of the site acid, sandy, well drained soils have developed over Cretaceous Upper Greensand strata. In the eastern and southern parts of the site, Jurassic Corallian deposits of shale with limestone bands occur and the clay soils overlying these are often slightly calcareous. Over the majority of the site, where soils are poorly drained but not waterlogged, the major canopy forming tree is pedunculate oak Quercus robur, with ash Fraxinus excelsior being locally common and distributed throughout. hazel Corylus avellana is the commonest shrub and occurs throughout. Where soils are slightly calcareous, field maple Acer campestre and occasionally wych elm Ulmus glabra are associated shrub species and the ground flora typically contains dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennis and false brome Brachypodium sylvaticum. Where soils are neutral or slightly acidic, hornbeam Carpinus betulus occurs locally, mostly as coppice. Guelder rose Viburnum opulus and alder buckthorn Frangula alnus are found in the shrub layer. Ground flora species include abundant wood anemone Anemone nemorosa, common dog violet Viola riviniana and honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum with creeping soft grass Holcus mollis and bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta being locally common. To the north of the site where soils are better drained, pedunculate oak is again the main canopy tree, with some beech Fagus sylvatica. silver birch Betula pendula, downy birch Betula pubescens, rowan Sorbus aucuparia and holly Ilex aquifolium all occur in the lower canopy or shrub layer. Bracken Pteridium aquilinum is locally dominant in the ground flora which also includes creeping soft grass and honeysuckle. In some of the lowest lying areas with very poor drainage, usually adjacent tostreams, alder and ash form the canopy and the ground flora contains species such as tufted hair grass Deschampsia cespitosa, pendulous sedge, remote sedge Carex remota and thin spiked wood sedge Carex strigosa. A large number of plant species normally found only in ancient woodlands occur, including broad leaved helleborine Epipactis helleborine and wood small reed Calamagrostis epigejos. The epiphytic lichen flora of part of High Wood includes a number of species which are characteristic of old forests or parklands such as Lobaria pulmonaria, Thelotrema lepadinum, Arthopyrenia cinereopruinosa, Catillaria sphaeroides and Pachyphiale cornea. Much of the fauna of the wood has not yet been well studied but it is known that dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius does occur. The breeding bird community includes, woodcock Scolopax rusticola, tree pipit Anthus trivialis, wood warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix, redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus, buzzard Buteo buteo, tawny owl Strix aluco, greater spotted woodpecker Dendrocopos major, lesser spotted woodpecker Dryobates minor and green woodpecker Picus viridis. The breeding invertebrates include white admiral Limenitis camilla, silver washed fritillary Argynnis paphia and small pearl bordered fritillary Boloria selene butterflies and hornets Vespa crabro.

Species mentioned

Plant communities