CRAWLEY BOROUGH COUNCIL SITES OF NATURE CONSERVATION IMPORTANCE (SNCI) & WILDLIFE SITES REVIEW DOLPHIN ECOLOGICAL SURVEYS SEPTEMBER 2010 Dolphin Ecological Surveys 6a Northfield Cottages Isfield Uckfield East Sussex TN22 5XN 01825 750645
[email protected] List of Sites 1. Broadfield Playing Field Wood & Rathlin Road Flood Meadow and Pond 2. Crabbet Park 3. Ewhurst Wood SNCI 4. Goffs Park 5. Hawth Woods SNCI 6. Ifield Mill Pond and Water Gardens SNCI 7. Maidenbower Pond 8. Manor Royal Flood Pond (also known as Crawters Brook) 9. Target Hill LNR 10. Tilgate Golf Course SNCI and LNR 11. Tilgate Park SNCI 12. Woldhurstlea Wood SNCI 13. Worth Park (including Gratton Pond SNCI) & Gratton Park LNR 14. Worth Way SNCI 1 Broadfield Playing Field Wood & Rathlin Flood Meadow and Pond Survey date & weather 6th May 2010 in partial cloud, cool with a light breeze and 2 nd July 2010 in warm, sunny conditions. Site summary and current condition This site combines diverse semi-natural habitats with amenity areas. There are quite extensive areas of woodland (including some of ancient origin), scrub, wet grassland and fen vegetation and a large, shallow pond. Broadfield Brook runs along the southern edge of the site and there is a mature, mixed and probably ancient hedgerow along the northern boundary, adjacent to Crawley Avenue. The site has quite high levels of biodiversity, with a range of woodland and wetland birds and several species of butterflies recorded during the survey. The diverse flora of the site includes ancient woodland indicator species and a variety of wetland plants. The juxtaposition of intensively managed amenity grassland, an informal playground and formal sports pitches with areas of semi-natural habitat provides an excellent example of urban wildspace.