Lt_G6 Te'D HcArch Ici79

NATURALENVIRONMENTRESEARCHCOUNCIL (INSTITUTEOFTERRESTRIALECOLOGY) 1

THIRD INTERIMREPORTTO THE NATURECONSERVANCYCOUNCIL ON THE BIOLOGICALSURVEYOFBRITISHRAIL PROPERTY (NCC/NERCCONTRACTNO F3/03/80a ITE PROJECTNO 466)

CAROLINESARGENT& J 0 MOUNTFORD MONKSWOOD EXPERIMENTALSTATION ABBOTSRIPTON HUNTINGDON

MARCH 1979 This reportis an officialdocumentprepared under contractbetweenthe NatureConservancy Counciland the NaturalEnvironmentResearch Council. It shouldnot be quotedwithout permissionfromboth the Instituteof Terrestrial Ecologyand the NatureConservancyCouncil. • ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We are gratefulto BritishRail for their co-,operationandassistanceduring 1978. In particularwe would like to thank Mr. C. Beagley and members of staff of Southern and Western Regions.

We are also indebtedto colleaguesat ITE for their advice and assistancewith analyticaltechniquesand methods and would like to thank Dr. R.G.H. Bunce, Mr. G.j. Moller and Mr. M.W. Shaw; Dr. S.B. Chapman kindly oversaw fieldwork during the summer months.

We are especiallygrateful to Miss S. Knight for preparingthe maps and Mrs Valerie Burton for typing the manuscript. -OM a IIMMINO --a a IMOINIIIMININ

CONTENTS Page SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 General 1 1.2 Liaisonwith BritishRail and the Nature 1 ConservancyCouncil 1.3 Historicaland archivalresearches 5 1.4 Sites of particularbiologicalinterest 5 1.5 The 1978 survey 5 1.6 Animal recording 7 1.7 Staffing 7

SECTION 2 THE OBJECTIVESURVEYS 8

2.1 Locationof sites 8 2.2 Quadrat size, positionand pattern 9 2.3 Informationrecording 12 2.4 Analyticalmethods 13 2.5 Site analysis 14 2.6 Quadrat analysis 21

SECTION 3 THE BIOLOGICALINTERESTSURVEY 27

3.1 Informationcollection 27 3.2 Discussion 27

SECTION 4 SOME CHARACTERISTICRAIIMAY PLANTS - 31 J.O. MOUNTFORD 4.1Introduction 31 4.2E uisetum arvense L. 31 4.3Epilebium lanceolatumSeb. & Mauri. 34 4.4 Linaria re ens (L.) Mill. 35 4.5Linaria sunina (L.) ChaZelles 36 4.6 Chaenorhinumminus (L.) Lange. 36 4.7Senecio s ualidus L. 37 4.8 Vulpia spp. 37 4.9Some preliminaryconclusions 38

SECTION 5 ANIMAL RECORDING 1+0

5.1 Habitat appraisal 40 5.2 Species recording 141 5.3 Casualties 49

SECTION 6 DISCUSSIONAND AOPOSED 'dORK 50 ' 6.1 An:-.13z7Yitionof the objectivecurveys 50 6.2 Stratification,of the combined surveys 51 6.3 General conclusions 53

Page

REFEZEiCES 5

APPENDICES

Random sites visitedduring 1978 58 Cutting/Embankmentsites • 66 BiologicalInterest sites 84 Recordingproformasand ground rules 93 Additionalplant specieson Southern and 102 Western regions Eastern region sites of particularconservation interest (separatelybound)

MAPS InsideBeekCover

Site locations Geology Soils Relief

TABLFS

1.1 Approved list of weedkillersfor BR purchase, 1978 3 1.2 Approved list of weedkillersfor contractorsuse on 4 BR property 1978 2.1 Classificationof random sites, 1978, showing indicator 16 species,end groupingsand levels of division 20 2.2 . Impositionof I.S.A. classes, 1-13 and environmental vectors on the reciprocalaveragingordinationof random sites in Southernand Western regions. 2.3 Comparativeclassificationsof vegetationfrom Inside random sites using 0 incidenceor ii) quantitative BockCover (cover)data. 3.1 Sites of particularvalue recorded in Southern and 28 Western regions 4.1 Typical railway species 32-33 4.2 Species with greatestrailuay frequency 34 5.1 Cuttings, animal records for 82 sites (1978) 40 5.2 Embankments,animal records for 78 sites (1978) 41 5.3 Number of animal species recordedduring 1978 42 5.4 Additionalbirds recorded on Southernand Western 42 regions 5.5 Species list of insects 47-49 5.6 Species list of other invertebrates 49 6.1 Stratificationattributes 52 1.

SECTION 1 - INTRODUCTION

1.1 General This is the third interim report to the Nature ConservancyCouncil on the BiologicalSurvey of British Rail Land. It is primarily concernedwith the refinementof informationcollection,handlingand assessmenttechniques,and does not, at a mid-point in the contract,attempt to make fundamentalstatements about the qualityand distributionof biologicalspecies.

However, the range of variabilityof observedbiota is recorded,not only for purposesof method evaluation,but also to draw attentionto those areas which are likely to be of particularinterest to the Nature ConservancyCouncil. Sites where any alterationof currentmanagementtechniquesmight prove of concern have been noted, as have areas where additionalresearchmight prove especially fruitful.

Work completedduring 1978 is describedand proposed modificationsoutlined and discussed,the intentionbeing to trace the developmentof ideas which will define the eventualshape of the projectand to discuss results only as they are implicatedin this process. The objectivesof the survey have been defined in earlierreports (1977, 1978) and are not fully re-examinedat this stage.

1.2 Liaisonwith BritishRail and the Nature ConservancyCouncil During the past.year,work has again been carried out in close co-operation with British Rail. Contactswere establishedwith Regional and Divisional Engineers (PermanentWay) in Southern and Western Regions, who suppliedmaps and informationand who have been kept fully informedof the movementsof the field team. Permissionto work in the London Midland Region during 1979 has been granted by the Chief Civil Engineer,and members of his staff have supplied excellentline maps and given full assistanceto the project. The team have again undertakento observe safety precautionsdefined by BritishRail.

Additionalinformationconcerningrailway land managementhas been received. Of particularinteresthas been discussionabout the sourcesand propertiesof ballastingmaterials (C. Beagley, pers. comm.). A list of quarries from which the ballast is derived is in preparation,althoughrecords of distribution, which depend on local and temporalavailability,are difficultto trace. Previously,limestoneballast has been widely used, although after wetting 2. attritionproblemsare experiencedand it is likely that limestonewill gradually be entirelyreplacedby granite. This change will have some effect on the railway flora since the presence of geologicallyuncharacteristicballastmay introduce local modificationto pH.

Further informationhas been received concerningherbicides,approvedunder the AgriculturalChemicalsApprovalScheme, and in currentuse or proposed for future use on BritishRail propertY. Table 1 lists herbicidesapproved for purchaseby BritishRail permanentway staff, whilst Table 2 gives those chemicals likely to be used by the major companiesholding weed control contracts for BritishRail property. Of particularinterestis the inclusionof aMmonium ethyl carbamoylphosphonate,or"Krenite" (E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co.) in the former liSt. Krenite has been developedas a brushcontrolagent having a very low toxicityto the majority of animal forms. It is presentlyundergoingtrials by the British Hail DisinfestationServicesand by chemicalcontractorsto BritishRail. Results to date have not been entirely consistent,althoughthe virtual absence of known harmful side effects from this chemicalstronglyindicate its potentialenvironmentalvalue. Limitedusage and more widespreadtrials are likely to be introducedin 1979.

A preliminarylist of sites of particularinterestoccurringin Eastern, Southernand Western Regions has been sent to British Rail and to the Nature ConservancyCouncil, and some discussionconcerningthe ways in which such sites might best be protectedor managed has been generated. Some of the alternatives already consideredare describedin Section 6. In one particularinstance, locationby a member of the team (3.0. Mountford)of a hithertounrecordedspecies for Britain (Sell & West, in press) Hieracium zygophorumHyl. (Hylander,1943) growing togetherwith Hieracium exotericumJord. ex Bor., a rare alient, has led to cooperationbetween BritishRail and the Nature ConservancyCouncil. It is hoped that the site will be sympatheticallymanagedand that the populations of these rare or overlookedhawkweedswill bc carefullymonitored.

Advice concerningsites of suspectedBiologicalInterestin Southern and Western Regions was received from staff members of the Nature ConservancyCouncil. Many of these sites were surveyedduring 1978 (Section3)1 although some bias was shown toward sites in South Wales and South-WesternEngland,where particularlyextensiveand detailed informationwas made available. Table 1.1. Approved list of weedkillersfor BR purchase 1978.

I For spra in of slopes (SelectiveWeedkillers)

Phortox 50 (Fisons) 2-4-5 T Atladox (Chipman) Picloramand 2,4-D Tordon 22K (Dow-Chemical) Picloram (1) Krenite (Dupont) Ammonium ethyl carbamoylphosphonate (2)

II For s raying of track cess ards (TotalWeedkillers)

Atrazine A.80 (Fisons) Atrazine Atlazin (Chipman) Aminotriazoland Atrasine Destrol BR (Borax) Bromaciland Aminotrazol (3) Destrol Super (Borax) Bromacil,Dalaponand 2,4-D (3)

III Granules for track cess ards (TotalWeedkillers)

Chlorea (Chipman) Sodium chlorate,Atrazine, 2,4-D and Borax Hydon (Chipman) Bromacil and Picloram Borocil (Botax) Atrazineand Bromacil Weedex A4G. (Ciba Geigy) Atrazine

IV .Dustin owder for ards latforms etc. (TotalWeedkiller)

Atlacide Extra (Chipman) Sodium chlorate,Sodium metasilicate and Atrazine

Notes:- Recently approved - Not on SuppliesManagers Contract Advice. For experimentaluse - Not on the AgriculturalChemicalsApproval Scheme, but consideredto be a very safe chemical. (5) For use by BR Spray Train only.

(CourtesyC. Beagley) ••••

Table 1.2. Approved list of weedkillersfor contractorsuse on BR property 1973.

Fisons S ra Train

Track Spray Herbazine50 (Fisons) Simazine Weedazol (Fisons) Aminotriazol Fisons R.250 (Fisens) MCPA Fisons R.262 (Fisons) 2-3-6 TBA and MCPA Slope Spray Phortox 50 (Fisons) 2-4-5 T (April to August)

II Chi mans S ray Train

Track.Spray Pesidox (Chipman) Atrazine Atlazin (Chipman) AminotriazolaindAtrazine Tordon 22K (Dow Chemical) Picloram Slope Spray Chipman BrushwoodKiller (Chipman) 2-•-5 T Atladox (Chipman) Picloramand 2,4-D Tordon 22K (Dow Chemical) Picloram

III Chi mans Hand S ra Treatment

Track Treatment As II (a) plus Chipman 2,4-D (Chipman) 2,4-D Chipko Diuron BO (Chipman) Diuron Slo e Treatment As II (b)

(CourtesyC. Beagley) 5.

Comparableinformationfor 1979 is being received from NCC RegionalOfficers whose areas coincidewith the L.M.R.

1.3 Historicaland ArchivalResearches Historicaland archivalresearchesby Dr. J. Shenil have been largely completed and will be found separatelybound.

1.4 Sites of ParticularBiologicalInterest' During 1977, files were opened for sites deemed to be of particularbiological interest. The criteria for a site from either the objectiveor the "biological interest"surveys to be filed, includedone or more of the following: a) The flora should be particularlycharacteristicof some aspects of the railway environment; h) The site should containrare or interestingspeciesor speciesassociations; The flora should be diverse; The site should providea particularlygood animal habitat; The site should occur in a landscapeotherwiselackingthat kind of vegetationor habitat.

Methods of measuring the relationshipsbetweenall kinds of railway sites are being introduced(Section3;2) this year, but, until such time as a working sYstem has been achieved,no attempt is made to relate these subjectivelyassessed sites to one another or to other componentsof the survey.

The files include descriptionsof physicaland vegetativepropertiesof the sites, species lists, and, where appropriate,suggestedmanagementor conservation practices. Files have been completed for Eastern Region by Mr. J.O. Mountford who has had an opportunityto visit all the sites in question. They will be found separatelybound as Appendix 6 to the present interimreport.

1.5 The 1978 Surve The 1973 survey took place.in Southernand Western regions of British Rcil. During the season (April-September),171sites were visited. Of these sites,

Use of the phrase "sites of particularbiologicalinterest"has been introducedto distinguishthese from those occurringin the Biological InterestSurvey (Section3). Whilst a number (but by no means all) of sites from that survey are includedin the former category,sites from the objectivesurvey are also well represented. 6.

60 were "randomly" selected,60 near adjacent cuttingsand embankments,and 51 were sites about which informationhad been received from NCC staff members.or for which documentationof some kind previouslyexisted.

The sites were comparablewith those visited in Eastern Region in 1977, althoughthe method of choosingrandom and cutting/embankmentsiteswas improved to give all stretchesof rural track an equal opportunityof selection. Data collectionwas modified,and a system which, whilst retainingcompatibilitywith previouswork, was thought to be more appropriateto the disturbedand hetero- geneous vegetationunder considerationwas introduced.

Classificationof data into vegetationand site kinds was by I.S.A. (Hill, Bunco & Shaw, 1975) and the defined groupingsadditionallyused in conjunction with reciprocalaveragingordination(Hill, 1973; Dunce & Smith, 1978) to help interpretspatial and environmentaltrends. Particularattentionhas been paid to qualityand compatibilityOf input data and it has been decided to examine the relationshipbetween variouslymodified data sets. A vegetationkey using all availableand compatiblespecies data is in preparation,and it is hoped to use this key to.relatethe sites of notified biologicalinterestto the more objectivesurvey. The feasibilityand usefulnessof a site key is under consideration.

Much attentionhas been given to findinga suitable system of stratification which, whilst improvingsamplingefficiencyand ease of interpretation,will not introducetoo great a subjectivebias.

The notified sites (Section3) are consideredseparatelyfrom the random and cutting/embankmentsurveys(Section2) although some attempt is made to draw their particularcontributionstogether. A separate section written by Mr. J.0. Mountfordand concerningsome of the more interestingplant species recorded during the field season will be found (Section4), and a'list of additionalspecies is given in Appendix 5. Photographicrecordshave again been made and these arc available for referenceet Monks Wood.

Termed random but in fact stratifiedinto British Rail Divisions. 1.6 Animal recording It is generallyaccepted that the associationsof a particularplant community or vegetationtype may be assessedwith some'degreeof accuracyafter only a single visit. However, the amount of variationin animal observationintroduced by such factorsas weather and mobility requires that records be mlde more frequentlyto produce any useful or consistentinformation. The problem of animal recording is reinforcedby the diversityof taxa present in most situations. Given single short visit to each site in the railway survey,any attemptat animal recordingwith a view toward classificationwouldseem, at best, inappropriate. However, given also that railway access is exceedingly limitedand that the likelihoodof revisitingmany of the sites is small, some attempt to note and analyse the presence of the more readily observablespecies has been made.

During 1978, the responsibilityfor such recordingwas given to Mr. Alan Marsden,a first year sandwichcourse student from Brunel University. An edited versionof his IndustrialTrainingReport, in which some attempt to rationalise this difficultsituationis made, is given in Section 5. Lists of observed speciesare included in that Section.

1.7 Staffing During 1978, the Project Leader for this survey, Dr. J.M. Way, was transferred on secondmentto the Departmentof the Environment. After a short interim period,when Dr. S.B. Chapman (ITE Furzebrook)assumed temporaryresponsibility, the present author took over leadershipof the project. Whilst certain modificationswill, of course, be ir.ade,itis intendedthat the change will not affect continuity,and that the high standardsintroducedby Dr. Way will be maintained. 8.

• SECTION 2 TIE OBJECTIVESURVEYS

2.1 Locationof sites The experienceof 1977 led to certain changes in samplingprocedure,in particular,new methods were sought to locate the samplingsites and to improve the homogeneityof quadrat data within those sites.

In Eastern Region, the number of random and cutting/embankmentsitesto be investigatedwithin each of five definedrural areas was related to the length of track within that area. The areas coincidedwith, or were of more or less comparablesize to, certain BritishRail divisions. The random sites were locatedby reference to 10 km squares of the NationalGrid, and the cuttingand embankmentsites were those formationsas near adjacent to one another and as close to the random site as possible,with the constraintthat they should be on or within 15° of a North/Southor an East/Westorientation. The 10 km squareswere selectedby random numbers,and were searched, beginningmedianlyand proceedingin a clockwisedirection,if necessary to adjacentsquares,until a railway line was encountered. The site was located at the access point (bridge,level crossing,etc.) nearest to that encounter.

It was recognisedthat this method would not permit an equal opportunityof selectionfor all lengths of truck as an equal length of track does not occur in each 10 km square and as all lengths of track are not equidistantfrom the centre of their respectivesquares. It was furtherapparent (althoughthe intentionhad been purely pragmatic)that stratificationor division into economicor comparablesize areas would be unlikely to reflect vegetational differences.

The difficultyof unequal representationwas overcome in 1978 by selecting random sites with referenceonly to the lengthsof track involved (each rural running track mile becoming a unit for potentialselection)and not by location with respect to co-ordinatesof the National Grid. However, a practicable. solutionto the problems of stratificationwith relation to vegetation differenceswas not found at this stage.' Instead,Southernand Western Regions were divided into their conponent15 administrativedivisions(Map 1). Whilst

Stratificationof railway property is consideredin some detail in the discussionand outline of proposedwork below (Section6). 9. it was recognisedthat this divisica:producedan eConomic stratificationonly, the divisiongave rise to convenientmap workinG areas, simplifiedliaison with BritishRail DivisionalEngineers,and ensured that the sites to be sampledwere widely distributed.

In practice, sites were located in the followingway:- Urban areas were excludedand the regions divided into their 13 component areas. Rural mileage within each of those divisionswas recordedand the individualmiles ascribednumbers. A total of 60 random and 60 cutting/embankmentsiteswere proportionally allocatedbetween the 13 divisions. For each division,random numberswere generatedwithin the recordedrange. Correspondingmap locationswere found and the line searchedfor the closest access point (bridge,level crossing,etc.). The access point defined the random site and the closest cuttingand embankment,within the orientationconstraints,were then located. A total of 30 East/Westand 30 North/Southformationswere sought. In the field, the 100 m random sites were measured by pacing away from the mile post cloeost to the access point. The four transectswere located between either side of the track and the RR boundariesat both ends of the measured site.

The cutting and embankmentsites were found in a similarway, except that the two transectsrecorded at each.formation--a total of four for the paired sites lay at the centre of each site.

2.2 Quadrat size positionand 12ItaLi Field usage of nested, 1m2, 4m2, 25m2 and 50m2, quadrats (Bunce & Shaw, 1973) during 1977 indicatedthat these quadratsmight not be entirely suitable for recordingat railway sites. The most obvious and facile difficultyarose when thc width of railway land to be investigatedwas less than that of the 50m2 quadrats. Of greater concern,however,are the vegetationalGradientsand discontinuitieswhichchange and occur within small distancesboth parallel to, and along the length of, the track (Nicmi,1969). Although the analytical methods used are powerfulenough to cope with a certain degree of heterogeneity, and the nesting of quadratswill, by design, measure that degree, it was neverthelessthought likely that use of the larger quadratswould not produce sufficientinformationabout pattern to justifymeasurement. Further, it was 10. consideredthat the placing of a single nested quadratat each variable length transect (differencesin track side width can be fairly extreme (Way, Sheail & Mountford, 1977))would not satisfactorilydescribethe range of vegetationand, particularly,the more stable types occurringat some distance from the track in wider sections. Insufficientresourceswere availableto increasethe number of nested quadratsplaced.

An alternativesystem was sought,where the units measuredwould be likely to be homogeneous,would be small enough to give some measurementof species association,and would be repeatablewith sufficientfrequency(withinthe availableresource)to measure variabilityat the larger sites. At the same time, it was essentialthat any new samplingmethod should produce data compatible with that previouslyobtained.

It was decided that a2 (2 x 2) quadratwould fulfil most of these requirements. It was thought that the amount of heterogeneitywithin such an arca would be unlikely to perturb proposedmathematicalclassifications. The size is not too large to obscure speciesas6ociationinformationand is sufficientlysmall to enable a reasonable(in terms of vegetationdiversity)number of samples to be recordedat each site. At wooded quadrats,where pattern is likely to be of a differentscale, it was proposed to nest the 4m2 unit within a 25 m2 (5 x 5) quadrat.

The choice of 4 and 25a2 quadratswas partiallydictatedby the inclusionof these sizes in the nested system in Use in 1977. The data already collected would be compatiblewith the proposedmethod except in terms of the cover. percentageestimatewhich previouslyreferred only to the largest (50m2) of the nested quadrats. Some authors (e.g. Hill and Evans, 1978)have found that percentagecover does not vary greatlywith quadrat size, although the use of estimatedquantitativedata duriag fine mathematicalanalyses is in itself questionable. The matter is consideredin greater detail below (2.4),where use of quantitativeestimatesis comparedwith use of incidence(presence/absence) data. Previously,it has been found (Dale and Williams, 1972; Shaw, 1978) that there is a tendency for qualitativedata to retain more informationthan quantitative.

With the introductionof sm,711erquadrt sizes, the rules governingtheir dispositionclearlyhad to be nitered. Maintainingthe use of transectsbetween the track and boundary of British Pail propertyat the four corners of the 11. measured site (Way et al, 1978), the most effectivedistributionof quadrats along those transectswas sought and the followingalternativesconsidered:

"A) If the transectwas less than 5 m in length, one 2 x 2 m quadratwould be recorded. The position of the centre point of the quadratwould be deter- mined by use of random numbers so that the whole quadratwas on the transect. If the transectwas more than 5 m in length, the centre point of the transect should be stablished,and two 2 x 2 m quadratsrecorded,one in either half. The centre point of the quadratswould be placed at randoM (by use of a dice or random tables, etc.) in the respectivehalves so that the quadrats themselvesdid not overlap. In the cases where the vegetationwas scrub or woodland, so that a 25 m2 quadratwas required,the critical transect length Would be increasedto 10 m. Alternatively,if the transectwas more than 5 m, the number of quadrats to be recordedwould be increasedfor each 5 m increasein transect length. Thus, for a transectup to 10 m, there would be 2 quadrats,up to 15 m three quadrats,and so on, with the centre point of the quadratsolaced 2t random within the increments. ..,• Again, if the transectwas more than 5 m, the number of quadratsshould be increasedgeometrically,i.e. for a 10 m transect,two quadrats;for a 20 m transect,three quadrats;for a 40 transect,four quadrats,and so on. The transectwould then be divided in equal segmentsdependingupon the number of quadrats to be taken, and the centre points of the quadratsdeterminedby random numbers as before. Finally, if the transectwas more than 5 m, quadratsshould be taken in clearly recognisablevegetationzones. " (Way, 1978, note from file).

It was decided to adopt option A for one 4m2 quadrat in any transect up to 5m, or for one 25m2 in any transectup to 10m. Having estimatedthe time taken to record a 4m2 quadrat,it was consideredthat option D, where additional quadratswere placed at geometricallyincreasingintervals,would prove feasible. Use of option E was vetoed because of the difficultiesin making an "objective"decision in the field, and because subtletiesin vegetation change or gradientmay.not be readily apparent. For the analyticaltechniques in use, a systemhticcollectionof informationis clearly to be preferred.

A table of ground rules is given in Appendix 4. 12,;

2.3 Informationrecordin Site, species,and quadrat informationwere recordedat all locationsduring 1977 and 1978. However, in 1978, modificationswere made to the kinds of informationrecorded. There were three main reasons for this change.

It was essentialthat the main effort be put into collectinginformation appropriateto the kinds of analysis in use.

A vegetationcode, developedduring the reconnaissance(Way and Sheail, 1977) had been used to supplementspecies information. The categoriesin this code were subjectiveand dependedon visual estimationof vegetationtype and structure. It is establishedthat subjectiveinformationof this kind, when coupledwith more absolute (speciespresence)data, will reduce the reliability of any (mathematicallyassistedor not) analysis of thnt data. The contribution of estimatedinformationto interpretationcarriesthe same constraintsand will tend to obviate any precisionin the originaltechnique. It was the'refore decided to discontinuerecordingthe vegetationcode.

Until the present,estimatedpercentagecover has been consideredan important componentof the railway quadrat information,and, to this end, species cover and certain "cover categories"includingbare ground, bryophytemass, and litter have been recorded. In 1978, the ntmlberof these categorieswas expandedand percentagecover of open water, ballast, cinder, lichensand bare rock were also recorded. The effects of these estimates (mast of which are for transientor heterogeneousfeatures)on the analyses has been ex.:„ainedand.thevalue or otherwiseof their contributionis consideredbelow (2.6, 2.7). It is likely that recordingof these estimateswill be discontinuedin 1979.

On the other hand, it became apparent that sone informationof seeming importancewas not being collected. Edaphically,the railway tends to be very disturbed. Soil profilesare largelyundevelopedand little understood; drainagepatternsdepend on engineeringpractices;and conditionschange very locallywith ballast tippingand provenence. It was decided that a survey of soil type and structure,whilst extremelyinformativewould be beyond the resources of the current project. However, it was thoughtpossibleto intensifypH samplingin relation to the increasednumber of quadrats (2.1) examined. Thus, suitablematerialwas taken from the centre of every quadrat visitedand was measured in the laboratoryas soon as possibleaTter collection. Additionally, estimateswere made of the severityand age of ballast tinpingat each quadrat. 13.

Ballast is either limestoneor granite (C. Beagley, pers. comm.; Section 1.2) and, whilst the sources of 7naterialareknown, its distributionhas been arbitrary,dependingon availabilityat laying or replacementtimes. In 1979, a simple test, using hydrochloricacid, will be introducedto determinethe nature of the ballast. The depositionof calcareousmaterial in an otherwise acid habitat is likely to have interestingeffects on the local flora.

Bryophytesand lichenshave hitherto (in the context of this survey) only been consideredin terms of estimatedpercentagecover. However, it is expected that a fairly characteristicflora exists and that it containsadditional, and often very sensitive,informationwhich would make a useful contributionto 1 the analysis. It is hoped to begin species recordingin 1979. c) The revised size and distributionrules for quadrats (2.2) have also led to modificationsin recording technique. The proformaswere altered to accommodatethese changes and completedexamnlesof the kinds in use in 1978 are given in APpendix 4.

As in 1977, one site recording form, two animal and two plant species lists were recordedat each single (random)site, and two site and animal sheets and four plant species lists were completedat each paired.(cuttingand embankment) site. The number of quadrat sheets preparedwas variableand proportionalto the width of BritishRail land occurringat each transect.

2.4 Anal tical methods Data collectedduring 1977 was classifiedby IndicatorSpecies Analysis (Hill, Bunco and Shaw, 1975). However the derived classes containedan unacceptable degree of heterogeneitywhich did not greatly reduce with reasonablesubdivision. The heterogeneitywas almost certainlydue to incompatibilitybetween vegetationpattern and quadrat,or sample, size. Initially,data from only the largestof the nested quadrats (50m2) was Used, although subsequently,and for 1 • comparison,a classificationof informationfrom the 4m2 unit, quantifiedby cover estimates from the 50,2 quadrat,was prepared. This latter classification 1 producedseeminglymore homogeneousend groupings,although,in the absence of a simple mathematical.method,no attempt other than purely subjective,was made to compare the two classifications. It is, however, possible to compare ordinationsof similar data by measuringcorrelationsbetweencorresponding 1 pairs of axes (Shaw, 1978). 14.

The value of certainaspects of the informationinput, and, most particularly, those concernedwith cover estimatesand classes (Section2.3), is currently being questionedand it has become essentialto systematicallycompareallied sets of data. Ordinationby reciprocalaveraging (Hill, 1973) has therefore been introducedto the projectand has been coupled to a techniquecorrelating similaritybetween axes, and to a new method in which the homogeneityof clustersproducedby differentinformationinput is examined.

This multipleapproach has further,and at least equally important,advantages for interpretation. The use of classificationalone (whetheror not it depends on an initial ordination)will result in loss of spatialand directional information,whilst independentordinationclearly does not produce discrete grouping. In combination,however,such analytical techniquesdisplayspatial relationshipsbetweenand within defined classes and can be used effectively to examine the influenceof known environmentalvariables. Greig-Smith(1963) has pointed to the weakness of ordinationin the absence of a good classification. Impositionof arbitraryor subjectivegroupingwill reduce any ordination, however finely derived,to the level of thc arbitrary classification. The conversealso applies when spatialor directionaldifferencesarc hazarded. Complimentaryuse of IndicatorSpecies Analysis and ReciprocalAveraging,where each is objective,thus providesa useful analyticaland investigativemethod.

Programmesfor running both kinds of analysison the PDP 11 at ITE Monks Wood were made availableby Mr. M.W. Shaw of ITE Bangor. Data modifyingand handling programmeswere written at Monks Wood with the assistanceef Mr. G.J. Moller. Correlationanalysiswas by standardmethods.

The random and cutting/embankmentsurveysare not statisticallycompatibleand have thereforebeen analysed independently. However, a purely pragmatic attempt to relate these te one anotherand to the BiologicalInterestSurvey is being considered,and is discussedin Section 3.

2.5 Site analysis The structureand vegetationalcompositionof sites has not previouslybeen analysed during this project,although the particularmethod of combining vegetationdata is likely to produce useful results. Initially,it is of interest to determinewhether the concept of a site in the railway context is valid. It is possible that the amount of heterogeneityand overlap present in and between 15. all except a few sites makes 'site'as defined in this survey, a not very useful category. However, if there is sufficientdistinctionbetween sites, the unit may be of use for future interpretation,.especiallyina geographical context,and for correlationwith NOC informationoutside the ir- diate survey. On the other hand, it may prove necessaryto base all analyses on an under- standingof vegetationtypes and continuawhich occur within and between sites.

The site analyseswere based on a species frequencywhich was found by pooling quadratand species list data. Four.frequencyclasseswere used and these were based on percentage,rather than absclute,occurrencesince the number of quadrats,and hence bits of information,varied from site to site. The analyseshave been run on compatiblercndom site data and cover estimateshave not been included.

IndicatorSpecies Analysis of the random data (COsites) gave rise to the following13 classes. The indicatorsinvolvedin successivedivisionare given in Table 2.1, which also shows the relationshipbetween the terminal groups.

Rank nitrophilousvegetation,characterisedby stands of Urtica dioica, some relict woodland species and scrub witn Rubus fruticosusand Arrhenatherum elatius. The seven sites in this class are fairly disturbedand most show sigas of scrub clearance. They occur on well-drainedand mainly sloping formationsabove varied geologicalstrata and drift. -)11 6-8. Occurrence32;',C.

Dry scrub and grasslandon sh2.1lowsoil. Characterisedby Trisetur flavescensand calcicolousscrubby species. Two well-drainedsites are includedhere, one is a Cretaceous(upper chalk) cuttingwith unstable scrub and some grassland (pH >7), the other occurs on Eocene Thafletbedsand supnorts dry grassland (pH 5.2-7.3). 32:).

Acid grasslandsites with encroachingscrub, bramble and bracken. These sites are characterisedby Holcus mollis, Fest:ucarubraand A. elatius with invasivespecies includingUlex europaea,Rhododendronponticumand Prunus spinosa. Cryptogamsare well represented. The nine sites lie on grits, shales and sandstones. pH <6 with some local anomaliesintroducedby limestoneballast. Drainage moderate to slightlyimpeded,and sites often 155. with indicationsof earlier scrub clearanceand burning. Occurrence 111111a a a • II•1 •all RS Ell a I•11 a a 11•11

CLASSIFICATIONOF RANDOM SITES,1978,SHOWING INDICATOR SPECIES,ENDGROUPINGSAND LEVELS OF DIVISION

DACTYL1S GLOMERATA FESTUCA ARuNDINACEA ARRHENATHERUM ELATIUS OUERCUS ROELLIR ARTEMISIA VULGARIS CORYLUS AVELLANA SILENE ALBA VIOLA RIVINIANA CONVOLVULUS ARVENSE

A.ELAT1US F.ARUNDINACEA D. GLOMERATA JUGLANS REGIA CENTAUREA NIGRA A. ELATIUS RIBES SANGUINEA PLANTAGO LANCEOLATA EUONYMUS EuROPAEA D.GLOMERATA BRASSICA NIGRA ACHILLEA MILLEFOLIUM SWIDA SANGLHNEA IRIS GERMANICA HOLCUS LANATUS MENTHASPICATA ACROSTIS TENUIS 131 ANTHOXANTHuM ODORATUM 0.GLOMERATA A. ELATIUS 0. GLOMERATA . F. ARUNDINACEA A. ELATIUS D. GLOMERATA F.ARUNDINACEA F.ARUN() N AC EA A.ELATIUS F.RuBRA A.VLILGAR: illnIRA POA NEmORALIS SENECIO ERUCIFOLIUS ULEX EuROPAEA Q. ROI3UR SENECIO SOUALIDUS FRAXINUS ExCi LSIOR MELANDRItJM DIOICUM SOLANum OuLCAMARA ILLICIINUM SPICANT CALYSTEGIA SEM r4 EPILOBIUM HIRSUTUM SENLCi0 JACOIIMA RUMEX ACETOSA 6RACHWODIum SyLVATICuM HOLCUS MOLLIS MELILOTUS ALTISSIMA paA TRIVIALIS ACLR CANII,LSTRE 611 D. GLOMERATA 5 2 D.GLOTAERATA F.RLIBRA A.ELATIUS F. ARUNDINACL A MEDICAGO LUPULINA H.MOLLIS GLOMER ATA ARUNDINACEA EROPHILA VERNA • A. ELATIUS TUSSILAGO FAREARA AGROSTIS TENUIS • A f ATILJS LOTUS CORNICULATUS JUNCUS INFLEXuS D. GLOMERATA ERUC:IFOL AGROPYRON REPENS EQUISETUM PALuSTRE VICIA St Pim VICIA ANGRS TII 01. IA PULICARIA DYSI NTLRICA POA ANGUSTIFOLIA LOLIUM PERENNE CHAMAENERION ANGUSTIMLIuM 7•.;•.; RizATI NSIS RANUNCULUS BULLIOSA ANISANTI IA SU RILIS VERONICA ARVENSE CHRYSANTHEMUM LLUCA*.THE •L I RUBRA VIOLA RIVINIANA A.L:s CA(.*.PE.S.f RE LAPSANA COMMUNIS SILAUM SILAuS LAMIUM ALBUM MYOSOTIS DISCOLOR ROSA CANINA SAL1X AURITA D.GLOMERATA 93 105 45 CONVOLVULUS ARVENSE A. ELATIUS A. ELATIUS F.ARUNDINACEA SENECIO VULGARE D. GLOMERATA S. JACOBAE A F. RUeRA OLIUS VERONICA HEDERIFOLIA A. CAMPESTRE GLECHOMAHEDERAC EA S. ERUCIF E. HIRSUTUM FRAGARIA VESCA ACER PSEUDOPLATANUS V. RIVINIANA AGROSTIS STOLONIFERA H.MOLUS 115 1213 75 812 17 .

Damp or acid sites with some woodland. These are characterisedby Molinia

-—_caeruleaand Deschampsiaflexuosawith Ilercus petraea (Q. roburon the South- western peninsula),introducedconifers,and sallowsand Juncus spp. where wet. The five sites occur on slates,shales and grit and generallyhave a low (<6) pH. 8%.

Species rich acid woodland. A single and interestingsite with a diverse deciduouswoodland flora. Q. robur over Ilex aquifolia. On alluvium over slate and lying between the Camel River and a coniferousplantationwhich occupied part of the site. pH <5.1.

Recently cleared and/or burnt calcicolouswoodland. Sites characterised by much bare soil, stumps and cinder. Woodland,relict and colonisingspecies includeClematis vitalba,Swida sanguinea,Fraxinus excelsiorand Accr camnestre. 2 sites, both on limestonewith pH >6.8. 3%.

Damp neutral grassland. Generallyoccurringon low embankmentswith drainageditches or small streams. Characterisedby A. elatiuswith some meadow speciesand aquatics. Some encroachingscrub. Five sites pH 6-8, mainly on alluvial or head deposits. 9%.

Dry grasslandwith invasivescrub or becomingpredominantlyscrubbyand eventuallywoody. A. elatiuswith Dactylisslomerata characterisethe grassland and invasivewoody species includeRosa canina, Ligustrumvulgare,S. sanguinea, Cor lus avellana and Q. robur. The inclusionof oak over hazel woodland sites suggeststhat further subdivisionof the class would be useful. There arc 12 sites, mainly on clay but with some on chalh'or sandstone. pH very variable. Occurrence20%.

Disturbedacid sites, weedy, and with somewhat impeded drainage. Species poor Arrhenatherumgrasslandcharacterisedby invasiveP. aquilinum,R. fruticosus, Freuisetumarvenseand Cirsium arvense. Some garden escapesnoted. Three sites on sandstoneor clay. pH usually <6. 5%.

Sites includingmarsh and aquatic vegetation. Characterisedby E. arvense, Phra “ites communis,Chamaenerionan. stifolium,Filipendulaulmaria and including such species as Caltha palustrisand Oenanthe crocata. Five sites with one slightlyanomalousinclusionof a narrow flat dominatedby E. arvense. Nainly on alluviumwith pH >6. 8%. 18.

Base-rich scrub and grassland sites influenced by streams or ditches. Arrhenotherum grassland with tall herbs, V. dioica and invasive Pubus fruticosus. Some decitluous woodland species. Five sites on alluvium with pH >6.5 8%

Blnckthorn scrub with coarse grassland. Prunus s_pinosa with Crataegus monogyna and species poor Bromus/Arrhenstherum grassland. Three sites on varied geological strata but all occupying low cuttings with more or less extensive grass and cinder flats. pH 6.0-8.5 55.

A single site with Arrhenatherum/A.gropyron grassland and garden escapes including Juglans regia, Iris urmanica and Monsters dclicosa. Brickear.ch over Cretaceous upner chalk. pH 7.

The I.S.A. was initially taken to four levels of division giving rise to a 2 potential 4 (16)classes where no previous terminations occur. With a restricted number of sites to classify (60 in this test case) 16 seemed a reasonable level at which to stop subdivision. However, classes having fewer than three members were terminated, and this termination occurred once in the second division and twice in the third division. Occurrence of a terminal group in the second division led to considerohle heterogeneity (effectively insufficient division) in the end classes on the same side of the dichotomy, and it was found useful to subdivide these further. A total of 13 reasonably homogeneous classes resulted (Table 2.1).

At each level of division, a number of ".Asclassifications" (Hill,Bunce & Shaw, 1975)occurred due to the heterogeneous nature of the coldbined site data. However, this heterogeneity retains considerable information, which becomes apparent in the capacity to link allied sites in a seemirgly sensible and consistent way.

The character and relative distances of the linkages were examined by ordination of the data with Reciprocal Averaging (Hill,1973)and by plotting the I.S.A. classes against the two dimensional matrix formed between the first and second axes of the ordination. With the exception of those classes which terminated early during 1.S.A. and which were peripherally placed on the matrix, a variable degree of overlsp occurred. It is unlikely that this overlap reflects any great inconsistency between the kinds of analyses used, since, during I.S.A. the multivariate data is scaled by Reciprocal Average prior to divisive 19. clustering. The combinationof techniquesused here merely rescales the clusterswithin an N-dimensionalattributespace when N ordinationaxes are used.

By inspection,observedand recordedenvironmentalgradientswere superimposed on the ordination,the best fit occurringwith respect to pH and to an apparentlyreciprocalgradientbetween nutrient status and drainage (Table 2.2). The relationshipbetween classesand the process of classificationwas examined with respect to these environmentalgradients.•

The initialI.S.A. dichotomyseparatedsites occurringon acid (classes3, 4, 5) or thin (class 2) soils or those with radical nutrient status (disturbedby burning (6) or local aitrification(1) ) from those with calcicolous(11, 12) and marsh or aquatic forms (7, 10) or having a high proportionof garden escapes or aliens (9, 13). On the negative side, the next division removed peripheral groups without close linkage (5, 6), and subsequentdivisionoccurred first with respect to pH (1, 2 : 3, 4) and then roughly along the nutrient:drainage gradient (1 : 2; 3 : 4). Oa the positive side, after terminationof class 13 at the unbalancedfirst division,the next split reflectedthe initial dichotomy, and subsequentgrouping occurredalong the nutrient:drainage(7 : 8, 9; 10 : 11, 12; 11 : 12) and pH (8 : 9) gradients. In some cases where definitive propertieswere shared, superficiallyunlikelyallocationswere made. Thus, the highly calcicolousclass 2 is allocated to the more acidic (negative)side of the initial dichotomyby virtue of possessingthin, dry soils, whilst in the acidic ' class 9, the converseapplies,and calciphobicsites will be found grouped with the basophiles. Further inspectionwill suggest several other apparent anomalies.

It will also be observed that the imposed environmentalaxes do not conform to the ordinationaxes, which, in conjunctionwith the overlap observed between classeson the two dimensionalmatrix, indicatesthatagreater number of dimensionsarc required to define and describe the attribute space occupiedby these site classes. Clearly, the number of dimensionsneeded in inversely proportionalto the between class heterogeneity,and hence to the quantityand qualityof involvedenvironmentalvectors.

The proposed interpretationis thereforeover-simplified. However, it has been introduccdto provide a basis for discussionof the merits of includingsite analyses in the project,and the followingpnints arise. 1111111a na n s S flS n

IMPOSITION OF I.S.A. CLASSES,1-13 AND ENVIRONMENTAL VECTORS ON THE RECIPROCAL AVERAGEING ORDINATION OF RANDOM SITES IN SOUTHERN AND WESTERN REGIONS , ' - •

II ICREASING

INCREASING \ NUTRIENT \

AXIS 1.

DECREASING pH,

AXIS 2 21.

Whilst it is apparent that a unit of site size will be internallyhetero- geneousand that the kinds and distributionof vegetationwill vary between sites, patterns exist which are sufficientlyrecurrentto establishat least some homogeneoussite classes.

Certain vectors contributingto the clusteringof these classesmay be identified,and it is of interestthat these do not necessarilycorrespondwith factorsinfluencingclassification.atsmallerscales (Section2.6). For example, when 4m2 quadrat data are examined in a comparableway, the fundamentaldichotomy occurs between herbaceousand woody vegetation,reflectinglocal structure. In the railway situation,this structureis largely detemined by management (herbicidespraying,ballast tipping, etc.) which, at the quadrat scale, is likely to be the most influentialdivisivevector. However, at the site scale, this influenceis less irportant,and the overridingfactorsbecome drainage, pH and nutrient status. It is expected that if thc scale were again increased the determinantswould be climate and geology (Section6).

The kinds of informationderived from site analysis thereforecontributeto understandinglocal pattern and to rel-ting differentscales of pattern within the railway network.

Site informationis likely to be of practicaluse to the Nature Conservancy Council for identifyingareas of particularinterest,and since homogeneous site classes can be recognised,sites are potentiallyuseful as samplingunits for a proposed geographicalstratificationof BritishRail property (Section6).

2.6 Quadrat anal sis . Quadrat data were analysedwith the intentionof definingand distinguishing homogeneousvegetationclasses. The reductionof quadrat size (2.2) was introducedwith this analysis in mind and preliminaryresults, comparingthe kinds of end groups produced,indicatedthat the smaller samplingunit led to a "more recognisable"classification.The questionhas not been examined in any greater detail here and has become academic since nny furtheralterationin quadrat size would lead to an unacceptabledegree of incompatibilityin the information obtained from'clifferentregionsof British Rail. However, the questionof the kinds and degree of weighting (in terms of cover classes and estimates).tobe placed on the collecteddata, and the usefulnessof the particularclustering techniquesemployed,provide a continuingsource o interestand experiment. 22.

Indicatorspeciesanalyses and reciprocalaveragingordinationswere run on the 1923 sets of random quadratdata, with and-without(i.e. quantitativeand incidence)species cover estimatesand cover classes (referringto contri- butions by factorsother than vascular nisnts). The clusterswore considerably perturbedand condensedby a small number of quadrats (3%) occupyingover a quarterof the end classes or matrices. These were a distinctiveand diverse group of quadratsoccurringon cinder flats. Having noted their contribution and relevance,it was decided to remove them from the analyses in order to expand the distancesand clarifythe relationshipsbetweenother, more homogeneous,groupings. The followingdiscussionrefers to .7.3.1etherrandom quadrat data collectedin 1978.

An indicationof the similaritybetween quantitativeand incidencedata may be found by a regression3nalysisof the first axes of the two reciprocal averagingordinations.(Shaw,1978). The correlationcoefficientof X/Y was found to be 0.28689 when X was the first axis of cover, and Y of incidencedata. This coefficientdoes not indicatea statisticallysignificantcorrelation,and furtherexaminationof the influenceof cover informationon clusteringof this data was necessarybefore any value judgementcould be made.

The compositionand derivationof the end classes of the respectiveI.S.A.s were thereforecompared (Table 2.3). Although initial,divisionswerenot dissimilar,divergenceat each successivelevel was marked and was compounded by the hierarchicalnature of the technique.

• Level 1. In both sets of data, the initial dichotomyoccurredbetween woody and predominantlygrassy vegetation. This kind of physiognomicclassification is characteristicof the first divisionof all I.S.A.s'runon railway data to date.

Level 2. Taking the negative side of the dichotomy,the next split occurred between grassy and more weedy, herbaceousvegetation. Where cover was a coMponent,all damp or poorly-drainedquadratswere placed on the herbaceousside of the split, which had-the eventualcffect of disassociatingsome kinds of grassland. On the positive side of the division,the second level split was between scrtb and more stable woodland. Again, quadratwater relationswere the main cause of variationbetween the divisions,and whilst incidencedata split fairly strictlybetween scrub and woodland, cover data segregatedall 23. wet or poorly drained quadrats,and includedsome open scrub with the woodland section.

The effect of these second level divisionswas to give rise to four classes, grassland,weedy vegetation,scrub and woodland, broadly similar in both sets of data, althoughshifted between sets with respect to water status. For clarity,the further subdivisionsarc examinedunder these group headings.

Grassland The grasslandsdivided first in relation to pH, and then with respect to stabilityor the degree of disturbanceand extent of invasivescrub. In the calcicolousgrasslandgroups, incidencedata separatedthe very dry, disturbed and brambly quadrats (101 quadrats)from species-richgrasslandin which some woody species occurred (19 quadrats). On the other hand, cover data separated dry and often disturbedchalk grassland(31 quadrats)from quadratswith invasivescrub (91 quadrats),earlier divisionhaving removed damp quadrats from this part of the hierarchy.

With incidencedata, the acid grasslandswere separated(56 : 18 quadrats)by the presenceof woody or woodland (e.g. Teucrium scorodonia)'species,whilst

quantitativedata split a small group of Molinia heaths (• quadrats)from the remainder (25 quadrats)in which invasivescrub was important. Damp acid grasslandswere includedelsewhere.

Weed vegetation Quantitativedata having includedmuch of the dump grassy or herbaceous vegetationhere, the first split.waswith respect to a moisture gradient. Subsequently,disturbedstnnds dominatedby Chamaenerionan stifolium (19 quadrats)were separatedfrom those with ditch or aquatic vegetation(55 quadrats),whilst, on the drier side, disturbedvegetationwas divided on the presence (82 quadrats)or absence (14 quadrats)of brambleand nettle.

Incidencedata produceda comparable,(althoughreversed,Table 2.3) first division,which led to the establishmentof reed beds (18 quadrats)and coarse herbaceousvegetationtypicalof lower, or damp, embankmentslopes (69 quadrats)as end groups on the wetter side of the dichotomy. On the drier side, weedy and herbaceousquadrats (45 quadrats)typical of better drained,disturbedslopes,were recognisedns distinctfrom cinder vegetation (13 quadrats)usually found along the cess. (The more extreme types of such cinder vegetationwere previouslyremoved from the analysis (above).)

Woodland Quantitativeand incidencedata produceddissimilardivisions. With the former, a split was inducedbetween strongly calcicclousand other woodland types. The calcicolessubsequentlydivided into chalk scrub (37 quadrats)and dry, basic scrub and woodland (36 quadrats),whilst the base-poorwoodlands subdivided with respect to the dominant oak: Quercus robur in the south-westernpeninsula (39 quadrats)and Q. petrnea elsewhere.

With incidencedata, a small (4 quadrats)homogeneousgroup of damp alder woodland (not recognisedelsewhere)was removed initielly,and subdivisionin this group did not produceany useful additionalinformation. The remaining woodlandsdividedwith respect to pH, segregatingcalcicolouswoodland. (48quadrats). Both of these groups (92 quadrats)from the base-poortypes could usefullyhave been subdivided,the indicatorspeciesbeing closely comparable with those determiningthe previouslevel split in quantitativedata.

Scrub The scrubby quadratsinitiallydividedwith res:decttomoisture,willow and horsetailbeing indicatorspecies for the damper side where, with cover data, furthersubdivisiondistinguishedquadratswith sallow and some reed (7 quadrats) from damp, blackthornthickets (11 quadrats). Incidencedata removed two curious quadratsspanninga ditch under Salix fragilis from remainingdamp scrubby sites (9 quadrats). On the other side of the dichotomy,dry scrub with hawthorn (59 quadrats)was separatedby incidencedata from scrub with more wood- land and fern species (15 quadrats)(blackthornoccurringin both groups), whilst cover.datarecognizeddry blackthornthickets5nd segregatedthese from rough, brambly, vegetation. Most of the mere open species-richscrub had been included in the woodland part of the hierarchyby cover data.

Since, in many instances,the data are continuouslyvariable,some degree of sense can be made out of both classifications. In one area, cover data may producca better distinction,as between the Quercus robur and Q. petraea - dominatedacid woodlands,whilst elsewhere,in the recognitionof alder stands or the groupingof speciesrich grasslandsor rood swamp, incidencedata may be preferred. 25.

It was thought that furthersubdivisionmight produce more compatible groupings:but the investigationof this possibilitymerely served to underline the problemsassociatedwith hierarchicalclassification,whereinformationis channelledat each level and becomes unaVailablefor reconsiderationor reentry. This channellingled to a certainamount of linkageor similarityin classeswidely separated in the onc-dimensionalterminalarray. Whilst it is possible to examine the extent of this similarityby rteasuringthedegree of overlap followingimpositionof the classes on the complementarytwo or multi- dimensionalordination(Table 2.2), it would clearly be preferableto produce more discreteclasses initially.

Thus, rather than solving the problem of whether or not to include qhantitative data, the exercisehas rt,.isedthefurtherquestionof whether a hierarchical classificationis suitable for these kinds of data (other than as a measure to producean identificationkey - Section 3).

A method was thereforesought whereby comparisoncould be mildebetweenthe outcomesof various kinds of classificationsusingvariOuslymodified sets of input data. In order to make this comparison,some definitionof the "best" classificationhad first to be found. If it is accepted that "most homogeneous" is a relevant standard for vegetationclasses,then a number of possibilities become available. Standard deviationsof vegetationclasses (species distributionin the originalpaper by Whittaker,1960 (Whittaker,1973)) measured along a defined environmentalgradientcan be used as an imdicationof the homogeneityof those classeswith respect to the gradient. The average standard deviationfor two or more sets of equivalentdata can be compared,the lower figure indicatinggreater homogeneity.

In this case, where no defined environmentalgradientexists, the first axis of ordinationwas considereda suitablealternative. Use of this coordinate as the gradient is particularlyapt where the ordinationprovides information on which the classificationis based (as occurs with reciprocalaveragingand indicatorspecies analysis (Hill et al, 1975)).

TO compare the terminalclasses derived from quantitativeand incidencedata

means and standarddeviations(n 1) of I.S . A. classes were calculatedagainst respectivefirst co-ordinatesof lieciprocalAveragingordinations. The standard deviationswere summed and averagedand gave the scores of 7.87 and 8.52 for 26. quantitativeand incidencedata respectively. These figuresarc not significant• at the 5% level. However, the quantitativedata are composedof percentage cover estimatesfor higher plants as well as classes referringto other (non- vascularplant) cover categories. It is likely thst any merit found from includingthe former, is masked by the latter categoriesand it is therefore proposed to examine these situationsseparately.

It is furtherproposed to extend the method to compare other non-hierarchical clusteringtechniqueswith I.S.A. since the preliminaryanalyses here indicate that the method is not entirelysuitable for sorting the continuouslyvariable kinds of vegetstionencounteredon BritishRsil property.

Meanwhile the collecteddata will continue.tobe examinedfrom es.many points of view as possible,so that inherentinformationwill not be overlookedor discarded,and so that a reasonableassessmentof vegetationtypes and gradients may.be made. 27.

SECTION 3 THE BIOLOGICALINTERESTSURVEY

3.1 Informationcollection_ Methods were not altered during 1978, and the reader is referred to the previous interimreport (Way et al, 1978) for a discussionof these.

During the season,52 sites were visited, 37 of which were at the direct request of the Nature ConservancyCouncil, 9 were based on informationfrom County Floras, and 7 were discoveredduring the course of the survey and consideredsufficiently interestingto examine. The latter group tended to be of a consistentlyhigh standard,whilst "flora sites" were often found to have deliberatelyvague localitiesor to have suffered from changingmanagementpracticesor inter- ference. The NCC sites partiallycomprisedareas of track adjacent to SSSIs (biologicaland geological)which were visited to assess any railway contribution, and partiallyother known localitiesthoug'etlikelyto supportan interesting biota. Where these reflected the first-handknowledgeof local NCC staff, they were often of considerableimportance.

Sites of particularvalue in Southernand Western Regions for which files will be opened are listed (Table 3.1) and further informationuill be found in Appendices1-3, where short descriptionsare given for all sites recorded during 1978.

Files have been completedby Mr. J.O. Mountford (Appendix5) for all outstanding sites visited in Eastern Region during 1977.

3.2 Discussion As yet, no mention of strictlyrelating BiologicalInterestSites to those recorded in the objectivesurvey has been introduced. Whilst judgements concerningthe conservationvalue of the sites have been made, it would clearly be of value to make a.direct comparisonbetween all kinds of sites, in order to establishmore clearly which factorsare importantand how extensivethe areas of particularinterestare.

The followingapproachesare being consideredand it is likely that they will be combinedto further this improvedexchange of information: 28.

Table 3.1. Biolo ical InterestSites: 1978. A compositelist of the more valuable localitiesextractedfrom Randon(R), 14%; Cutting/Erabankment(CS),5y; and BiologicalIaterest surveys (B), 49%.

SouthernRegion:

0E87 TR 076530 JulliberrieDowns R90 TR 258482 Shepherdswell CE85/R84 TO,:298142 Clayton p81/ca3o su 541072 Titchfield CE79 SU 733170 Glass Brow R78/1369 SU 290001 Setley CE74 SY 604972 Langcombe CE76/B67 SU 227391 Newton Toney 1370 SU 252271 West Dean

WesternRegion:

B92 SP 409152 Combo Cutting CE117 SU 024811 'ProwLane 3107 ST 865696 Corsham CE114 ST 650798 WinterbourneDown 394 SW 933598 St. Dennis Junction 3102 sx 377578 Lynher Estuary CE64 SS i:58236 Landcrons CE65 SS 652000 GreensladeBridge B62/0Z69 sX 441661 Furzehill R71 SK 709605 South Brent B56/CE61 ST 521286 CharltonHackrell B65 .ST717409 Wanstrow B85 so 790042 Five Acre Grove 386. SO 950017 Hailey Farm Cutting 3105 SO 914028 FramptonMansell CE112 so 901457 Besford 1376 sm 926304 Heathfield 1377 SS 125997 Tenby Burrows B79 SE 36 07 St. Ishmael B81 SN 417026 Ffrwd Farm Mire 29.

An environmentalstratificationof the British Rail network is being produced (Section6) and it will become possible to relate all sites of BiologicalInterestto particularstrata and hence to other kinds of sites.

It is proposedto make a vegetationkey, using all previouslycollected information,and to test this key at sites of BiologicalInterest. It is hoped to establishrelationshipsby identificationof defined vegetationtypes.

The key will be produced using IndicatorSpecies Analysis (Hill et al, 1975), end classes definingvegetation(for this purpose only - Section 2.6) and IndicatorSpecies the pathwmy throughwhich these types arc reached.

Some difficultyhas been experiencedwith keys of this kind owing to the presence of "misclassifications".These arc quadratswhich ought, by the sum of relationships,to belong to a particularclass, but which, lacking the necessary indicators,are found on the wrong side of the key. Shaw (1976) has introduced a modificationto the I.S.A. programmewhich should,at least partially, overcomethis problem. The data are first overdivided„producingvery small homogeneousend classeswhich are re-enteredas units into a subsequentI.S.A. This procedurehas the effect of enabling the relationshipsbetweenall groups to be reconsidered,and hence of reducing the numbers of misclassifications.

In order to test the key, a samplingsystem will have to be introduced, and it is proposed to record species data within quadrntsat the same time, so as to bring the kind of informationcollectedinto line with that recorded during the objectivesurvey.

Tho positioningof transects,and hence quadrats,cannot be entirely comparable with the objective survey, since sites of BiologicalInterestdo not have a defined length. It thereforebecomes necessary to find some way of consistently locatingsamples. A possiblemethod, followinginspectionof the site, is to establishreasonablelimits and to rccord within those limits. It is likely that a'maximumlength of 200 a will be acceptable,and that, where boundaries arc ill-defined,the site will be taken to commence from the mile post closest to the access point. To avoid "edge" effects or the recordingof marginal information,transectswould he located50 m in from either established boundary,and the positioning(at right angles to the track) and numbering (a total of four) of the transectswould corres7endto the objectivesurvey. In 3C. the case of the area of interestbeing 100 m .longor less, only two such transectswould be placed. Positioningof quadratsalong the transectsand use of recordingproformaswould be as elsewhere (Section2.2, 3). Two species lists, one for either side of the line, would be made.

Where a site is judged to be of particularinterest,records of the kinds previouslymade for biologicalinterest sites will be completedto facilitate the preparationof site files. 31.

SECTION 4 SOME CHARACTERISTICPAILWAYPLANTS

4.1 Introduction Most vegetationoccurringon British R•il land is not unique, but sone particularlyinterestinghabitatsare present in which characteristicspecies (and associations)may be found.

A table (Table 4.1) has been prepared from the county floras publishedsince 1930, giving the species most frequentlyrecorded in railway situations. Sone of these speciesmay be modal (Curtis,1959) whilst others have a more wide-• spread distribution. Except where the range is extrerelylimited,e.g. Cerastiumbrachypetalum,Linariasupina and Corrigiolalitoralis,it is not always easy to distinguishbetween these alternatives. However, the Nature ConservationReview (1977) lists certain prevalently"ferroviatic"speciesand these have been marked witl:au asterisk.

The floras list three major habitat types for the c characteristicrailway species: Cinder and ballast: of the permanent way, stationyards and sidings, and dumped on embainmentslopes. Stonework:on bridges, platformsand railway buildings,and once kept artificiallymoist by the condensationfrom stoat locomotives(Pony, 1953). Grassland:particularlywhere it is regularlyburnt.'

Eight characteristicspecieshsve been selected for further discussionhere. The choice arose from field experienceof those plants making soae of the most interestingcontributionsto the railway flara, and stresses the species 'encounteredduringthe 1978 field work.

4.2 Evisetua.arvense L. Eouisctum arvensc is mentioned in tHe WarwickshireFlora (Cadburyet al, 1971) as the specieswith the greatest frequencyon railway lines (94%, Table 4.2). It is a very common plant throughoutthe 15E,with a wide range of habitats, includingcultivated,waste and rough grassy places, damp ground and dune slacks,and also occurringin deciduouswoodland and scrub, gravel pits and quarries. On railway land, tho upright fora occurs abundantlyon banks and may become dominanton ballast-strewnslopes. The prostrate form (var. decumbens 32. Table 4.L T ical Railwa- S ccies.

Lists of plants cited as occurringon railway tracks, banks or land in more than 10 county floras or similar publications. (" Railways mentionedas a main habitat in "The Nature Conservat.ionReview")

A. > 40 records: Chaenorhinumminus

B. 30-39 records: Senecio viscosus

C. 20-29 records: Diplotaxismuralis Linariarepens Cardaria draba Linaria vulgaris Arabidopsisthaliana Valerianellalocusta Reseda luteola Leucanthemumvulgare Reseda lutea Senecio squalidus Medicago s. sativa Tragopogonpratensis • Lathyrus latifolius Pilcsellaaurantiacas.l. Ftagariax ananassa Vulpia myuros Epilobiumangustifolium

D. 15-19 records: Equisetumarvense Sedum acre Ceterach officinarum . Oenotherabiennis Papaver dubium Foeniculumvulgare Lepidiumheterophyllum Pastinacasativa Erophil• verna Euphorbia cyparissias Sisymbriumorientale Primula veris Silene vulgaris Primula vulgaris Cerastiumdiffusum Echium vulgare Sagina a. apetala Convolvulusarvensis Arenaria leptoclados Potentillareptans Geranium pyrenaicum Galium mollugo Cytisus scoparius Centranthusruber Ononis repens Tussilago farfara Melilotusaltissima Erigeron acer Melilotus officinalis Erir:eroncanadensis Melilotusalba Cirsium arvense Trifoliummedium Centaurea scabiosa Anthyllisvulneraria Pieria hicracioides Vicia hirsuta Hieracium strumosum Vicia sativa ssp. nigra Crepis vesicaria Rubus fruticosuss.l. Vulpia bromoides Snnguisorbaofficinalis Catapodiumrigidum

E. 10-14 records: Rhyllitisscolonendrium Lepidiumcampestre Aspleniumadiantum-nigrum Cochleariadanica • Aspleniun trichoranes Cardamine hirsuta Aspleniumruta-muraria Bunias orientalis Cystonterisfragilis Armoraciarusticana Aquileginvulgaris Barbarea verna Papaverargemone Erysimum cheirantheides Diplotaxistenuifolia Sisymbriumaltissimum 33. Table 4.l (continued).

Viola hirta Polygonumcuspidatum Polygala vulgaris Fumex acettasella3.1. Hypericum nerforatum Blackstoniaperfoliata Silene alba Verbascum thapsus Saponariaofficinalis Verbascum nigrum Sagina apetala esp. erecta Antirrhinummajus Minuartia hybridr Origanum vulgare Arenaria serpyllifolias.l. Acinos arvensis Malva moschata Clinopodiumvulgare Linum catharticum Lamium album Geranium pratcnse Campanula rapunculoides Geranium columbinum Galium yens Erodium cicutarium Knautia arvensis Ulex europaeus Sonecio erucifoliun Medicago lupulina Senecio vulgaris (rayed form) Melilotus indica Solidago canadensis Trifoliumpratense Aster novi-belgii Trifoliumarvense Achillea Trifolium campestre Tanacetum vulgare Trifolium dubium Artemisia vulgaris Lotus corniculatus Artemisia absinthium Lotus tenuis Cirsium vulgare Coronilla varia Centaurea nigra Onobrychisviciifolia Cichorium thtybus Vicia tetrasperma Leontodonhispidus Vicia cracca Hioracium diaphenam Lathyruspratonsis Hieracium vagum Lathyrussylvestris Pilosellaofficinarum Fragaria vesca Crepis capillaris Poteriumsanguisorba Taraxacum officinales.l. Poteriumpclygamum Allium vineale Epilobiumadenocaulon Festuca r. rubra EpilobiuE resew: Poa compressu Oenotheraerythrosepala Poa pratensiss.s. Pimpinellasaxifragt: Bromus erectus Heracleum sphondylium Helictotrichonpubescens Daucus carota Arrhenntherumelatius Euphorbiaesula s.l. Aira caryophyllea

G. Meyer) is especiallycharacteristicof railway ballastand other dry open habitats (Martin& Fraser, 1939), producingextensive,or epidemic (e.g. R87, Winchelsca)swards on the flat cinder bed of the permanentway, where it may survive chemical spraying. Several factors contributeto the abundance of both forms: (i) Efficientvegetativespread, soon colonisingnearby bared cinder and ballast. Wind dispersalof Spores to produce new populations,aided by the turbulencecaused by traffic. Tolerance of low nutrient levels and ability to compete successfullyin cinder and ballast with minimal humus. Resistanceto sprayingand even when suppressed,ability to recover quickly by vegetativemeans- Extensiverhizomesable to maintain contact with water deep in the soil.

Equisetumnalustre L. often accompaniesE. arvonse or replaces it in similar railwayhabitats,particularlyin South Wales. Although very comnon off 1 railway 13nd, E. arvense reachesremarkablepopulationlevels on and by lines. It is particularlywell-adaptedto the most rigorous conditions,and is a characteristicrailwayspecies.

1 4.3 Epilobiun lanceolaturiSob.et Mauri EnilobiumlanceolatumJ.sc7:ratherlocal species,becoming frequentonly in the south-westand south-eastwhere it grows on dry banks, wood borders tind clearings,rocks and walls. There is evidence that it may be extending its range north and east into the Midlnndsand Enst Anglia (Pcrring.etal, 1964;

Table 4.2. From 'A Computer-mappedFlora of Warwickshire (1971),Cadbury et al. Species with greatest frequencyon railways from 6718 observations.

Equisetumarvense 54% Leucanthemumvulgare 66% EpLlobium angustifolium Senecio squalidus 65% Tussilagofarfara 85% Vicia hirsuta 64% Centaureanigra 83% Linaria vulgaris 64% Achilleamillefolium 77% Daucus carota 63% 1 Pilosellaofficinarum 70% Chaenorhinumminus 62% Convolvulusarvensis 70% Myosotis arvensis 62% 1 Lathyruspratensis 69% 35.

Dony, 1967; Botch & Swann, 1968; Walters,-pers.comm.). Thss plant is the commonestcf the small-floweredwillowherbson railway 13nd in Cornwall, Devon and Avon, and it was also recorded in Gloucestershire,Wiltshire,Gwent, Glamorganand Dyfed (Pembroke). It was not seen at all in Kent and Sussex, where it is apparentlywidespread. The quadratrecords show it to be generally calcifugeand to prefer dry open ground with intermixedballast or rock. The species toleratespartial shade but not chemicalspraying. In Avon, it was observed frequentlyon bare cleared ground at the edge of scrub, and was found growingwith Pteridiumin heathy grasslandin onc Gwent locality. It spreads by using a featheredseed, c method helped by the railway traffic. This species has not normally been thoughtof as a railway plant, but the experienceof 1978 shows.thatit is notably commoneron bare rocky habitats found on railways than on similar sites off railways in the same area. Moreover, it occurs here commonlywhere E. montanum and E. adenocaulondo not.

4.4 Linaria renens (L.) Mill. Linaria repens occurs sparselythroughoutBritain,being absent over large parts of Eastern England and very local in Scotland. Its status is doubtfaland it is probably only native on shallow soils and rubble-strewnareas with little vegetationcover in southernEngland. It is found from DOVOlito Kent and north to the Thames, having centres of distributionin Dyfed and Berkshire/ Buckinghamshire. Within this putativenative range, it is characteristicof chalk and occurs in arable fields,waste places, rocky ground and locally on railwaysand walls. It becomesalmost exclusivelya railway plant furthernorth, and as such has spread to Inverness (Webster,1978). On railway lines in the south, it may form hybrid awarMs with L. vulgarisMill. (Druce, 189?).

It was recordedparticularlyfrequentlyin Dyfed during the 1978 survey where it occurred in all but two or three of the twenty sites visited whilst, elsewhere,it was only noted once, at CE118 Cholsey. In 1977, it was seen only once, at Bowdon near Hull. In Dyfed, it occurredmainly on the cinder and ballastmargins of the permanentway, but has spread from here into rough grasslandwhere, in some burnt sites, it becomesan importantcontributorto the overall cover. Other habitatsnoticed were scree of shale, limestonerock cuttingsand broken tarmac,and, within this county, it is almost, if not completely,confined to railway lines (May, 1967; Rees, 1955; Davis, 1970). It is probably quite resistant to spraying,being commonestwithin 3 inof the track, but seems intolerantof competition,preferringopen dry and stoney sites. The )6. floras suggest that it is a calcicole,and the quadrat informationgenerally bears out this suggestion,althoughit was also common on shale at pH 3.9. It is likely that the railways now proVide the main habitat and support most of the populationof L. ropens, having enabled it to spread well beyond the dry chalklandsof southernEngland.

4.5 Linaria supina (L.) Chazelles Linaria suyina is very much more rare than its relativeand is-confinedas a possiblenative to sandy sea-shoresnear Par and Hayle in Cornwall (Davey, 1909). It has Spread from there on to adjacentwaste ground, old quarriesand railway lines, where the greater part of the British populationnow occurs. The plant is limitedas observed in Cornwalland South Devon: and is naturalisedin two places in Carmarthen (Dyfed). There are records for the species.asa casual in Durham,Yorkshire and Dorset, usually on sandy ballast. It is apparently intolerantof competitionand spraying (S. Evans, 1978 in litt.) and the 1978 survey records are all for bare, disturbedballast on old sidingsand branch lines, still owned by BR but no longer active. This species is near its climatic limit in Cornwall and its future in Britain probmbly lies with conservationof railway sites where it is of interestas a particularlygood examsle of an otherwisemarkedlysouthern species that has spread north on warm dry railway lines.

4.6 Chaenorhinumminus (L.) Lange. Chaenorhinumminus is in many respects the classic railway species mentionedas such in all the floras publishedsince 1950, in most of which ballast and cinder are stated as the main habitat. Waste ground is locally important,but the only other widespreadhabitat is calcareouscultivatedground. Here, it occurs in corn fields with species such as Iflpusia, Euphorbia exigus.andKickxia spp. .0wing to improved farming practices,thc small toadflaxhas declinedmarkedly as a cornfieldweed since 1900, and, over much of England, it is no longer found in such places. The exceptionsto this trend are in Surrey (Lousley,1976) and Wiltshire (Grose, 1957) where it is still common on cultivatedground. Personalrecords show it as a garden weed with Papaverand Fumaria on raw chalk soils near Cambridge,and with Avena fatua and Caleopsissocciossas a rather tall plant in Perthshirearable fields. By and large, however, it is now a railway plant alone. In the Midlands, especially,where the absence of calcareoussoils once :rideit rare, the small toadflaxhas increasedits range and abundance in this century (Edees,1972; Howitt & Howitt, 1963; Horwood & 37.

Gainsborough,1933i. Chaenorhinumprefersa dry base-riChsoil which is kept disturbedand open and is probablya colonist in most sites in the UK, occurring on fine limestonescree in Europe (Oberdorfer,1970). It is now common throughoutBritain except in the north and in some areas where the soil is predominantlyacid. The largestpopulationsoccur on finer ballast and cinder with a high base status and low humus levpls,particularlyon old sidingsand in yards where spraying is infrequent(Wade, 1970). The calcicoleweeds that accompanyit in corn fieldsare all very rare on railwaysand this fact may indicate that either the.dryncssandthpnynature of the ballast or its toxicity favour Chaenorhinum. The speciesalso occurs on railway cinders in North America (Fernald,1950) and Scandinavia(liilton,1950)in neither of which is it native, and this is also a major habitat now in the rest of Europe (Tutin et al, 1972; Oberdorfer,1970),

4,7 Senecio squalidusL. The spread of Senecio squalidusby railways from Oxford is well documented (Kent, 1956, 1959, 1964; Dony, 1953; Druce, 1886). The species prefers open coarse ballast,rocks and walls and is now no commoner in many areas on railways than elsewhere,having become a ubiquitousweed. Though railwaysmay have enabled the plant to spread, the advent of sprayinghas meant a decline on railway land except on old sidingsand yards, where it occurs on the coarser soils (the fine cinder on which Chaenorhinumgrows is more especiallythe habitat of S. viscosus). Thus, though associatedwith the railways in the minds of all naturalists,it is now only very locallya significantpart of the track-side vegetation. Its real populationexplosionin Britain was connectedwith the Blitz and postwar re-development,cneatingrubble-strewnwaste ground and walls which providedmore suitablehabitat than railway land.

4.8 Vuluiaapp. (V. bromoides (L.) S.F. Gray and V. myuros(L.)C. Gmel.) Althoughmuch of British Rail land is covered in grassland,the only grass specieswhich the floras consistentlyrefer to as railway plants are Vulpia. bromuides,V. myuros and Catapodiumrigidum. Both the Vulpia sup. are typically plants of dry (and usually rather bare), sandy and gravellysoils. V. broc.oides_ is definitelynative and a common componentof open heath vegetationand dry pastures. It also occurs frequentlyon walls, gravel pits and (occasionally)on waste ground and is commonlyassociatedwith Aira spp. (Oberdorfer,1970). Where this type of sandygrasslandoccurs on railway cuttings,it is a common plant in the semi-naturalvegetation,being found throughoutBritain. 38.

V. myuros is probablyan introductionand rarely if ever occurs amongst natural vegetationon heaths, being more characteristicof waste ground,wall tops and railways. It is a less common plant than its relative,but is more typicalof railway vegetation,where it is often co-dominantwith Poa angustifoliaor V. bromoideson cinder flats and old sidings. Only rarely, as in DUrham (Grahamet al, 1972), is V. bromOides the commonerspecies on railway Jand. V. myuros grows in a wide varietyof habitats in south-easternEngland where it may be native, but, elsewhere,it is mainly a railwayand wall alien. The 1978'surveyshowed it to be common in Cornwall, Devon and South Wales on railway lines, though the floras state that it is rare or local in these areas.

Both species gain from,theprovisionof large expansesof coarse, dry soil with lcw humus contentand high temperaturesbY the railways. The other native Vulpia spp. occur on sand dunes and with occasionalalien species,as wool adventivesand casuals. All are intolerantof spray and competition,but demonstratean ability to withstand droughtahd soil toxicity.

4.9 Some preliminaryconclusions Comparisonof the distributionof these railway specieswith work on chalk annuals and biennials (Grubb,1976) shows that the railway plants representall his groups,with a majority occurringin Group B - those found on active ant-hills, and rarely on mole-hillsor rabbit scratchings. This group includesVulpia bromoidesand other characteristicrailwayspecies (e.g. Arabidopsis,Erophila, Catapodiumand Arenaria serp-llifolias.1.) which are naturally found on cliffs and sand-dunes. They seem able to coloniseand persist in open habitatswhere the soil is light in texture e.g. sand (or cinder?). They are normallyannual (e.g.Chaenorhinum,Vulpia spp. and Senecio squalidus)and are resistant to drought, though thia resistanceis occasionallyachievedb• the strategyof maturationprior to the height of the drought. All of them tend to require after- ripeningwhich helps halt germinationduring the intensedrought period. They seem to prefer excessivedrainageand warm soils and there is probably some relationshipbetween the vegetationof sand-dunes,ant-hillsand cinder-flats. It is interestingthat the Oxford ragwort is typicallya cliff plant in its native localitiesand now has colonisedsubstitutecliffs in thc form of rubble and old walls.

Grubb's groups A and C also containmany common railway plants, though they tend to inhabitsubtly differentparts of the tracksidevegetation. Group A has 39. species such as Erigeron ricer(regardedas a characteristicrailwayplant in Scandinavia(Niemi,1969)) and lacris hieracioides,both appreciablymore abundant than usual on railway land. They normallygrow now in small gaps in continuous chalk grasslandand'are typical of basic grasslandon the edges of woodland and cliffs, or marshes and fens. Locally, they grow on more stable sand-dunes. These species keep re-colonisingsmall gaps in the grasslandand presumably perform this recolonizationas readily on u railway cutting or mbankinent. They are species of rough railway grassland,and are significantlybetterrepresented in the quadratsas a group tiranthosein group B.

Group C has several characteristicrailwayspecies,notably the two native Reseda spp. and both Linaria vulgarisand Hypericumperforatum. Epilobium lanceolatumand (probably)Linaria repens belong here. On chalk downs, these speciesoccur in wayside sites, where scrub has been clearedor near rabbit burrows. The native habitats listed are woodland claarings (stilla typical habitat for Iyilobium lanceolatum)and also cliffs and scree (where both were found by railways in 19?8). As a group, they often have a large seed output or have mobile seeds, and are thus able to establishthemselvesin transient, bare areas caused by disturbance. Such colonizationmay also be achieved by seeds with a long dormancy. Most arc biennial,but some perennialsare included, being generallytaller and more deep-rootedthan other railway plants, propertiesfavouringsuccessfulcompetitionfor light and nutrients. These plants are also rather more common on the grassy railway banks and are favouredby occasionalscrub clearanceand ballast dumping. They are not so strictlycinder-flatspeciesand grow in a wide variety of disturbedrailway habitats.

The remainingselectedspeciesare less easy to interpret. Linaria supina may fit into group B as a sand-duneplant, but the horsetail is so catholica plant that specificreasons for its abundanceon railway lines, other than those listed,are hard to find.

It would, therefore,appear that those species for which railwaysare the main or a major habitat generallyrequire free-draining,open positionsand are more characteristicof dunes and cliffs. The unique nature of these railway habitats is shown by the ability of maritime plants such as Cochleariadanica and Cerastiumdiffusum to spread inland on these artificialshingle banks, sea-cliffsand sand-flats.

SECTION 5 ANIMAL RECORDING Drawn freely from the report by A. Marsden (1978)

As during 1977, animal informationcollectedincludedhabitatassessmentand speciesrecording.

5.1 Habitat appraisal Informationnoted in the "HabitatAppraisal"section of the Animal Records (Appendix4) gives a semi-quantitative,butsubjective,assessmentof the value of British Rail property to animals. Reproduction(r), feeding (f) and living habitat (lh) were visually judgedand given suitabilityscores ranging from 0 (bad) to 3 (good).

This informationwas collectedat all sites visited,and has been examined with respect to the kinds of formationoccurringwithin the sites. Cuttings, defined by a positive slope of >lm wide, and often includinglesser flats, banks and ditches,occurredat 48% of the sites,.whilstembankments,having a negative slope on both sides of the track with a width >lm, were found at a further45%. The contributionof other kinds of formation,includingflats and ditches,was consideredtoo small 3nd possibly too heterogeneous,to warrant independentanalysis.

Tables 5.1 and 5.2 show the results,respectively,for cuttingsand embankments. Tho percentagefrequencieswere determinedby; Sum scored for a category x 100 Total sum scored for that category

Table 5.1. Cuttings.Records for 32 sites (1978).

Habitat SuitabilityFrequencies% Row No. Animal Type lhRow Totals

1 Birds 50 48 91 63 2 Rabbits 35 30 30 65 iii. 78 3 Small mammals 44 44 4 Large mammals 9 10 10 10 5 Lepidoptera 57 53 54 55 6 Other insects 62 61 61 61 61 7 Other invertebrates 59 61 Go

••1•... Colunm Totals r 44 50 56 41.

Linear regressionanalyses for total animal habitat suitabilityindicatethat neither kind of railway formationis preferredfor reproduction(the correlation coefficient, , = .994 does not depart significantlyfrom similarity,=1), feeding (v = .964) or living ( = .702). The only deviationof interest from this pattern is the apparent preferenceshown by birds for cuttingsas a living habitat. However, observationof species frequencies(5.2) do not support this conceptand more sightingswere made on embankmentsthan cuttings.

There are inherentdifficultiesin this kind of subjectiverecording,increased by the limitationof making observationsat each site only once. The value of continuingsuch work is in some doubt unless a more objectivemethod can be found.

Table 5.2. Embankments. Records for 78 sites (1978).

Habitat SuitabilityFrequencies% Row No. Animal Type r f lh Row Totals

1 Birds 55 54 49 53 2 Rabbits 30 19 20 23 3 Small mammals 40 40 40 4o 4 Large mammals 11 9 9 10 49 5 Lepidoptera 54 47 45 6 Other insects 63. 62 62 63 61 7 Other invertebrates 61 61 61 43 Column Totals 45 42 41

5.2 Species recording. Within the constraintscf the survey (Section1.6) observationsof animals belongingto the seven groups listed in Tables 5.1 and 5.2 were recorded.

Weathcr conditionswere importantin determiningthe activityof animals and hence the likelihoodof observation. Insects, other invertebrates,reptiles and amphibiansarc all temperaturc-dcpendantandtheir aburdarceat suitable sites was found to vary. Generally speaking fewer specieswere recorded on cool, wet days. Birds and mammals,althoughaffected by weather, are more independentand the results are thereforemore likely to be constant. 42.

A. Birds

Table 5.3. Number of speciesrecorded during surveys 1977-78.

19771978

Total suecies on BR5258 Other species associated• 39 Other speciesnot associated 8

Total species on survey 6o75

A list of speciesadditionalto those recorded in Eastern Region (Way et al, 1978) is given in Table 5.4.

Table 5.4. Birds recordedon Southernand Western Region in addition to those seen on Eastern region.

• • • • B.T.O. Common nameScientific name Code no.

1130 Sparrow hawk Acci2iternisus 1150 Buzzard . Bill:cobutoo ajr 3410 GreaterSpotted Woodpecker _...... „-...--Js.--Dendrocouosm o Lusciniamegarhynchos 4020 Nightingale . 4090 Whinchat Saxicola rubetra 4100 Stonechat Saxicula torcuata 5370 Linnet Acanthis cannabina

Additionalbirds associatedwith or observed from Southern and Western Region.

0590 Grey Heron —.._Ardea cinerea 0570 Mute Swan Cygnus olor 0870 Tufted Duck Llithyafuligula 0710 Shelducb Tudorna tudorna 1820 Oystercatcher Haematonusostrale'ms 1850 Lapwing Vanellus vanellus 2020 Curlew Numenius arquata 2570 Lesser Black-b.ackedGull Larus fuscus 3140 Tc.wnyowl Strix aluco 3670 R.-.ven . Corvus corax 446o Reed warbler Acroccphalusscirpaccus 5050 ' Grey wagtail Motz....cillacinerea

Birds seen on Eastern Regon only.

Sand martin Riparia riEria 'Willow tit Parus montanus Garden warbler Sylvia borin Partridge Perdix1?erdix 1+3.

All seventy-fivespeciesof bird, recorded on or about Southernand Western Regions were, with the exceptionof the sparrowhawk, common for the area surveyed.

Order : FALCONIFORMES Accipitridae(Buzzardand Hawk) Buzzardswere seen hunting bn occasionsabove the area in general, but most likely quarteredBR property for rabbits and other animals.

Sparrowhawkswere less frequentand only recorded at two sites, Yarnbrookand ChcsslcyHill, both in Wiltshirewhich is at the edge of the main breeding arca. The latter site was close Lc habitation.

Falconidae(Falcons) Kestrelswere surprisinglyrare, which is unlike the situationat roadside verges where they :.Layregularlybe seen hunting. This rarity may be due to the extensivescrub on BR which is not a suitmblehunting habitat.

Order : GALLIFORMES Phasianidae(game birds) Rough grass verges could have provided nesting for the partridge,but no evidencewas found (exceptduring 1977) and only redleggedpartridgeswere observed.

Order : COLUMBIFOPMES Columbidae (doves) Woodpigconsuse BP for temporaryroosting. Turtle doves were reasonablycomn.on and the distributionhas been found to correspondcloselyto the main food plant Fumaria officinalis,which occurs on BR property. Collared doves were widely distributed.

Order : CUCUISFORME3 Cuculidae (Cuckoo) The cuckoo was recorded occasionallyon BR.

Order : APUDIFOR11TZ Apodidae (swift) Seen throughouthunting over BR, but only recorded in the "air space" occasionally. 44.

Order : PICIFORPES Picidae (woodpeckers) Green woodpeckerswere recordedregularlyon BR and found feeding,probably on wood ant (Formicarufa). Greater spottedwoodpeckerswere less frequent.

Order : RASSIMFORICS Alaudidae (larks) The skylarkwas not recorded on BR very often, although the habitat seemed suitable.

Hirundinidae(swallowsand martins) Both swallowsand, to a lesser extent house martins,benefitedfrom railway structuresas nesting habitats.

Corvidae (crows) Rooks, carrion crows, jackdawsand magpies were all common railway birds found mainly feeding on carrion from the track and cess. Jays occurredmore often in wooded areas.

Paridae (tits) Great and blue tits were very common. Long-tailedtits were also frequently recordedwith a nest being found at R57 Bradford Poverell,Dorset containing young. Much suitablenesting and feedinghabitat was seen. Marsh tits were recordedon occasions,but neitherwillow nor coal tits, as the habitat was generallyunsuitable.

Sittinae (nuthatch) The nuthatchwas only recordedat R69 Camel River, Cornwall.

Certhiidae(tree creeper) Treecreepersare very common throughoutBR.

Muscicapidac(thrushesand warblers) Mistle and song thrush were occasionallyrecordedand blackbirdwere very common.

A fieldfarewas recordedat E65 Greenslade,Devon being well out of its season, but unlikely to have been breeding. 45.

Stonechatswere rare, being recordedonly at E77 BeaulieuRoad Station,Hants on a bracken covered embankment. In a similarhabitat,a whinchatwas recorded at R92 Machen, Mid Glamorgan. Both were within their distributions.

Nightingaleswere rare, being recordedat only one site. Robins were common, having much suitablehabitat. Sedgewarblerswere confined to ditches and blackcapswere occasionallyobserved.

Whitethroatswere found to be less common than in Eastern region (1977). Lesser whitethroatswere not recorded.

Willow warblerswere common (most abundantwarbler)and chiffchaffswere recordedwhere woodland occurred.

Goldcrestwere more occasionaland mainly associatedwith conifers.

Prunellidae(dunn.ck) Dunnockswere sometimesseen perched on the boundary fence calling. They were not abundant.

Motacillidae(pipitsand wagtails) Meadow pipits were not common,and neitherwere pied and yellow wagtails as the habitatwas unsuitable.

Sturnidae (starling) Startlingswere widely distributed.

Fringillidae(finches) Greenfinches,goldfinchesand linnetswere regularly observed,and bullfinches were common and always seen in pairs.

Chaffincheswere extremelycommon,taking advantageof many habitat types.

Emberizidae(buntings) Yellowhammersare well sui±2.d to a railway habitat of open scrub. Corn buntings, on the other hand, were more frczreatlyseen on adjacent farmland. Reedbuntings were quite common (especially.in1977)and mainly seen in sites with running ditches. Ploceidae (sparrows) House sparrowswere widely distributed. Tree sparrowswere rare, being woodland species,but a nest was found in open countryat C119 Evenlode, Gloucs, in a woodpeckerhole.

B. Other Vertebrates Twelve species of vertebratesother than birds were recordedon BritishRail property:-

Class : MAMMALIA Rabbit (Or ctola s cuniculus) Rabbits were recordedat 61/171 sites (36%).

Managementof rabbit populationsis often necessarysince damage is caused to neighbouringfarmland. Control is achieved in a number of ways and often first involvesthe clearanceof scrub cover. However, rabbits do play a pRrt in increasingthe conservationvalue of BR by grazing which results in herb-rich swards.

Fox (Vulpesvulpes) Foxes were recorded at only 8/171 sites (5%) although this number is likely to be an underestimate.

Stoat and weasel (Mastelaermineaand M. nivalis) Occasionallyrecorded. Stoats and weasels were prohably more frequentthan the results indicateas the railway habitat seems.quitesuitable.

Shrew and Bank Vole (Sorex sp. and Clethrionoms lareolusrespectively) Records were made for 8/171 (5%) and g/171 (1%) of sites respectively.

Class : REPTILLIA Common Lizard (Lacertavivipara) Recordedat 15/171 sites (9%), being the second most common animal. They were usually observedrunning on pieces of wood or concrete or on bare rock. Much of BR property seemed suitable,especiallywhere cuttingswith loose rock provide crevices for cover. Slow worm (An uis fragilis) Recorded at two sites.

Grass Snake (Natrixn. helvetica) Recorded at two sites but probablymore common.

Class : AMPHIBIA LE25and Toad (Rana temporariaand Bufo bufo respectively) Each recordedat <1% of sites and probablyof minor importanceexcept where ditchesare well maintained.

Super class : PISCES Three S ined Stickleback(Gasterosteusaculeatus) Observed in an open ditch at one site.

C. Insects and other invertebrates Sixty five species of insectswere recordedand are given in Table 5.5, Table 5.6lists the other invertebratesseen.

The speciesrecorded tend to be those most readily recognised,although particularattentionvas paid to the identificationof butterflies,for some speciesof which British Rail providesan excellenthabitat.

Table 5.5. Species list of insects. Recorded on BR property during 1978survey.

Order Common N•me ScientificName

LEPIDOPTERA (Rhopaloccra) Large white Picric brassicae Small white Pieris rapae Green veined white Pieris napi Orange tip Anthochariscardamines Brimstone Gone ter-x rhani Peacock Inachis io Small tortoiseshell A lais urticac Comma Rolygoniac-ulbum Pearl bordered fritillary Boloria cu hroz e Marbled white Melanargia alatheu Grayling Hipparchiasemele Meadow brown Maniola .urtina 'Ringlet Aphanto us h erantus Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus Small h.?ath Coenonymphapamphilus SpecKed wood Parar c ac eria Wall brown Lasiommatamegera 48. Table 5.5 continued.

Order Common Name ScientificName

(Rhopalocera) Small copper Lycacnaphlaeas continued Common blue Pol ornatus icarus Grizzled skipper Pyrgus malvae Small skipper Th,melicussylvestris Large skipper Ochlodes venata

(Heterocera) Buff Tip Phalerabuce hala Cinnabar Callimorpha %acobaeae Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria Plume i,terohorusprotadactylus Six Spot Burnet aens filinendulae Tiger sp. Arctiidae Yellow underwing Noctua nronuba

COLEOFTEA Bloody hose beetle Timarcha tenebricosa Dung beetle Scarabaeoidea Soldier beetle Cantharidae Whirligigbeetle Gyrinidne spot ladybird Coccinellia? punctata 2 spot ladybird Coccinellidae

HYMENOPTERA Ant sp. Formicidae : Iasius sp. Ant, wood Formica sp. Bee sp. Apidae Bae, honey Anis mellifern Bee, bufftailed Bombus sp./Psithyrussp. Sawfly gall Pontaniasp. Wasp sp. Vespidae Wasp, parasitic Chrysis sp. Wasp, oak apple gall Biorhizapnllida Wasp, oak marble gall Andricus sp. Wasp, robin pin cushion gall Diplolepisrosae Wasp, spangle gall Neuroterussp.

ORTHOPTERA Grasshopperspp. Aerididac Bush-cricketsp. Tettigoniidae

DIPTERA inc. Biting "Gnat" midge Ceratopogonidae Blow fly Calliphoridae Crane fly Tipula.sp.Tipulidae Horse fly Tabanidae Hover fly Syrphidae Mosquito Culicidac

HEMIPTERA Frog hopper spp. Cereopidac Frog hopper Cerco'is vulnerata Plant hopper sp. Jassidae Pond skater sp. Gerridae

ODONATA Dragonflyspp. Anisoptera Dragonfly Cordule aster boltonii Dragonfly Aeshna grandis Damsel fly Zygoptera inc. Agrion sp. 1.9.

Table 5.5continued.

OrderCommon Nan:e ScientificName

NEUROPip,RALacewing (green) Lacewing (blue)

MECOPTITAScorpion-fly Panorpa,sp.

PLECOP1E2AStone fly

Table 5.6. Species list of other invertebrates. Rccorded on BR propertyduring 1978 survey.

Class Common Name ScientificName

ARAUNIDA Spider spp. Araneida Red spider mite Acari

CHIMPODA Centipedesp.

DIPLOPODAMillipede sp. Millipede,pill Glomerismarginata,

CRUSTACEAFreshwater Shrimp Gammarus sp. Woodlice Isopoda

1 OLIGOCHAETAEarth worm

GASTROPODASnails and Slugs Stylommatophora

PLATYHELNINTHESFlatworms Tricladida

5.3 Casualties Records were kept of casualties,amongstwhich were a preponderanceof rabbits, game birds, rooks and crows. A "black-spot"apparentlyexists for badgersat Godmersham(1188)whereelectrocution,followingcontactwith the third rail, has,frequentlybeen reported. Nine such cases are known to have occurred within the previousnine months, 30.

SECTION 6 DISCUSSIONAND PROPOSEDWORK

6.1 Amalgamation ofthe objectivesurveys The continualassessmentof recordingand handling techniqueshas led to a number of modificationswhich should improvethe quality of informationand interpretation. It is possiblethat the samplingefficiencymay be improved in a comparableway.

At present, the project sustainsthree statisticallyindependentsurveys, namely the random, the cutting/embankmentandthe BiologicalInterest surveys. Whilst ways of relating the BiologicalInterest survey to componentsof the objectiVesurvey have been suggested (Section3), the data remain strictly incompatibleas, inter alia, is the informationcollectedin the random and cutting/embankmentsurveys.

With this diversificationof resources,the.samplingefficiencyis low, only one part in 700 (100 m in 77 km of running track) being investigated. The intensity could be doubledwithin the availableresourceby combiningthe random and cutting/embankmentsurveys(the independentvalue of the BiologicalInterest survey to the Nature ConservancyCouncil is recognised)and it would become feasibleto stratifya survey of this increasedsize. However, it is first necessary to considerwhether the informationobtained from independently samplingcuttingsand embankmentsis sufficientlyspecificor importantto outweighany advantagegained by amalgamation.

An inspectionof the random site data for 1977 and 1978 shows that, of the 120 sites visited, 39 were cuttings,43 embankments,11 flats, and the remainder were variouslycombined,but not dominatedby any particulartype of formation. Records of aspect and slope are kept, and it would be possibleto obtain much of the kind of informationnow available in the cutting/embankmentsurveyby post-hoc inspectionof combinedstratifieddata. The main inadequacyrelates to the theory behind pairing of sites. Pairingwas introducedbecause,ideally the embankmentsshould comprisematerialsremoved from adjacentcuttings (Way & Sheail, 1977).However, since nc method hi.isbeenused to establishthis assumption,no relevancecan be placed on any dependentinterpretation,.andany contributionto the project is necessarilyminimal and possibly destructive. 51.

It is thereforeproposed to combine and stratify the objectivesurveys,the stratificationbeingin such a form aa to enable post-hoc inclusionof random sites already visited in Eastern, Southern and Western regions.

6.2 Stratificationof the combinedob'ectivesurve_ Inspectionof the accumulateddata indicatesthat three factorsmake a particularlyimportantcontributionto variationin track-sidevegetation. These are pH, drainageand management,and should be used optimallyto produce a samplingstratification. However, informationof the extent and scale:required is not oNailableand it has been found necessaryto approximatethe factors.

The method chosen to do this followsBunco, Morrel and Stel (1975) and involves recordingand processinga number of mapped attributesfor each unit to be sampled. The method is eclecticand combinesselectedmeteorological,edaphic and vegetationalcharacteristics,withavailable informationconcerningtrack type and usage. It is expected,after processing,to derive a number of groups from the recorded attributeswhich will segregatevariabilityinto stratifiable "track classes". These classeswill be primarilyutilitarian,although,with careful choice of characters,major vegetationgradients(dependenton pH, drainageand management)should be reflected.

The length of British Rail track in use in 1975was 11,289 miles (Way, Sheail & Mountford,1977) and it is.proposedto sample the track in units of ten miles. This sampling intensitywill result in some 1,120 sites, of which rather less than one quarterare likely to be urban. After location,urban sites will be excluded from the survey,although the total number will be recorded to approximatethe length of existingurban track. Rural track units (exceptterminallywhere lengths of less than five miles may occur and will be ignored)will be scored for the followingattributes:

(Table6.1 over page) 52.

Table 6.1. StratifiCationattributes.

Meteorology. Rainfalland temperaturerange. 6 classeswill be taken from the ClimaticAtlas of Europe (UNESCO,1970).

Geolo solid. 18 classeswill be recorded from the GeologicalMap of Great Britain (GeologicalSurvey, 1957).

Geolo drift. 12 classes,listed in the Atlas of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Oxford,1963) will be used.

Soils. Combined and reduced data giving rise to 13 classeswill be taken from the Soil Map of England and Wales (Soil Survey, 1975) and the Atlas of Great Britain and northern Ireland.

Topography. 7 classesweighted toward the lower end of the scale where the majority of railway lines occur will be used. Source: Atlas of Great Britainand Northern Ireland.

yegetation. Coarse vegetationtypes (i.e: marsh, coniferouswoodland) recordedon 0.5. 1" to 1 mile maps and abutting onto the railway track will be scored.

Track type. Gauge'andnumber of tracks togetherwith informationon usage (i.e. electrification,highspeed track) - 7 classes.

Using the recordedattributes,rural track units will be classifiedby some Suitablemultivariatetechnique. Initially,it iS proposed to use Indicator Species Analysis for this purposeand to take the data to five levels of division. This classificationwill give rise to 32 (25) "track classes'. The. track classeswill cover the entire countryand it is likely that the first divisionwill separatetrack in the upland north and west from that occurring in the south.

For survey purposes,British Rail has been divided into four areas which coincidewith Eastern,Scottish,London-ridlandand combinedSouthernand Western regions (Way & Sheail, 2976). Of these, field samplinghas already been carried out in Eastern (19??, interim report) and Southern and Western (this report) regions. It is not expected that all 32 track classeswill occur in each of the areas under consideration,but a certain number of track classes will be present in each region. Projected field samplingwill be related to the frequencyof class occurrenceand a minimum of two sites for each stratum in each area will be sampled. In areas where field samplinghas already been carried out, the stratificationwillnecessarilybe post-hoc,and, whilst each sample will be ascribed,by location,to a stratum, it is unlikely that 53- the coveragewill be zroportional. It is possible that some correctionmay be made by over•samplingof previouslyunder-representedclasses,providingthese cccur with sufficientfrequencyin the r.reasyet to be surveyed. However, it is unrealisticto expect that a perfect stratificationcan be achieved.

The size of the field sample in previousyears has been a stretch of track (fencedBritish Rail property)100 metres long. This is a convenientlysurveyed area wnich, for logisticand comparativepurposes,should not be altered. The minimum practicallength for the trach class unit is ten miles and any further reductionwould increasethe number of samples (900 at.this length) to a level beyond the ability of the present resource. The lengthsare clearly not compatibleand since it is not sensibleto extend the sites or shorten the track unit it will be necessary to introducea two-tiered samplingsystem, i.e. effectively,to sample the sample.

This sub-samplingwill be done by: determiningthe proportionof the total sites to be examined in each track class in the area under consideration; numberingall members of that stratum,and randomlyselectingthe required proportion,which will give the track class units to be sampled; repeatingthe procedurewithin each track class unit by numberingand randomlyselectingaccess points (bridges,level crossings,etc.). These access points will locate,as in previousyears, the sample site. Sampling and assessmentwill be as described in Section 2.

The post-hocrelation of all kinds of previouslyrecorded site will be by their occurrencewithin a particularten-mileunit, each of which is referable to a track class.

Work on the stratificationis already in progress,and will be completedin time to select sites on the London.Midlandregionfor survey during 1979.

6.3 General conclusions The emphasis laid on refinementof method during this years report should enable a greater freedom to discuss tpc biologicaland conservationaspectsof the railway system in future. Whilst it is clearly sensibleto replace the current random and cutting/embankmentsurveyswith a stratifiedrandom samplingsystem, and to analyse site data in conjunctionwith informationderived from 54. stratification,no decisionhas yet been made as to whether quadratanalysis should continueto be based on estimatedcover information. The value of cover quantificationduringI.S.A. has been discussedand its main contributionhas been to indicatethat flexibilityshould be maintained between mathematically(I.S.A.)defined groups of the railway vegetation continuum. Whether cover data will produce more sensitivegroupingsin conjunctionwith other multivariatetechniqueshas yet to be tested,and cover informationwill thereforecontinue to be collectedso that any future classificationswillnot be limited to incidencedata.

It is hoped that the introductionof lichenand bryophyterecordingwill also improve the sensitivityof the survey,and it is likely that ballast testing will make a useful contributionto interpretation.

Whilst limitationsin the techniquescurrentlyused are recognised,it should neverthelessprove possible to produce a fairly accurate descriptionof BritishRail vegetation,and to describe in some detail those areas likely to be of particularinterest to the Nature ConservancyCouncil. How such areas are eventuallymanaged will depend on discussionbetween BritishRail and the Nature ConservancyCouncil, although some ideas have already been mentioned. It is possible that British Rail would be prepared to mark and selectively manage a limitednumber of sites. This procedurewould certainlybe sensible in the short term, but, with changingmanagement,long-termconservation prospectsmight not be so promising. An alternativeapproachwould be to identifymore extensivelengths of track, broadly reoresentativeof the biologicalvalue of BritishRail.land, over which long-termmanagementplans could be negotiatedbetween BritishRail and the Nature ConservancyCouncil.

Such a scheme (and indeed most approachestc railway land conservation)would require informedadvice on the effects of differentmanagementpolicieson BritishRail property,and it is thereforehoped, during the next few seasons,to establishselectivemanagementtrials. 55.

REFERENCES

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Bunce, R.G.H., Morrel, S.K. & Stel, H.E. 1975. The applicationof multivariate analysis to regional survey. J. environ.Mgt. 3 (3),151 -166.

Bunce, R.G.H. & Shaw, M.W. 1973. A standardisedprocedurefor ecological survey. J. Environ.Mgnt., 1, 239-58.

Bunce, R.G.H. & Smith, B.S. 1978. An ecologicalsurvey of Cumbria. Working Paper 4. Cumbria County Council and Lake DistrictSpecial PlanningBoard.

Cadbury, D.A., Hawkes, J.G. & Rcadett, B.C. 1971. A Computer-I/LappedFlora. A Studyof the County of Warwickshire. London : Academic Press.

Curtis,J.T. 1959. The Vegetationof Wisconsin. An ordinationof plant communities. Madison Universityof Wisconsin Press.

Davey, F.H. 1909. Flora of Cornwall. Penryn : F. Chegwidden.

Davis, T.A.W. 1970. Plants of Pembrokeshire. Haverfordwest; The West Wales Naturalists'Trust.

Dony, J.G. 1953. Flora of Bedfordshire. Luton : Corporationof Luton Museum and Art Gallery.

Dony, J.G. 1967. Flora of Hertfordshire. Hitchin : Hitchin Museum.

Druce, G.C. 1886. The Flora of Oxfordshire. Oxford, London : Parker & Co.

Druce, G.C. 1897. The Flora of Berkshire. Oxford : ClarendonPress.

Edecs, E.S. 1972. Flora of Staffordshire. Newton Abbot David & Charles.

Fernald,M.L. (ed.). 1950. Gray'sManualof Botany,8th edn. New York : American Book Co.

Graham, G.G., Sayers, C.D. & Gaman, J.H. 1972. A Checklistof the Vascular Plants of County Durham. Durham : UniversityDepartmentof Botany.

Greig-Smith,P. 1964. QuantitativePlant Ecology, 2thdethi. London : But:tot-worths.

Grose, D. 1957. The Flora of Wiltshire. Devizes : WiltshireArchaeological and Natural History Society. 56.

Grubb, P.J. 1976. A TheoreticalBackgroundto the Conservationof Ecologically DistinctGroups of Annuals and Biennialsin the Chalk GrasslandEcosystem. Biol. donserv.10,53-?6.

Hill, M.O. 1973. Reciprocalaveraging an eigenvectcrmethod of ordination. J. Ecol. 61,237-49.

Hill, M.O., Bunce,.R.G.H.& Shaw, M.W. 1975. IndicatorSpecies Analysis,a divisivepolytheticmethod of classification,and its applicationto a survey of native pinewoodsin Scotland. J. Ecol. 63, 597-613.

Horwood, A.R. & Noel, C.W.F. (Lord Gainsborough). 1933. The Flora of Leicestershireand Rutland. London : Oxford UniversityPress.

R.C.L. & Howitt, B.M. 1963. A Flora of Nottinghamshire. Published privately.

Hulten, E. 1950. Atlas of the Distributionof Vascular Plants in N.W. Europe. Stockhols::GeneralstabensLitognefiskaAnstaltsForlag.

Hylander,N. 1943. Die GrassameneinkommlingeschwedischesParke mit bescnderes BerucksichtigungderHieracia Silvaticiformia. Sym. Bot. Upsal. 7, 1-432.

Kent, D.H. 1956. .SeneciosqualidusL. in the British Isles. 1, Early Records (to 1877). Proc. Rot. Soc. Br. Isl., 2, 115-118.

Kent, D.H. 1959. Senecio soualidusL. in the BritishIsles. 2, the spread from Oxford (1879-1939). Proc. Rot. Soc. Br. Isl., 3, 375-379.

Kent, D.H. 1964. Senecio a ualidus L. in the British Isles. 4, Southern England (1940-). Proc. Rot. Soc. Br. Isl., 5, 210-213.

Lousley,J.E. 1976. Flora of Surrey. Newton Abbot : David & Charles.

Martin, W.K. & Fraser, G.T. 1939. Flora of Devon. Arbroath : T. Buncle & Co. Ltd.

May, R.F. 1967. A List of the FloweringPlants and Ferns of Carmarthenshire. Haverfordwest: West Wales Nturalists: Trust Ltd.

Messenger,K.G. 1968. A Railway Flora of Rutland. Proc. Bot. Soc. Br. Isl., 7, 325-344.

Niemi, A. 1969. On the railway vegetationand flora betweenEsbo and Inga, S. Finland. Acta Dot. Fenn. 83, 1-78.

Oberdorfer,E. 1970. PflanxensoziologischeExkursionsflorafur Suddeutschland und die angrenzendenGebiete. Stuttgart : Ulmer. 57.

Perring,F.H., Sell, P.D., Walters,S.M. & Whitehouse,H.L.K. 1964. A Flora of Cambridgeshire. Cambridge : UniversityPress.

Petch, C.P. & Swann, E.L. 1968. Flora of Nnrfolk. Norwich : Jarrold & Sons Ltd.

Ratcliffe,D.A. (cd.). 1977. A Nature ConservationReview. Cambridge : UniversityPress.

Shaw, M.W. 1978. Scottish coastal survey. A report on selectedsoft coast sites in Scotland. NERC/NCC ContractNo. HF3/03/61 : ITE ProjectNo. 340. '

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Wade, A.E. 1970. The Flora of Monmouthshire. Cardiff : National Museum of Wales.

Way, J.M. & Shcail,J. 1977. First interim report to the Nature Conservancy Council on British Rail land BiologicalSurvey. NCC/NERC ContractNo. F3/03/80 : ITE ProjectNo. 466.

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Whittaker,R.H. (ed.). 1973. Handbook of VegetationScience. Ordinationand Classificationof Communities. The Hague : Junk. MOIMISIMOSIMMOMI\i1M10 MISMIIM MN IMMINNINO11•110M110111111011M111111011110111•11•1•111M• 11•1 a a M a MI IS a la MI =M a a • I= 11=

AEHTIION1 . Random sites 1978.

GRID OF REFDATE SITE NAME RAIM.'AiLINE VIETH ACCESS SIDE FORM NOTES

VCC SOUTH-EASTREGION

a) KENT

R88 5 June IT 068506 Godmersham Cantc.rtury-Asbford SE Emb10.5-12.5 Nettle and rank vegetationwith regenerationof previouslyclearedscrub. Emb shaded and with litter from field maple. NW Emb12.5-15 Open mixed deciduousscrub over ivy. Scatteredherbs ond nettles. R89 6 June TR 234632 Grove Ferry Canterbury-Ramegate N Cut/13.9 Sycamorescrub with some plum on cuttirnrlopc, over Emb bramble,Uy and nettle. Also coarme (Arrirenthertjil, Holcua)mossland with ivy, brambleand nettle. S Flat14.9 Coarse grass (ArrhenatherwT4folcus),ivy, brambleand other weedy species. R90 7 June TR 258482 Shepherdswell Cantcrvury-Dover E Cut15 Steep, partiallyunstable,chalk cuttingwith sPrub above and forb rich grasslandon gentlerslopes. W Cut10 Good calcicolousflora includingCampanula medium, scrub above, exposedrock and forb rich grasslandbelow. R91 8 June TR 288692 Birchington Faversham:Margate N Flat4.6 Coarse (Arrhenatherum/Agropyron)grassland,with rank weeds and some escapes from adjacentsuburbangardens. R Flat4.3 Coarse grassland. R107 10 July TQ 694736 Shorne Gravesend-Chatham N Flat0.8-22.4 Mainly rough Arrhenatherumgrasslandwith frequentscrub- broom,Auer and blackthorn. Herb-richwith Cnntunreu, Potentilla. Some Clematin. Tl very narrow ballast caan. S Flatc13.5 On low bank, damp flat below and ditch - tall (Jenner,“1 (& Drib) beds with tall herbs below. Near east end, ditch shnliceer, bank more disturbedand nettle/dock,gooseLrasscoPmon. R108 11 July TQ 710450 Claygate Redhill-Aehford N Flat/ 7.6 Low cuttingwith flat above. Mainly miacd rough vaunt:Aion Cut of brambleand coarse grassesbecomesmuinly brambleralr the fence, where nettle la common. Scarce low bunhos. S Flat/ c8.5 Sindlar but with brooder fiat. Less bramblennd uarevally Cut a herb-richbut species-poorcoarse grasslandwith Arrhenatherum,Holcus, Fescue,Dactylia,Leucentherue, Contouren. R109 12 July TQ 831657 Rainham Chatham-Canterbury NE Cut/7.8-9.3 Generallycoarse speciee-poorand herb-poorArrhenatheui, Flat grasslandwith come areas dominatedby Triseturnescue and abundantFragariax ananassa. . SW Cut/8.8-10.9 Rather mixed ond disturbed. Mainly rough grasslanddc:inated Flat by Trisetum/bont,Malone lanatusor mixed grasses. Sonc Daucus patches;and nettle/thistleon flat. b) SURIM

R103 3 July 030521 Clandon Guildford-Esher S Cut15.6 Scrub with nettle standsand acid woodland flora, some bramble. N Cut12.6 Acid oak woodlandand scrub with nettle standsand acid woodlandflora. Bramble and honeysuckle. So nal on na on mos

GRID OF REF DATE SITE NAME RAILWAY LINE SIDE FORM ACCESS NOTES

R105 5 JulyTQ 286451 Salfords Redhill-Brighton WEmb c15Generally rather disturbedslope with low bramblethickets, (+ Flat) dense privet scrub and some bigger bushes. Batchesof bare ballastand tall weeds. To south end line of poplar trees with understereylow bushes and mercury. EEmb c21Large rough grassy slope with mixed coarse vegetationof (+Flat)Arrhenatherum end Rubos fruticosusin varyingproportions. Lrirgeareas of Equisetus,briar and hoRweedetc.Damp flat below with rushes,meadowsweet,etc.

c)EAST SUSSEX

R8331 Hay TQ 486216 Uckfield Uckfieldbranch 8 Flat/ 9.6 Flat witR coarse (Arrhcnatherum)green and some herbs. Mob Ent with closed oak/hazelwoodland.Some plum. N Flat/ 13.5 Flat as south.Emb with oak/hazelwoodland,anh and some Emb bare ground end ivy.Dense scrub where previouslycleared. R852 June IQ 430055 Southease Newhaven branch E Emb/6.9 Low embankmentwith coarse grass, horsetailand bramble. Ditch Dyke with reeds, includingSparrarOn,. W Emb/7.0 Low entankmentwith coarse &zoos (Arrhenctl,crum),horse- Ditch tail, brambleand reeds in wide open-waterditch. R663 June TQ 568048 Polegate Brighton-Eastbourne E Cut15 Mosaic scrub and coarse grasslandwith bramble. W Cut11.2 Herb rich grassland,dense blackthornscrub and bramble. R874 June 71;900184 Winchelsea Hastings-Ashford SW Flat3 Narrow flat with ivy and come brambleand elder scrub, horsetailon cess. NE Flat2.8 Narrow flat with ivy and some couch.Elder scrub.Only value bird habitat. d)WEST SUSSEX

R8230 May TOt227350 Kilnwood Crawley-Horsham E Flat4.2 Narrow flat with coarse (Arrhenatherum)grass and encroachingbriar hedge. W Flat4.7 Narrow flat with coarse (Arrhenatherum)grass, some scrub and bramble. R841 dune TQ 292121 Clayton Victoria-Brighton NW Cut30 Deep, inaccessiblecuttingwith cherry,dogwood,ash and hawthornscrub.Scree and rubble with Clcratis. SE Cut30 Similar to NW but with denser scrub. NCC SCUTilREGION

adBERKSHIRE

R7215 May SU 424671 Harsh Benham Reading-Westbury SW Emb6.4 Low embarkmentwith ditch.Coarse (tress(Arrhenatherum) with hydrophilenespeciallyCaltho. NE Emb7.3 Low embmnkmentwith ditch.Coarse grass, reed and willowherb. R106 6 July SU 828623 Sandhurst Wokingham-Farnborough E Emb17-23 Varied with large arena of brackenover rough acid grass- (& Flat) land, becomingmore bushy north to give closed birch with oak/hazelscrub. Ditch below with Penis and Blechnum. W Emb17-21.4 Similar change;but more bramble/briarat south end with (& F2at) brackenmainly on flat. Scrub to north is birch/oakover open undergrowth. Flat below dominatedby tall alder and Rubus. cr, - siel non non In no an in

GRID OF WIDDI REF DATE SITENAME RAIL:AY LINE SIDE FORM NOTES ACCESS

IMISHIRE

R7821 Hay SU 290001 Setley SomLton-Bournemouth NW Emb. 13.4 Embankment with dense Ruins and come sallow nrd creanang willow. SE Cut/ 11-17 Bramble and mixed grassland with Molinin and Pon, or Flat Juncus where wet.Mixed species-rich heath on flat above cutting with Pulmonnria lon ifolia. P79 22 May SU 267269 East Dean Salia,bly-Southampton N Emb c5.5 Coarse grassArrhenatherumon heavy ballast strewn embankment,with domper gectus, herbs and bramble be.ow. Emb c5.7 Coarse grass on ballast with come scrub and brarble R8023 May SU 771268 Line Cuillford-Fortemouth SE Cut 6-8 Low cutting with coarse grass (Arrhanatnerum), Rebus and Urtica. NW Cut Low cutting with coarse grass, bramble and nottle. annd of Sndum telephium. 28124 May SU 541072 litchfield Faro'Southampton S Emb/ 70 Large site with mixed deciduous woodland and good fl Flat Species-rich grassland down to R. Moon.Cbsolos*o-r. Emb/ 64 Mixed deciduous woodland, with Some ground cover ana Flat Rubes where open. R1044 July SU 829554 Fleet Watwfico-Basingstoke S Flat/ 2.5-9.8 Area of acid hcathland with Deschamosia flex-soca ane Fsica Cut giving way east to damp coarse grassland of Molioliyloleus nLollir up to birch lined ditch. Flat/ 1.7-6.3 Mainly a very narrow ballast verge by the fence with tab/ little surviving vegetation: Calvsterla and Herscicse. Ditch Broader area has mixed Arrhenatherus and fescue grarsiand, rank with willows.

OXICHWURE

R11714 August SP 525143 Islip Oxfordroicester SE Cut/ 9.2-18 Hawthorn/blackthorn scrub with tall ash over an ivy Flat carpet on the cutting.Flat below horsetail and roseh grass.T2 has disturbed rough vegetation and grass:lila:. NW Cut 8.9-17 Cutting han bramble thickets and thorn scrub with res3h (& Flat) gracslond nearer line and on the flat at T3 where Arrhonathorum dominates with thintle etc. R11916 August SU 519907 Didcot indon Cut 9.5-11.2 Mainly herb- and opeeies-poor Arrhenatherum grasslael with (+ Flat) frequent invasive low scrub of elm/blsckshorn.Some very disturbed parts with bare soil Lind sparse grass.ROTher near fence. Flat 9.5-70.4 Mainly open cinder flats with some earth piles.Loa- (& Cut) sparse vegetation of moss, annuals: Arernria, Samine, Matricaria.The low cutting has soars: Brants/Arra, e'lherum.

WILTSHIRE

R7316 May ST 828507 Redbridgestone Weattbry-Taunton Cut 90 Coarse (Arrhenutherum) grassland and Rub= with some shrubs and woodland herbs on low cutting.Mosses. Cut 10 Coarse (Arrhenatherum) grassland and Rubes with scrut, some cut and burn. 22619 May ST 964296 Tisbury Yeovil-Saliebury Dab 11.8 Ballast strewn flat and emb.Much disturbed, with ivy, nettle, Rubun and coarse grasa, dropping to butterbtir and reed swamp. Emb 14.6 Hetorogcnous:calcicoloue coarse grassland and scrub, alsoON Rubue and reed bed at cab foot. NM MI MO a a I= a IS =I On l =I MI MI a MI

GRID OF AM" DATE SITE NAME ACCESS RAIL.:LINE SIDE FORMWIDIT1 NOTES

R7720 MaySU 174341 WinterbourneEarle Salisbury-Basingstoke NW Cut/8.1 Steep, small chalk cuttingwith ivy under privet,dcaa:oad Flat or other mixed scrub. Some coarse calcicolousgrassland at flat. SE Cut/8.7 As NW but with more Rubus. Flat R11815 AugustSU 035816 ChessleyHill Swin&in-Bath S E)113c4124-26.5 Very varied:bramble thickets,nettle stands,crack ( willow shelter-beltand scrub,Eauisetumtelmateia Flat) stands. Galium aparinecommonunder Salix. Flowing ditch below. Emb 22.2-23.8 Also varied:sallow scrub over tall herbs and mons, blackthornscrub; oak/elmwoodlandedge; coarse Arrhenatherumor mixed grasslandwith bramble thicke:s, thistle.]and bare ballast. NCC SOUTH-WEST REGION

a)AVON

21158 August ST 674802 Westerleigh Swinaoa-Bristol/ N Emb 34-38 Mixed deciduouswoodlandof ash and Quercus robur wIt Severn Tunnel some Q. cerris. Scrub layer denser near bottom - hawthorn,briar, Swida. Ground covered in ivy carpc.twith a few herbs. Emb 30-44 More varied - mainly tall scrub covered;oaks, birch, ash, sallow and hawthorn/Salixfragilis. Some oak and msple woodland. Some ivy carpetsand bramblethickets. L,ashaded areas with tall herb cover. b)CORNWALL

R6730 April SX 053663 Bodmin Wadeljdge branch S Cut 17 Deep cuttingwith Rhododendronscrub,brsmbla and r 1 grasslandwhere cleared. N Cut 9 Deep cuttingwith gorse and heather,brambleabove. 2681 Hay SW 635392 Penponds Flyr;uuth-Penzance S Emb 16 Disturbedembankmentadjacentgardens. Weedy with :Rdera. N Emb 12 Brambleswith Accr/Corvlusat base of embankment. R692 May SX 088722 Camel River WenforJBridge branch N Emb 7.5 Extensionof adjacentmixed deciduoucwoodland,wit:,auch holly on embankment, S Cut 2.25 Cut coarse grass and ivy adjacentconiferwoodland,ro p fence. c)DEVON

R6528 April SS 516105 Bury Moore Mpe.aranch SW Flat 3.3 Acid grasslandwith'woodyspeciesand much litterunder onk. NE Flat 2.9 Acid grasslandwith woody speciesand nuch litter (including Molinin)under oak. R6629 April SX 640999 FullafordBridge Meldon Qunrry branch NW Flat/ 17.8 Rough acid grasslandand pines. Falb SE Flat/ 16.1 Scrubbybank above damp grasslandwith rich flora. Emb Diverse site. 2703 May SX 430683 Ward House Onahaslakebranch N Cut c6.5 Scrub and coarse acid grassland,with bare ground, Ptcridophytesand mosses on slope. S Cut 7.5-10 Steep rock cuttingwith Pteridophytes,coarse grassl'ad and Hedera. Sallow and hazel encroaching. R714 May SX 709605 South Brent Exeter-Plymouth N Cut/ 13.6 CoarTr(ATrhenatherum/fescue/Roa)grasslandwith brat:le Flat and gorse and mosses on exposedrock cutting. OrchiC.,and lizard. S Cut/ 3.5-10 Scatteredscrub and bramblewith species-richmeadow grass Flat above. am en o r an on— GRIDOF WIDTH REFDATE ACCESS SITE NAME RAILWAYLINE SIDE FORM NO'ITS

CORSET

27518 May SY 659932 BradfordPeverell Yeovil-Dorchester NE Emb 11.5 Deciduousscrubof willow,hawthornandguelderrose overivy. Whitewillowsat bane. Exc.birdcite, comparedadjacentland. SW Emb 15.5 Disusedtrack,ballastcolonisedby coarsegrass.Emb withcoarsegrass,lowscrub(predominantlyhawthorn) andbramble,lizards. SOMERSET 26124 April ST 322327 Fordgate Bristol-Taunton W Emb 6.5 Lowembankmentand ditch. LineaboveSomersetLevels. Muchdiaturbedand speciespoor(Rubus-Arrhenatherum, somescrub). E Emb 10.1 Lowembankmentandditch. Partiallyburnt(Rubor:- Arrhenatherum). 26225 April ST 549299 KeintonMandeville Westbury-Taunton NW Emb 12 Arh/dogwoodscrubwithivyand bramble,scattered patchescalcicolousgrassland. SE Emb 13 Coarsegrassand bramblewithashscrub(previouslycut) and ivy. 26326 April ST 418077 Ravish Yeovil-Exeter SE Emb 12.4 CoarseArrhenatherumgrasslandwithRubuson oldballast tippingswithdampergrasslandby Cratenun/Cornuahedge. NW Emb 10 GrasslandwithwoodlandspeciesbecomingCratacints/ Corylus comb withmuchbrambleandaquaticsby streamat baseof embankomnt. R6427 April ST 182249 NortonFitzwarren Taunton-Exeter SW Flat 13.7 Disturbedballastflatswithruderalsand bareground. Fhlbuscoveredembankmentat margin. NE Emb 7.0 DisturbedembankmentwithRebusand ditch. 27417 May ST 715410 Wanstrow Craninurebranch SW Flat- 15.6 Damp,coarseArrhenatherum,withbromeoverfescue Cut subdominant,andcalcidolousor dampmeadowherbs. Sons scrubandbramble,twayblades. NE Flat 8.3 CoarsecalcicolousArrhenatherumwithRubusand some scrub. Spraying. NCCWESTMIDLANDREGION a)GLOMESTVISHIRE

21147 August SO 878022 BlacknesS Stroud-Swindon 8 Emb/ 3.8-13.8 Downto canalisedRiverFrome. T1 has streamthroughit Flat and damp-groundtallhcrbvegetation.The slopehan Saponaria/rosebayor coarsegrassland. N Cut/ 6.8-9.4 Limestoneretainingwallat T3 and oldhutsetc.and Flat rubbleat T4. Vegetationof bramblethickets,coarse Arrhenatherumgrasslandandopengroundwithweedsandmoss. 2116 9 August ST 546978 Wye Gorge TinternQuarry W Flat 2-3.4 Narrowflaton cinderwithscrubencroachingfromadjacent woodland.Heavilycut-backto leavemanystumps,open groundcoverof ivywithabundantmossand somesurviving herbsetc. X Cut 6.2-10 Includingseverallimestonerockfaces. Somemixed (&Flat) deciduouswoodlandoveran ivycarpet.Openareashave gorse/hazel/Swidascrubandherb-richlimestoneturfplus againan ivycarpet. Mil 01 11fl 0 1 01 MI 1•111- 10 1

GRID OF WIDTH REF DATE SITE NAME RAII:WAY LINE SIDE FORM NOTES ACCESS

R120 17 AUgust SP 7,7282 Evenlode Oxford-Worcester Flat 6.3-8 Species poor though often herb-rich mixed grassland. Near (& Cut) line developed on ballast and cut with Arrhenatherum/27,ctylis and Convolvulus und Vicia. FUrther away with bent ani Holcus mollis also. No shrubs. Flat/ 7.8-9.9 Some scrub patches: blackthorn and a ditch at 13. Otherwise Cut similar.with Arrhenathcru Convolvulus on ballast by line; and Holcuo molli bent etc., further away. Again cut near the line.

b) Haeu,URDASDWORCESTER

R110 31 July SO 929654 The Croft Worcester-Bromsgrove NW Cut 9.2-17 Steep cutting withrough or grassy vegetation. Tl is mainly (& Flats) a bramble/Arrhenatherum mixture with nettle and low bathes. The west end is herb-poor Bromus/feacueturf. SE Cut 7.2-14 Much less bramble, but like other side tall hedge at top and (&Flats) scattered low bushes over bank. Rest in coarse herb- and species-poor Bromus erectus grassland with fescue. R112 2 August SO 493639 Eye • Newport-Shrewabury Flat 7.4-8.5 Many bramble thickets with emergent nettle/thistle. Rough (& Emb) occasionally herb-rich but species-poor Arrhenatherum crass- lend also, with thistle, mercury, horsetail. Flat c3 Mainly bramble thickets often mixed with coarse Arrhr“.fltherum (& Eat') grassland, and Equisetum arvense. Scattered low scruu and areas dominated by bracken and rosebny. R113 3 August SO 900459 Croome Perry Wood Bristol-Birmingham Cut/ 7-81 Slope cleared recently to leave mainly bare soil with cinder Flat and ballast, some stumps and weeds left. Flat has mixed deciduoun scrub of hazel, maple, ash and oak with ground cover of litter and moss. M cut/ 4.6-6.4 More variable. Also cleared near line but more disturbed and Flat recoloniaation further forward with Rubus/Clematis, grasses and forbs on bare soil/cindor etc. Flat has some intact mixed scrub.

MCC SOUTH WALES REGION

a) MID GLAMORGAN

R92 19 June ST 202891 &when Bedwas branch Emb/ 32 Bank with Holcua spp. and bracken, some woody, recently Flat burnt. Old track bed with herb-rich calcicoloun gran.:land, E ilobium lnnceolatum and Anaphalis. Cut 5.9 Bracke bent or sorrel; scattered oak and small quarry with aah/sycamore. R99 26 June SS 879874 Llynfi Maesteg branch 11 cut 13.8 Coarse grass adjacent track with bluebell/bracken and bramble on cutting above. Derelict weedy garden at T2. Flat 1.3 Narrow flat with coarse fescue grasaland with bracken. Ditch with aquatics and polluted farmyard runoff.

b) SOUTH GIAMORGAN

R100 27 June SS 557655 Llantwit Barry-Bridgend El Cut 13.9 Low cutting with species poor Bromus grassland and flanked by tall hawthorn hedge. Some bramble and briar. Cut 14 Some Perorate grassland much bramble and hawthorn scrub. Rawtliairre.dge. Poor with aquatics. In one m mon in Jo no GRID OF WIUDI RIFDATE /URM ACCESS SITE NAME RAILWAi LUM SIDE NOTES

c)WEST GIAMORGAN

R9825 June SS 580972 Gowerton Swans,Llanelli NE Cut/ 8-11.5 Speciespoor fescue grasslandwith dense brambleon erb. Emb Cuttingwith mixed willow scrub, pteridophytesend mos:7,:s on exposedrock. SW Cut/ 7.9 Coarse grass, brackenand bramble,previouslyburnt, cn Emb cutting.'Embankmentwith bramblecoveredditch, coars) crass,some scrub and much gorse.

d) Giztrr

• R10128 June SS 310189 lawn-awn Newport-Hereford W Emb 6.8 Coarse grassland(Arrhenatherum)with horsetail,bramUe and nettles. Dry ditch. E Emb 8, Coarse grassland(Arrehnatherum)with horsetail,bramble and nettles. Grazed marginsat fence more varied. R10229 Jane ST215935 CwmCarn Rieca-Aberbeeg E Flat 3 Acidic grassland(Festuca/Holcus/Arrhenntherum)much cvmrrun with bracken. Some bramble,oak/ashscrub. W Cut 2.5 Acidic grasslandoverrunwith bracken. Some bramble,o/se oak saplings.

VCC DYFED-FOWYSREGION

a)nfFED

R9320 June SN 049202 Deepford Carmorthen-Fishguard N Cut 12 Recentlycut scrub and bramble (nettlewith coarse Arrhenatherum)grasslandand ditch supportingmuch Ocarathe crosatn. S Emb 31.5 Horsotail,coarse (Arrhenatherum)grmsalandand rank Wc-C-Irl includingnettle. Much br3rbleand comc blackthorn. R9421 June SN 119053 Saundersfoot Tenby/lambrokebranch S Emb 9.6 Fescue grasslandwith briar and coarse herbs. Going tm blackthorn,brambleand gorse scrub. N Emb 8.4 Fescue grasslandwith encroachingscrub. Many cpacien includingLinarisrepans. R9522 June .SN 293175 St. Clearo Carmartnen-Fishguard S Cut 16.9 Coarse,damp (jiolcus)grasslandat cuttingbase. Much bramblenod nrttle. Gorse on slope. PreviouslyImret. N Cut 19.4 Coarsedamp grasalandwith herbs and much bromble. Somm Itrubs. R96 23 June SN 412036 Pumbrey Liana: 1-Carmarthen W }Gat 6.1 Narrow site with dry ditch reed (Phraesites)with coat%! grassland(Arrhenatherum)adjacentto line. E Flat 6.4 Narrow site with dry ditch. Coarse (Arrnenathcrum)gra,sland near line, giving way to reed (Phrarri77)—TerS:u1nria seorodoniapresent. R9724 June SN 623203 Talhardd ' Llanelli-Shrewsbury NW Emb 4.8 tow cTdankmentrecentlysprayed;ivy, brambleand pteli- dophytee under N.L. onk. Some coarse (Arrhenatherum);sass- land and oak scrub. Linnriamons. SE Emb/ 10 Coarse (ArrhenatheruHolcus grasslandwith cut scrub :,A Cut extensiverose bay stand.

b)POWYS

R1111 Auguat SO 154686 Dolau Llanelli-Shrewsbury NW Cut/ 4.7-10 Scrub on cuttingof hawthorn/blackthorn over bare soil, rock Flat and moss. On the edge and to the west, fescue/Arrhenatherus grassland. Horsetailby line. SE Cut/ 5.3-10 Old track bed by bank colonisedby Frararia,fescue,moos and Flat violet. Tall grasslandon flat and blackthornscrub on UN cuttingwith roUgh grass patchesabove. vi MIIM10•1001-1=1=10-101Maa misal mem oni mom no Soo APPE1DIX4L. Cutting/Embankmentsites1978.

GRID OF WIDTH SITE NAME RAIIMAY LINE SIDE FORM NCTES REF DATE ACCESS N

NCC SOUTH-EASTREGION

a) KENT CE87 5 June TR 074530 JulliberrieDowns Ashford-Canterbury W Cut 6.4 Mixed open calcicolousscrub with no clear dominantbut includingash/maple/sallow/hornbeam/beech/hawthorn/birchetc. Extremelyspeciesrich and with great variety of herbs includingmany grasslandspecies. 9 Ash/maplescrub thinningout near line to bramble thicker and giving way above to taller scrub with oak and birch. Grassesand tall herbs rather common,and with areas of open crIcicolouscoarsegrasslandto couth. TR .076520 EastStour Farm Aahford-Canterbury W Emb 7.2 Patchesof low dogwoodscrub and taller trees. Mainly mixed rank vegetationof brambleand ArrhenotherumwithHerncleut; and Dactylic. Some low hawthornbushes. 6.7 More woody with hawthornmixed deciduousscrub near line ;1ixed with tall brantlethickets. Some coarse grassy patches. The order is often reversedand many woody speciesare involved e.g. apple/briaretc. CE88 6 June TR 189560 Bekeabourne Canterbury:Dover NE Cut 23 Tall onk woodland;with scrub layer hazel near the line thinning out in the deeper shade. Hawthorn,dogwoodand briar elcc•tere. Field layer often dense with much nettle;Brachypodium,deckand rosebayalso. SW 26.5 Mixed deciduoustall scrub over most of bank with nettle stand in open by line. The lower edge is oak and elm and the rent hazel/cherry/sallowwithbramblein undergrowth,and field layer of fern and nettle. N Emb 28.6 Mainly tall dense cycamorescrub with little or no ground cover exceptnear bottom. Litter is the main cover. Ash in carmen by the line and tends to replaceAcer in a zone half-wnydown. Nettle etc. grow near bottom. 28 Mainly ash/oakwoodlandwith scrub layer of elder and hnwchorn, and ground cover of ivy. Nettle occasionaland considerable bare soil near top-of slope. Nearer the line are areas cf coarceArrhenatherumwithnettle.

CE89 7 June TR 254401 Stafflanda Canterbury- Dover E Cut 3.2 Dense speciec-poorBrach odium innatumgrasslandwith relo arean of Arrhenatherum,andmuch low thorn scrub in the rcrth. Leucantheammis frequentemergentfrom the litter and thcrc,are severalant-hills. 4.8 Diaturbedand scrubby. Lower bank briar/Bryonie/Tarustlicket with bare coil, ballastand moss below it. There are sctrc. emergentweeds and coarse grasseshere where the scrub his been cut. The scrub left above is linzel/Swida. Emb 10 High oak woodlandwith sycamoreof varying height contributing to tree,underntoreyand scrub layer, where it grows with hazel and Viburnumlantana. Field layer almost continuousmercury and much ballastin soil. 10 Mixed vegetationincludingdense low dogwoodwith much Clematis/ Rubus/bindweed/brierclamberingover, and spreadingover slope to give intertwinedthicketwith emergentnettle,bittersweet and Arrhenatherum. Some tall trees. ON • • MI NM MI I•11 a IS M MI WM MI NM

GRID OF WIDTH REF DATE SITE NAME RAILWAY LINE ACCESS SIEE FORM NOTES

CE90 8 June TR221680 BrookBridge Faveraham-Margate 8 Cut 12.7 Mainly tall herb-poor Arrhenatherum grassland with fescue and . cocksfoot locally sub-dominant. On lower slopes there are some i denoe bramble patches and a few scattered hawthorn bushes generally. ' N 5.8 Herb and species-poor Arrhenatherum grassland with some EU:ex vectors. Nearer line bramble and fescue become co-domdnant to produce a rough mixed vegetation. S Emb 7.2 Upper slope tall herb-rich but species-poor Arrhenatherum grass- land. Abundant Leucanthemum and several other herba. Lcc slope nettle-dominated vegeration with reed, hogweed and Arrhenatherum scattered through. N 9.2 Tall herb-poor Arrhenatherum grassland with thistle and bind- weed. Scattered scrub e.g. apple and hawthorn with ivy pc,tches often dominant in their shade. Nettle occurs on upper slop. cE107 11 July TQ 683502 Yalding Maidstone-Paddock Wood E Cut 8.6 Varied site with mixed deciduous scrub of oak, hawthorn a:A briar covering most of site. Nearer line, grassland zone of variable width - Holcus lanatus/Arrhonatherum. Some taller oak trees to the north. Abundant Glechomn, Viola, moss. w 7.6 Generally similar but more woody with patches covered in cHase briar/hawthorn scrub with tall emergent oak and aoh. Some areas of bramble thicket and grassland with Brach, odium amlvatiaam and Poterium. E Emb 1.5 Low bank over brood flat recently bulldozed to clear vegot:.tion. The bank itself has low mixed deciduous scrub of maple, dogwood and hawthorn. Some patches of rough Arrhenathcrum, bramble patches and mercury stands. If 2.8 Mainly scrubby nlope with thorn scrub over moot of area. Extensive bramble patches and abundant nettle especially below. Locally also, Humulus, as dominant in low thicket over reruury and Equioetum ervense. CE108 12 July TQ 831657 Rainham Chatham-Canterbury NE Cut 5.6 Coarse herb-poor Arrhenatherum grassland, burnt in recent pnst and with woody growth almost absent. Some herbs quite fre.iuent - Hypericum etc. SW 7.0 Herb-rich mixed gransland with Trisetum, fescue, Aerostia stolonifore and Holcus lanatuabelow, the latter cornicnect above. Caucus abundant with Plantaro, Fragaria) Celysteria. NE Erb 14 Mainly coarse herb-rich but species-poor grassland dominatcai by • Arrhenatherum with locally Urtica patches replacing it. ;1074eed, thi:Ale and Hole= lanatus common. Much litter and no shnlbS. SW 9.6 Probably originally like the north side but now largely over- grown with bramble thickets. Some Arrhenatherum still sur.ives in patches or co-dominant. Couch, cleavers, hogweed and Zilene. alo9 15 July TQ 755749 Cooling Isle of Grain S Cut 2 Low bank with mooaic of medium to tall bramble thicketa aftl coarse herb- and species-poor Arrhenatherum grassland. Scar dewberry among the bramble and moss amongst the litter caucl. N 1.6 Coarse herb-poor Arrhonathorum grassland with frequent loy; hawporn bushes. Grassland rather open and with less littEr then usual, seedlings colonising bare soil resultant. loucanthemum/Convolvulue common. 8 Seib 11.6 Mainly coarse herb-poor grassland of Arrhenatherum and Brevao erectus with scattered low bushes of Zak and briar above; Lhd merging into nettle bed near bottom with dewberry and clezvers. Senecio acobea. N 14.2 Coarse unmanaged vegetation of nettle and bramble over round Cr\ cover of abundant moss, and litter. Elm, bushes scattered through • GO with elder. Cleavers and Glechoma abundant, with thistle and Poa trivialis. • mommenson os

GRID OF WIDTH REF DATE SITE MAHE RAILWAY LINE SIDE FORM WITS ACCESS

b) SURREY

CE104 5 July TQ 286494 Earlsrood Redhill-Tonbridge $ Cut 8•4 Oran hazel coppicewith briar under tall birch and oak trees. Under- growthof brambleand ferns, with field layer of mercury,tall herbs e.e. nettle.Rather open ivy carpet on groundwith some moan. Mainly scrub-coveredwithash, elder, hawthornand a large standing drtd elm patch. Undergrowthof bramble/briar. Ground cover of ivy aridmercury.The edga by the line is open and dominatedby tall ftrridium. Emb 22 Tr:liwoodlandof Prunus avium with oak and ash over scrub layer of hm7..,-1andyoung cherry. Undergrowthof open brambleand Terme. Ivy ic,ifriliotzefroundnearline. Further down slope: Glechomaand mercury

12.5 Mainly dense, mixed, many-levelleddeciduousscrub with sycamore, ark, ash, willow,hawthornand hazel. Ground cover rich with a varietyof herbs and mom, but sparse.Near the bottom opcnn out to riN^a tall nettle patch. 5E106 7 July . SU 988541 Worplesdon Ouildford-Woking E Cut 6.2 Fhirly recentlyburnt. Medium height denne Pteridiumwith much bare ttoiland litterbelow. Large patchesof Helms mollia/Agrostintenuir erneslandwith Teucriumcommon and low bramble/oakoccaaional. 5 Irrgeareas covered in dense high brackenwith dead birch/oaketc. rrrniningfrom fire. Some areas disturbedwith bare eround and Holcus ls.”Jus,plus Teucrium.There is some shade from nearby oaks. Emb 3.2 Mixrd coarsevegetationwith nettle patches,low bramble thickets cii coarsegrasslandof feccue/ArrhenathcruHelms lanatuswith mmy tall herbs e.g. Lcucanthem Centaureanigra. Low bushes. 3.2 Similarto east side in genera form but with more brambleond low hushes.Dactvlisand Agropyronhelp diversifythe grassland. ('envolvulusandEquisetumarvensearc comzmnwith ragwortetc.

c) EAST SUSSEX

5282 31 Ray IQ 496233 Ratted Uckfieldbranch M Cut 12.7 Varied:much low open Rubus with Arrhenatherum,cocksfootand tall l'crhs,scatteredthrough,plus low bushes.Some areas of herb rich grasslandwith Genista tinctoria;briar scrub and woodlandedge. 7.7 Generallymore woady with dense bramble thickets,end closed scrub csprciallyat northernend. Some herb-richgraeslandsimilar to tr-rtside,and some coarse veget,Aionof bramble,hawthornand grans. Seib 10 Rrn-ntlyclearedand burnt slope with little vegetationremaining rercially above.Main cover bare ballastnear line and litter near thr fence.Some speciesemavivingfrom what must have been deciduousscrub:gean, Tamus, blackthorn. 6.2 Unther disturbedsite with patchy flora of bramble thickets,low scrub and coarse grassland.Some fire sites are presentand goose- erns is abundantwith the bramble.Tall herbs are common e.g. Tencrium.Some scrub-cuttingbut limited. CES4 2 June TQ 424092 Lewes Brighton-Eastbourne SW Cut 5 TJ1l herb-richGrasslandwith Bromus/Srac odium c lvatic iescue mixed with scatteredlow bramble.Few speciesbut knapweedand Lencanthenvmcommon.There are better turf areas with scrub also. NE 12.2 Steep chalk slope with much bare soil. Patches of privet are common, with ivy underneath.Rest is herb and speciesrich floriferous communityof Leucanthemum daisy, Medicaao,Pilosella,knapweedand plantainetc. %JD

f:••, on in •no non n o a n o

GRID OF REF DATE SITE NAME WIDTH ACCESS RAILWAY LINE SIDE FORMNOTES

. W Emb 5.6 Low bank with broad grassy flat above and reedbed/garchbelow. The slope itselfis coveredin rank Arrhenatherumgrasslandwhich is speciespoor but herb rich with abundantGslium mollugoand Lmennthermm. Scatteredtall hawthornbushes. 7.1 Mninly rnther open bramble thicketwith scatteredlow bushes :boye and tall belts; nettle and thistlenear bottom which has a marshy ditch. Cypress spurge. CE85 3 June TQ 548054 Wilmington Brightoh-Eiotbourno SW Cut 3 Low bank with broad flat above. Short herb-richgrasslandwith scatteredlow shrubs.Fescue/Arrhenntherur/Brochodium sylvstisum with hrnmhlm/blackthorn.Cinquefoiland violet cosJaniin grass. NE 4.6 Herb- nnd species-richfine-leavedgrasslandwith fescue/Pea dominantwith abundantCentnurennigra, Calium minium end 10-guminnsae„Scatteredlow bramble.Llthyrusnissoliaoccurs. Emb 5.4 low bramblethicketson low bank with patches of coarne Arrhenatherumlocally. Some briar and bindweed,;aidballast amongstthe soil. 6.7 ?Thinlyrather tall dense bramblewith much emergentnettle,srl Arrhenatherumalso above, the latter dominatingthe upper frile;e. Hedge at bottom has blackthornspreadingfrom it and thorn ore severaltall ash trees along bank. Herb-richweedy patches. CE86 4 June . Tq 838145 Thrge Oaks Hastings-Ashford E Cut 15.7 Ash/birchwoodlandnear line with scrub layer of hazel and oyes: undergrowthof bramble/briar.Bluebell/anemoneon litter stre.s. ground.Above oak dominatesand Holcus mollis becomes common. 7.5 Mainly acid oak woodlandwith scrub-layerof hazel and bramble/ briar undergrowth.Ground layer of Holcus mollic/Anemone/Lonieera. Rather open near the line and more bushy. Emb 12.2 By line hazel scrub with litter and ballastbelow. The ballasthas nmch Anrmonecolonisingit and bramblenear light. Below tall enk/ birch woodlandwith hazel in understorey.Ground cover of bluebell and Anemonewith mous. No undergrowthhere. 12.2 Haze7,71:17Frornscrub all over hank with some emergentbirch. Ground cover of ivy and mercury - both abundant.Bramble underglwth less shadedparts near line.

d) WEST SUSSEX

CE89 1 June TQ 298142 Clayton Victoriu .ighton W Cut ,34 Genrrollyscrubbywith low privet,gorse, Iva/thornand briar coveringslope.However there nre largo areas of forb-dominaed rather tall vegetationof Glechoma,Clinopodiun,Hvnuricum.Gras almost obnunt.Rabbits? 20 Some caloicolcusscrub near tunnelmouth and scatteredelmewhi. Generallyshort gnized herb- and species-richcalcicolousturf with no clear dominantbut little grass, and much Clinonodium,Cer.laren and Plantagomedia. TQ 305158 Hassocks Vietoria-Hrghton W Emb 29 Mixed deciduousscrub of sallow/ash/hazelwith guelderrose, na,1 dogwood.Much Clematis in the canopy and as lianes.Ground cover of ivy with sparse herbs. At bottom disturbedand open; bramble. 28 Patchy vegetation;generallyan equal mixture of low scrub and rank grass patcheswith tall herbs. Damp with Rubus caesius,alder, Eupatorium,meadowsweet,hawthornand Calamagrostis.Cinder flats by line.

••.1 0 So on m ain on n

GRID OF REF DATE SITE NAME RAILWAY LINE WIDTH ACCESS SIDE FORM NOTES

CE91 9 June TQ 250366 Ifield Crawley-Horsham Cut 2.1 Mosaic of oak scrub, patchy thorn and bramble, with areas of rough herb-poor grassland. Along low bank by broad flat above. Arrhenatherum/fescue grow with thistle in the eressland. 2 Similar variety to north side but more clearly zoned with scrub in west and grassland in cast. The grassland is herb- and specicc-poor composed of Arrhenatherum with fescue/TEE/Dactylic. Emb 6.2 Tall open canopy ash/alder woodland above pond. Sparse scrub layer of alder, hazel and guelder rose. Abundant bramble in undergrowth. Oround cover of ballast above or ivy and mercury where it is d:rker. 6.3 Open canopy ash woodland with scrub layer of blackthorn and elder. Undergrowth of bramble and briar especially on scrub edge. Patches of rough grassland with nettle and goosegrass occur by line. NCC SOUTH REGION

BMICSICIRE

CE81 25 Nay al 458666 Enborne Reading-Westbury N Cut 4 Rank herb-poor Arrhenatherum grassland with low bramble scattcroad throughout as sub-dominant. A few bushes of hnwthorn and sycz.,)re occur and there arc locally patches of species-rich, short sandy turf with bare soil, Saxifrage granulate, Trifolium dubium, ndcox acetosella. 5 Rank herb-poor Arrhenatherum erassland with little or no forhs or woody growth except Rumex acetone and apple. There are other grasses present e.g. Fortuca pratensis and Poa. Emb 7.3 Tall rank herb-poor Arrhenalherum grassland with fescue/cocks:root occasional. This goes down to a hawthorn hedge from which brsHule is spreading in high thickets. Blackthorn amongst hedgm. 8 4.3 Tall rank mixed grasslandlerb-poor with Arrhonatherum commonc:.t mixed with fencue/cockafoot, Pon and Anthoxonthum. Sparse hal:thorn CE105 6 bushes. Ballast near line colonised on both sides. July SU 828623 Sandhurst Wokingham-FarnboroughE Cut 11.3 Generally open Erica cinerea sward with grassy patches or baror places colonised by Polvtrichum and Rumex acetosella. Tall cryrgent bracken and frequent low oak bushes. The lower edsc has n brorble thicket and the upper part ia shaded by elm/Robinia belt. 8 Mainly oak/birch scrub with some Castanea. Sorne Rubils underneoLh nnd ground cover of open grces - Holcus mollis, fescue and Dcschcdia flexuosa. Emb 11.2 U-4 :1—:en%Pteridium community over mixed fescue/Holcus sollis grassland. Sparse bramble, low oak colonising Hieracium “pp. cormon. To the north areas of mixed deciduous scrub: birch/oak with scattered herbs under it. 10 Low oak scrub with dense bramble/briar undergrowth. Some Pteridium mixed,in, and moss/bare soil underneath. To the north the scraU, becomoo teller and denser with sallow and alder also present. HAMPSHIRE

1=77 21 May 88 349063 Beaulieu Road Southampton-Bournemouth E Cut 4.8 Once burnt fescue grassland with bents common. Corse scattered near line. Herb-rich with much Teucrium, Pilosella and plantain. Ulox minor and Agrostie setacea. 3.1 Mostly rather coarse MolGia grassland with much litter, violet and fescues. Towards top the fescues take over in herb-rich srard 31 with Pilosella, Myosotis and Equiaetum. Sparse bramble and a nunber of calcicoles. To the north becomes heathy with pine trees alost,, • top. Sono n Inman on um

GRID OF WIDTH REFDATE SITE NAME RAILWAY LINE ACCESS SIDE FORMNOTES

E Emb 6.2 Very poor slope covered in dead Pteridium fronds with no live material- B-re ballast under this and little or no other vegatetion emergent - sparse fescue. Teucrium and Molinia, together givim less than 20% cover at most. 6.1 Upper two-thirds of slope bare cinder and ballast with very ny.mse vegetation of Teucrium and annuals. The lower edge has Am-cm:Mid Molinia grasnland with heath species e.g. Erica cinerea, Garex binervia and C. oilulifera. CL-79 23 may sU 738170 Glass Brow Guildfort.-fortsmouthE Cut 15 Mixed deciduous scrub often rather open and with grassy rtc-s h and bore chalk coil. exposed. Scrub made up of hazel and birch or locally beech. There are patches of ivy. The grassland is her:- and species-rich dominated by Brach odium s lvaticum with Muj: moss, Poterium, Lotus, etc. 6.9 Mixed deciduous cloned scrub of birch with hazel, dogwood, ssiThw and beech. Ground cover mainly litter, bUt sparse Brach,:eodiuc. sylvaticum and mess occur. E Emb 3.4 Dense closed canopy hnzel/dogwood scrub with spindle, ra,e an: other species. Ground layer of mercury and other herbs cc.Ittel.,•1 over litter-strewn ground. 7.1 Mixed deciduous scrub of hazel and sallow with other species especially near the line. Bramble in the undergrowth but bele,- shaded out. Ground cover mainly litter but patches of Lamiast!am and Mercurialin occur. C1180 24 May SU 545070 Fareham Fareham-aaathampton S CUt 7 Patchy vecetation of bramble thickets and herb-rich fine-leaved grassland, of fescue/LE/bent with some Arrhenatherum. Light s:-rub scattered through aloo. Rumex acetosa, Centaurea nigra and Vicla rivininna conmmn. 8 Mosaic of habitats; bramble thickets, low thorn scrub, tall htrch trees, coarse Arrheratherwn grassland and herb-rich fescue/Po. turf with Anthoxanthum and Fragaria. ffogweed, Vicia spp. and cinquefoil conmmn by line. Emb 20.5 Intlbirch woodland with oak subdominant. Anh in the underatort - and scrub lnyer of hawthorn and hazel. Elder scrub zone sear tup and btanthle/briar undergrowth throughout. Ground cover of ivy wit!. litter, bare ground and moss. 16 Woodland of birch and ash with oak near line. Scrub layer dem.- near line with blackthorn and hazel. Growtd cover of ivy empevially by line, plus Moss and litter. CE103 4 July Su 829554 Fleet Waterloosingstoke 6 cut 4.3 Mainly Deschamocia flexuosa grassland, herb- and species-poor. Soma .flaione and Eieracium sp. There is sparse Crlluna and Eric:. cie:•ra. Birch scrub grows here, the thickest parts near the access poiet. 4.5 Some gorse and bramble scrub. Generally very disturbed vecetz.tion covorcd in litter ond with patchy dry Arrhenatherum crusaland a.th Dactvlis crowing on old ballast dumpinga. Emb 5.2 Mainly rather tall bramble thickets overshadowed by older rooted on damp flat below. Some scrub arcaa of Salix spp. Ground cover cainly litter. 5.6 Generally covered in quite high bramble thickets but with coarse Arrhenatherum/fescue grassland near tho lino; some patches of sallow scrub mind commonly Pteridium emergent from bramble. Ballast slope with Cinder on both sides.

Tv im on mon mos

GRID OF WIDTH REFDATE SITENAME RAIZ:471hINE SIDE FORMNOTES ACCESS 14

OXFORDSHIRE

CEI18 16 August SU 591852 Cholsey Paddington-Swindon SW Cut 8.4 Rather disturbedcite with much bare soil and a mixtureof 2cw scrub especiallyhawthorn,rough grasslandwith nettlesand carpetsof Convolvulusand ivy. NE 5.6 Retainingbrick wall coveredin festooningivy. Short gentle slope above it coveredin mixed deciduousscrub of lilac/hawthornes2e- cv dense continuousivy carpet. SW Emb 7.2 Very disturbedsite; clearedto expose bare cinder and Oslleetand new beingrecolonisedby sparse nettle,ragwort and annusls.Vege- tationmore continuousbelow with some grass clumps. NE 10.3 Mixed rough vegetationwith many bramble thickets,rather les. Coarse grasslandof Brom= erectus,Arrhenatherum,Pca and fescue.H;rb-rich with Galliummelange,Glineradiesetc. CE120 18 August SP 468116 Yarnton Oxford-Weseater N Cut 5.8 Generallyrather overgrownwith large bramble thickets,(=cashing scrub and coarse grass/herbs.Smallareas of herb-richturf do survivewith fescue,Dreams erectus,Thraus, nonslipnnd Cirsind eriornorum. 3.2 Much more open and generallygrassy though with some scrub :ear brambleareas.Mixed rather damp grasslandof reschnnnsinc-nrritern Arrhenatherumwithnary other grasses.Generallynril pcsnr. N Emb 5.2 Mixed coarsevegetationnear the line of rank grasses (Arrha:asherug, Bromus erectus),tall herbs (thistle,horsetail,Tunril-ico, ;!rerai;) and bramble.Near the bottom„tall-herbdominated;rosebay,nettle thistle,Epilobiumhirsutumwith some brambleunderneath. 5.8 Mixed herb-poorgrasslandof Arrhenatherum/Pea/Destylis/fercue.Some retchesof Lamium album. Parts cut recently.HCat showingspread of woody growth

WILTSHIRE

CE72 16 May ST 854590 Trowbridge Westbury-Bradford NW Cut 7.8 Coarse ArrhenatherumgrasslandwithAnthrincuscommonbelow rnd Junctier, invadingblackthornabove.Glechomacomnon and many quite forb-rich.Hedgeat top. SE 4.5 Rough mixed grasslandof Arrhenatherumwithratchosof 1122/f-raue. SpeedwellV. chomaedryscommon on ant-hills.Forb-rich.1,t,.orn hedge above and calcicolesin grasslandelsewhere. ST 865551 Yarnbrook Westbery-Bradford W Emb 15.7 Varied site; upper edge rough herb-richgrasslandwith fesen• snd Juncteon weeds. Line of hawthornbushes below then bramble thickets.ribally a tall herb zone of meadowsweet,nettleand geusegrasson mis:ry slope by ditch. 13.5 Disturbedcite with line of Salix fragilisalong bottom by s;r2am. Rest has fescue colonisingcinder,weedy flora of Card-mine,habus and moss. Under willow nettle stand over ivy carpet. CE75 19 NaY ST 985298 Panters Yeovil-Selicbury N 'Cut 4.7 Rank herb-richArrhenathcrumgrassland.Frequentshrubs and Ira- archingbramble.Patches dominatedby Pilosellaand Gleehde. Some earth slippageand ant-hillsplus sparse ballastdunping VcJ 8 4.9 Rank herb-poormixed grasslandof Arrhenetherum/feseue/Pol scatteredlow brambleand n matrix of litter between the cluri.n. Burnt in the past and scrub-cutmore recently. N Emb 5 Low ballaststrewn slope dominatedby a rather open nettle st:all. Toward bottombecomesmore open and Arrhenatherumis established with fescue. ^0 8 4.2 Rank mixedArrhenotherum/fescuegrauslandon low bank.Quite herb- rich with a lot of Lamium album, and hogweed etc. Ballastdemi:pings colonised;and ditch at bottom of slope. ni son mos S a a on In

GRID OF WIDTH REFDATE SITE NAM RAILWAY :JIM SIDE FORM NOTES ACCESS

CE76 20 May 'SU 227390 NewtonToney Salisbury-Basingstoke N Cut 6.5 Lower part unstnblecommunitywith open vegetationon chalk rubbl.:. Scatteredwoody growth and open Bromus grasslandwith Fragarin.Above this ahnost sheer chalk cuttingwith similarflora very spary: on crevices. 11.2 Mostly open chalk rubble below low cliff.Vegetationspnrre with Arrhenatherum,ragwort,etc. < 25% cover.Cinder flat of old line below and areas of good grasslandand chalk cliff nearor accyys point. N Emb 6.2 Mixed herb-richfine-leavedgrasslandwith fescue and Arriann.l.2rum etc. Lower slopesluve pine and beech treeo scatteredalong underneatha coarsergrasslandwith rosebay,nettle and brayUle. Elm scrub and tall woodlandelsewhereon bank. 3.8 Low end of bank. Herb-richund mixed colcicoloungrasslnn4or Bromus/feucue/Pon.Blackthor4/briarpatchesund rabbit diturb tee generallyto give bare soil. CE78 22 May SU 256270 WestDean Salisbury-Southampton N Cut 2.3 Mixed open low scrub with herb- and species-richchalkturf in between.Fescun/Lu2/Brachvodiums lvaticumwith Pilesellt, Pot,•rium,Knautio etc. Hawthorn,Clematis,oak and ivy 1:1 :lel All under lime trees on neighbouringland. 5 Tall damp graeo slope with abundanttall herbs and mossy pat.:Lyr; amongstpatchy scrub of Salix, Swida, etc. Meadowsweetabundc•ntand Arrhenntherum/fescueoverrest. Herb-richand epecies-richbct.deen bushos. N Emb 5 Embankmentcoveredin ballast colonisedby tall herbs especiy.ly i Epilebiumspp. and bramblewith dogwood.Litter obscuresmost of the • ballastand a line of pine trees on tho flatbelow shade most of the bank. 4.8 Alco ballastcoveredend with this exposedabove and under lcw scrub of dogwoodwith bramble/briartiwitcoversmost of slope. Othcs tylus of scruband thicketoccur on the slope. CE117 15 August SO 024811 TrowLane Swindon-Bath S CUt 30 The lower half is coarse herb-poorgrasslandof Arrhenotlurum.Sou, pnrto Are disturbedwith cot:1(3foot,nnnyherbs, bare sell, mo.- and bramble.Oak treesare counonabove with nettle,brmUle •nilgrecs. 52 The lower half ic rather short herb- and species-richcalcics:ay grasslandwith party forb dominated.Bronmy eractnnand I-:In • niandinncenimportant.Top half blackthorn/hawthornoctalwt:..•uch

8 Emb 24 Gentle slope;upper edge has ballastdumpingand open Arrhon• grassland.Middlearca Agropyrongrasslandwith Botoniat/Silaii Serratula.Lower half oak woodlandwith tall underutoreyof hawthorn.Clearedundergrowthand main ground cover low rtsces. 27 Some dumpedsand above and scrub of oak below ond to west. Myinly tussockyherb-poorgrasslandof Alopecuruo,Deschagsiy enesIltera and Arrhenntherum.

?ICCSOUTR-WESTREGION

a) AVM; CE114 8 Auguet ST 850798 WinterbourneDownSwindon-Bristol N Cut 17 Sandstonerock cnttingwith roughgrassyscree slope below daninated by ArrhenatherwnandAcer bushes.Rock face with Dimitalir/Broyus erectusat bottomand sparse cover of Aira and Mieraciumon rock itself.Herb rich brome grasslandon gently slopingwept end. 17 Noscree slope bolow.Mostly baresandstonewith sparse colonisationon ledgesof Arrhenatherum,Silenevulgarian,sycamoreandQuercus cerric. in on ulna on —ammo

GRID OF WIDTH REF DATE SIMNAME RAILWAY LINE FORM ACCESS SIDE NOTTS

N Emb 22 Zone of open ballastnear line with colonisingash and Centr!athus. Near bottom dense bramblethicketsand much hawthornscrub. In betweenherb-rich,species-poorgrasslandof Teucriur/Solidaye/ Hieraciumwith Arrhenatherum/fescue/Brachypodium;souc/Pitc..clla. 18 Upper p rt low privet scrub, bramble/briarand coarse op.rngrsa- land with Centranthuson loose ballast.Below tall ash scrub over continuousivy carpet.

b) CORNWALL

CE66 30 April SX 198648 Doubleboia Plymouth-Penzance N Cut 10.8 The lower half has had its scrub cover cut right back and a resultantrush of herbaceousgrowth;nettle,mercuryand goo:,grass below; herb robert above. Much cut litterand upper edge is :ycamore/ rhododendronscrub surviving. 15.4 Lower portionscrub cut and with regeneratingash/Fhododendrcnetc. Mixed with grass and tall herbs-primrose,herb robert,etc. ;-0,stof bank coveredin Rhododendronscrub, cut and regeneratingbelew, uncut and tall above. N Emb 25.6 Embankmentover streamvalley coveredin onk/cycamorewoodlardwith birch understorey.Ground cover of coniferlitter from odjoc,ttt plantationwith Modem and Phyllitic.Upper edge cut-back hfluel, rhododendronccrub. 6 Slope coveredin open bramble with scatteredocrub of ash cut back above. Ivy and nettle frequent.Large areas litter covered 0,,asome shade from birch on adjacentland. CE67 1 Hay SW 544361 St.Erth St. Ives branch E Cut 12 Lower portionsteep slope with some exposedrock and patches of mons and dry grasslandof bent nnd Anthoxanthumwith come bramble.Giving way througha patchy area to gorse dwarf scrub at top of clop:. Considerablecutting. 10 Below a mixtureof herbs and bramble/gorsewith foxglove,Teucrium and ivy common and much Holcuc mollis.This has been considc.r.wly cut back. The upper elope is dense bramblewith some Clermtiuover litterand moss. E Fmb 7.7 Rather low open oak/sycamorescrub with patcheoof gorco. Gin:told cover of ivy and litter,plus bluebell.Runningdown to un'ILi. c:hen of Hoyle estuary. 9.6 Cut privet ccrub with brambleand Clematisover and a ground cover of littergiving way below to vegetationsimilartut with cone gorse and a richer ground cover with moss etc. Some shade from syca,corein neighbouringland. CE68 2 May SX 106578 Milltown Plymouth-Penzence Z Cut 8 Patchy oak/sallowandgorsescrubwith undergrowthof braciblc,and abundantlitter.Somc granalnndand exposedrock nrcos. 25 Lirge slope with three zones. Lower edge has much ballastdtal.iag and has been cut back. Bulk of slope coveredin callow scrub uith oak/hazeland hawthornplusgrasses/gorse/broomin more open ici -ts. Gentler elope at top has bramblethicketover bluebellsand litter. SE Eab 4.5 Upper edgecut back to produceshort forb-richfescue and litter grasslandwith Dactylis,Potentillaand Loucanthemum.Dense close bramblebelow. NW 9.9 Mixed deciduousscrub of oak, blackthorn,hazel andhawthorn,over undergrowthof brambleand ivy;andaroundcovered in oakleaves. Ivy cover especiallynear linewherescrubcut back. On 111N•1110 11111 01 MN 11111 10 a

GRID OF REFDATE SITE NAME SIDE FORM WWI'S ACCESS RAIDeY LINE NOTE'S

c)DEVON

CE6226 April ST 322017 Axe Bridge Yeovil - Exeter NW Cut 11.4 Sprayedand burnt with a flora dominatedby dying bramble thitkets. Some rough grassy areas above and local tall shrubs. SE 6.4 Mainly rough bramblethicketswith scatteredtall ash bushes and come patchesof coarseArrhenatherumabove. Ballast dumping low. NW Emb 2.6 Low and mainly bramblecoveredwith nettle patches.Rough us-'y areas. Dumpingof concreteslabs and waste metal has occarrvlall through. SE 2.5 Abundantbare ballastwith patches of low bramble,ArrhsmatMrum and annuals.Low end by meadow. CE6428 April SS 458236 Landcross Meeth bench SE Cut 11.2 Up to tunnelmouth with rocky areas present.Some bramble patches and low scrub in mosaic with herb and speciea-richgrasalaril- mixtureof lew species,no clear dominant. NW 7.6 Lower and rather less varied with much more bramble givinm wav rear lire to rough grasslandmixture.Nearer the tunnelagain rasa rocky with ferns, mosses and a generallyricher flora. SS 463224 Wears Gifford Meeth branch E Emb 3.1 Rough patchy Arrhenatherumgrasslandwith areas dominatedby Mercurialis crernisand brambleon nettle.Abundantmoss el-. The bank bacomecmere woody southwardto produce tall ash scrub. 1.7 Upper edre mixturerough Arrhenatherumgrasslandand Mercur'illa patches.Bramble,nettle and Clematiscornonand branthledocahtat below. CE6529 April SS 632)00 Greenslade Meldon quarrybranch N cut 4.8 Recentlyburnt gross and bramble bank with scatteredscrub.Tam grass (Arrhenatherum)is regeneratingand come herbs are recolonizing. Some herb-richgrass among scrub remainsnearby. 8.7 Rather open ash/hazelscrub with birch and sallow in partial abode of oaks on neighbouringland. Some woody creepersbelow. Gro..a:acover of moss with come litterand a few shade-livingherbs. Rdsnira water in ditchat edge of line. N Emb 10 Sallow scrub with oak/birch/hazeland ground cover of ivy with brambleand nettle.Moribund,and much of upper port fallen C.,";cut. 15.2 Upper slope covered in fine gravellyballast,overhungbaler My scrub which covers the rest of the bank. Open birch scrub with Salix app. over ground cover of Arrhenntherumand litter. is co-dominantin parts. CE69 3 May SX 441661 FUrzehill Gunnialmheand Bore E Cut 7.8 Steep rocky cuttingwith mixed herb vegetation,sparse brnmbla. Aistos branch Few grassesbelow,ferns and many forbe present.Upper slapa •!entler and rosetteforb/ephemeral/mossand lichen turf formed.Spec-Ica and herb-rich.Variety of species. 6.1 Lower portionsteep generallybare rock. Above this becomesJ,:ltler and grassy.Mixed acid grassland- very speciesrich with h 1:1 of moss and bents. Sparse brambleand some bilberrypatches.Yva."-heria especiallycommon. Emb 19.5 Mixed deciduoustall scrub of gean/oak/hawthorn/ashand hai.c.]with oak commonerbelow.Damp slope with woodland flora of bluebeil, primroseand ivy etc. Upper edge cut back and tipped upon, c,re grass present. 17.5 Mainly rough disturbedgrasslandof Anthexanthum/Holcuslanatasand plantain.There ia a lot of bare ground and many colonising,mads. The upper edge has a zone of bramblefollowedby closed hert-rich turf by line. IM 101 0 a I=1 NM MN 101110 •

aRID OF WIDTH SITE MARE RAILWAYLINE SIDE FORMNCX7S RD'DATE ACCESS

CE70 4 May SM 759604 Tigley Exeter-Plymouth Cut 9.8 Cut and regeneratinglow open sallow scrub with disturbedsoil in betweensupportingArrhenatherum,Callummolluso,bramble,Ceramone hirsutaand Scronhulariauuriculata.More staele grass with Grohis ma-culaand ferns to wesc, SO7c bore rock. 10 Similar to north but sallow taller,less disturbanceand more wood- land and coarse herbs remaining.03R above with grassy edge plus brgmbleand briar. Emb 9.4 Hazel scrub such of rthichhesbeen cut down especiallyalove where brambleis colonising.Some Phyllitiaand nettle survivewith ivy in the remainingscrub which is under the shade of o3k from the neighbouringland. 4.6 Lower end of quite large embankmentcoveredin low bramblewith scatteredlow bushes especiallyoak and coarse herbs. Burnt anti cut in the past.

d) DORSET

CE74 18 May SY 604972 Iangcombe Yeovil-Dorchester W Cut 8 Steep and low chalk slope with herb- and species-richturf below composedof fine grasses,legumesand rosette herbs.The upper part is low dopacodscrub colonisinga similarvegetationtype to lower slope. P. 28 Herb and species-richshortcalcicolousturf with mosaic of vemo- tationand no clear dominant.Much Pea and fescue,plantainand Pilosella,cowslipand scatteredlow hawthorn.Some more disturbed portions. Emb 15 Rather coarse Arrheratherumgrasslandwith sub-dominantfeseue/Poa and Helietotrichonrubes:3ms.Berb-richwith abundantknapneedz-nd hawkbit.No woody growth bar a few dead low bushes.Bare ground patchesnear top. Burnt. 9.9 Similarto latter above where ballastdumpingshave been colonised, Anthaventhumalso common.Lever slope is herb-peorcoarseAeroraren reTuns grasslandwith a few other grass speciesand some ;:ac,”ea.

e)SOMERSET

CE61 25 April ST 522286 CharltonMackrell Taunton-Westbury S Cut 37 . Herb-richrather short calcicolousgrasslandwith many ant-hills and Mosses (Arrhenotherum/Binehvoodiumsalvaticumplus finer grasses). Little or no unody growth. 39 Coarserand mere disturbed- patchesof bramble,rough Arrboratherum end taro soil with low calcicoles.Burnt in places and itn:shrubs. Emb 32 Upper p-rt ballast,low brambleend privet thickets.Most ef slope rough Arrhenoeherumgrasslandwithmuch bare ground,moss and scatteredwoody grcwth.Leucanthemumabundant.Crazed. 9 Much smallerond mainly scrubby.Low brambleand hawthornscrub with rough grasslandpatchesof Arrhenatherum.Soleballastabove and scrub-cuttingbelow. INV in common. CE83 27 April ST 153220 Ashen Houma Taunton-Exeter N Cut 9 Severe ballastdumpingend bare soil below givingway above to coarse herb-poorArrheratheru,grassland.Scatteredbramblepatchesand low hawthorn. 12.6 Three zones:1) Lowest disturbedand ballast dumping;2) middle half or more bramble thicketwith scatteredbushes;3) top quarter io coarseherb-poorArrhenathcra,grasslandwith fescue (red) and , a littlebramble. MI 01 I= MI 01 IS a 1011•1 0 NMI MI In

GRID OF WIDT11. REFDATE SITE NA:C RAILWAY LINE SITE FORM 24 NOTES ACCESS

NW' Eat) 7.2 Slope rather disturbed by ballast tipping and with =eh bare ground, litter. Patchy cover of bramble with rather frequent tall shrubs of oak, ash, etc. SE 7.2 Len= bramble over most of slope with a few young trees. Upper edge cut Ixhtk to give eo:,rse Arrher,.thersm grassland. Abundent nettle among bramble. CE715 MayST 314414 Puriton Bristol-Taunton E Cut 11 Mixture of bramble thickets with coarce herb-poor Amrte,edtasum . grassland. Much ballast dumping below and ant-hills above. Scattered scrub. 10 Very disturbed and more woody. Ballast dumping and scrub cut though latter survives to north. Rough bramble and Arrhenstherbm vegetation below gives way to hawthorn/bramble/briar thiaket on uppes slope. ST 314350 Huntworth Bristol-Taunton E Emb 7.5 Severe ballast tipping colonised by blackthorn scrub, bramble shaded out and Arum present. Upper edge sprayed end cut Cc produce rcumh gsbss and bramble common where light penetrate:: scrub margin. 3.2 Dense medium height bramble with abundant litter; briar diked in and shade of elder and sallow from ditch side below. On old, now covered, severe ballast tipping. 017317 MayST 734401 Witham Friary Westbury-Castle Cary SE Cut 8.1 Stepped cutting with ballast flat between tho two colonised by Arrhenotherum. Main slope covered in grassland: mixed acid below on dasp coney soil with a belt of Onlix app., Arrhenatlerum/fescuc and more open above whore it is drier. SW 3.6 Mainly bare sandy slope with scattered ballast and sparse vegetation of grass tussocks and herbs (fescue and Hyreenacris) becoming denser above. SE Emb 6.5 Ernest strewn slope: upper part with rosebay, nettle and Arrhenatherum in open community; lower part bramble thicket :flith some nettle patches. Moss rather common under bramble. NW 3.3 Broad spread ballast over slope with patchy Arrhenatherim grbssiand covering c. 60%. Scattered scrub - sycamore and hawthorn.

UCG WEST MISLAUS REGION

a)SICSSESSEPSHIRE

SS22.59 August ST 565959 Tidenham Gloucester-Newport N Cut 3.3 Variablo along length :cith bramble thickets (plus intermixed bittersa,uet and honeysuckle). Rough grassland of Arrhanatherum and Holcus lanotus. Scrub patches of hoo.thorn, oak and anh. 4.4 Mather leas bramble than north, and fewer bushes. Generally rough grassland with fewer herbs or species. Trans.:et throumh bramble patch. Shelter belt of pine behind fence. N Emb 17 Twirge tsnk with areas of mixed roumh grassland of Arrhceithcru7 and delcus lanatua. Many bramble thickets, sore moriuund and becoming nettle patches. Some ash scrub; and block scree with ferns. 15.3 Mainly dominated by bramble thicketsbut with rough Arrtenatherum patches especially above where Potentilla resters is common. Below the bramble gives way to nettle, mixed with reed and Glechc7n by marsh on flat. GE116 10 August SO 812050 Stonehouse Gloucester-Swindon S Cut 4.6 Mainly rather wooded - sycamore with baro, cleared ground area. Transect through bramble thicket with nettles emergent, plus Bubatcrium and thistle. Scrub colonisation by sallow and dog-decd. 22 itetsining wall at bottom. Large areas of nettle, with grass ^Awed in or understorey of arching bramble and ground cover of Olcrho..7:1. Some bramble thickets, scrub patches and coarse herb-poor grassland. 0 a MI 11011 MINN MI MIS Oa -1•11-

GRID OP RETDATE WIDTH , ACCESS SITE NAME RAILWAY LIHE SIDE FORM

SO $24049 Ebley Gloucester-Swindon S Emb 8.5 Gentle slope near line recentlycoveredin fresh ballastond now being recolonicedby bindweedetc. The steeperbonk below in coveredin bramble thicketsand coarse ArrherotnerumgrorcIand. 7.4 %torydisturbed,burnt and weedy. Rough mixed vegatationof Arrhenrtherumand tall herbs especiallyressbay,but also nettle and se—they.Sore bushes remainingmad areas of bmre soil. CE119 17 August SP 222282 Evenlode Oxford-Worcester W Cut 5 Mixed rough vegetotionof coorse Arrhenotherum/Dcateliograssland invodedthroughoutbi bresablefrom auove. ThistIcand Comvolvulus ceomonbut generallyherb- and species-poor.Smny ant-en icmmong the coarsegrowth:. 8.7 Herb- and species-poorgrasslandwith little er no woody growth throughout.The lower part dominatedby tall Arrhenotheruswith Peesetc. The upper edge is msinly Iflontis spp. td.tnhe.;underneath. ;Ray are-hills. Emb 7 Dmnne brorthlethicketswith intermixednettle and Convolvu)usover ballastclope. Patchesof low scrub of blackthornoecur wieh nettle, mcadowsweet,dock and thistle.The ground below the tall herb arean is mons colonised. 3.7 Low bank down to hawthornhedge. Coarse hmrboceousvegetationcr. slcpe dominatedby horsetail;with Pon, Convolvulusand ysrrow above; and with Arthenotherum,meadow:tweet,nettle and Otte:hesbelow. Bmllastslope. b) HERETORDAND WORCESTER

CE111 2 August SO 501665 Or1eton Newport-Shrewsbury SE Cut 25 Lorge slopecoveredin a nixed coarsevegetationmode up of varying amountsof Arthenetherum,bramble,horsetailond thistle.Some arcoa of callot:ncrub z,hdp[itchcs of herb-richscid turf. NW 20 Rmther more variable:ereas candlerto other book but with nettle ceogon.Also tTecien-richraxturcsof tall grans and low bramble with Ragweed,Clinopodiumand Picric hicaccioidescommcn. SE Emb 7.2 Mei:Gy dense high hrnoblethickets,;,;d::some eoorgentgrata, nettle ond horretail.There is litter severingmost of the bellea slope below, ond patchesof rough grams mnd low hawthorn. NW 7 Generallyrother epen medium-heightbramble,with frequentemergent shrub; e.g. sallow,osk and hawthorn—There are poachesof asmagent Arrh,-nrYh:q":1:1,and abundantPquiretumorvenneand Galium or-aing. C1112 3 August SO 9011/457Seaford Bristol-Birmingham V Cut 1/4.5 Pith-e ec -n rucerhlyburnt gig:coleus grassland,hmrb- the ap ei rich with Proous erectuscommonestwith sparse bramble.Mash bmre soil ard ciei-metcaisticlioartonespecies,Clenrtisthicketsand unburntgrasslandalso occur. E 4.7 Rough quite species-richand herb-richcalcicolousgranslsndof Brechvrodiumcpp. etc., being colonisedby Clo7rtio,Roma and low bushes e.g. apple. Some bare ballast below.Aremn of more open; and derger types occur;elsewhere. Emb 5.7 Rather open disturbedcommunitydevelopedon ballastslope. Bramble/ Calvsteriaand bitters‘Netscramblingover ballastand come relict Arrhenatherum.Sonecioviscosuscolonisingopen ballastabundantly. E 5.5 Very similarto ether bank in brood typo. Cinder is moro ioportant than ballastand ConvolvulusreplacesCalvmte-tm,and is commoner. Bittersweetis much rarer.

‘0 010111•01011MIM 1111111•111M11•11111111

GRID CF REFDATE SITE Ni-JE WIDTH ACCESS RAILWAYLINE SIOE FORM NOTES

CE113 4 AugustSO 903635 Droitwich Worcester-Bromsgrovo S Cut 4.8 Tall herb-pecr Arrherathmrnm grassland with, fescue. Sort patches of hawthorn and brsmble; and tall ash trod. Pea and clover frequent. There arc areas of bare soil recently cleared and colonised by weeds etc, to west. 6.5 Fixed cosse herb-rich but species-peor grassland of fromus erectus and Arrhmretherus. Nerd commonest with brome e.g. Convolve:us, Callum varum Cavtaurea nigra and yarrow. Bire soil :re:s to wed. Emb 8 Upper port is coarse herb-rich but species-poor Arrhermahernm grass- land with abundant Glethema and Genvolvults. Toward bottom is replaced by nettle stand with cub-dominant Galium am-arise claaaering through. 4.8 Tall nettle stand with scrambling undergrowth of Galium mrsrine ond bramble. Ground cover moss and ivy, both very common. Some bushes scattered through, and areas of grassland near broad flat above. NCC SOUTH WALESREGION

a)MID GLAMGRaAN

CE98 z6 June SS 871890 Pont Rhyd-y-Cuff Maesteg branch SW cut 3.8 Mixed coarse: vegetation of Pacridium in open stand over rough Arrheathernm grassland, low brantle and Calvnteeim. Litter abundant. NE 6 Yainly brae:ble thickets witn scsttered willow bushes. Nattle and ferns frequent under the bramble. Areas of itrb-rich dry grassland with Trirttum, Vulria and Arthyllin. Some effect of neighbouring gardens in flora. Considerable bare coil and disturbance. SW Emb 8.2 Mixed coarse vegetation of Fteridinm and bramble over thiok gTound cover of litter. Frequent bushes of oak and CO7C coarse grassland. Vegetation becomes less dense near lire. NE 8.2 Maeium height oak woodland with no urderstorey. Fi-ld layer open with ferns, tall grasses and herbs. Ground cover of sparse ivy and mass. There aro more piper bramble areas te the south and CE10230 JuneST 141865 Caerphilly Caerphilly-Taff's Well NW Cut 14.6 Mostly roumh mixed acid grassland with Holds monis, D-etvlis 3nd ArrIratr,herum. Tussocks of fern and scattered scrub, ahl Is‘- bramble. iiesd-iachcsontcially tall oncs e.g. thistle, Angelica, Stacbvs. SE 9.2 lielaus morns grassland with bent developed in recently burst open birch scrub, with some oak. Some bramble patches, plus r...aC's idthiruiscorse and briar. Old line goes off behind slope. NW Emb 12 Steep slope down to ctreas mainly scrub covered with oak, Lsrel, sallow, hawthorn and bramble thickets. Patches of herb-rich grass- land occur where Fouisetum arvense, Drverteris filin-mas and AcTiatata are common. SE 10 Steep niece composed of unstable cinder with some ballast. Covered in tall scrub of oak with pear. Field layer of Ptcridium, Urtiaa, Eunatorium and n7lillo aparine. Broad cinder flat adve with birch scrub and fescue turf. b)50u77 C..ALORGAN

ss CE99 27 June 941732 ',land.* Barry-Bridgend Cut 6.4 Cutting through bias to Carboniferous Limestone. The rock cutting below has a number of calsicoles and sparse vegetation in the crevices c.c. Brian, Trisctua. The gentler grass slope above on the bias has herb-rich feseue-Anthdanthum turf with cold:bee app. e.g. tormentil. 6.6 Very similes pattern to the other side. The limestone rock face is more vegetated with Bromus erectus etc. and the grass slope is richer in species e.g. violet and tormentil. 11•111111- 101 MIN 01 MO MI

MID OF WIDTHNOTTS R= DATE SITE NAdE RAILNAY LIRE SIDE FCRM ACCESS

Emb2.6Low bank with frequent osier bushes and other shrubs. Brasble/ honeysuckle patches frequent an are areas of coarse rather damp Arahenatherum/Fes trivialic grass. 3.4Lorge areas of redius toamble thicket with low thorn bushes. Patches of open weedy Arrhenatherum grassland with locally abundant Ggasnius lucidus. Some patches of fescue grassland also.

WEST GLAMORGAN

CE97 25 JunoSN 592047 Pontardulais Llarelli-ShrewcburyCut2.8Open vegetation on low ballast-streim slope. Mosaic of rossette ;orbs and low grammes with abundant moss. Feseue/Polcus :gnat= x;ith Bypochaeris/Plantano. Above damp flat with low willows, reed and ausnbs. 4.2Inwar edge exposed rock with barn soil. Vegetation Cover is ec,ran Am:bon-Ahem= grassland with other grasses in herb-poor type. Cgnar parts ever the cutting area have bdrsh scrub and sandy gsescland. Emb3.6Rank weedy vegetation on low bank over marshy flat. Mainly t 11 forin with sparse fescue. A little scattered bramble and lei: burhes. Common species include mint, Gelius molLurso Lathgums tr. tanals and Equisetus spp. 3.2Bndly turnt vegetation. Low bramble regenerating to give main eover with annuals, Eminetum mavens° nod grasses ancelerising exipsed soil and cinder/tallast. Marshy flat below has species that spread onto bank.

Ca=

CE100 28 June SO 310172 Triley Bridge Newport-Hereford S cut 6 Coarse Arrhenntherum grassland with fencue/lielcus rnllis sub- dominant. Rear the line it is herb- and species-panr, developed on ballast tipping°. Ni'er the top of the slope it is much richer with bent and bracken plus Hypeohaerin. 22 Clearly zoned: the lower era third is coarse herb-poor Asrinennther fescue grassland developed aver ballast. The uppor pertiew ic very tmll deism bracken with briar and bramble in patches below, mercury ond Anemnne and Siilira spin. Dab 6.8 Variable: large areas of let: dense dogwood sorub over tare seil arj baliast with mercury and Moehrinsia. There are toll cicsad nettle stands near the bottom and patches of bramble and taller ash scrub elsewhere. 4 Also variable but generally more open than the east. Generally mixed rough vegetation of Arrhonatherus, bramble snd memjewsxnet. Fescue, ivy and litter are also common. Tall herbs are cesmon. Scrub elsewhere. CE1C1 29 June ST 227988 Hafod-yr-ynye Hafod-)T-ynys branch S Cut 16.8 Vegetation of txn typos with a gradual change between them. The bettor; of the slope hns low mixed herb-rich acid grassland of Deschasimia flee:norm and Polcus sellis/Festuca ovine, with abundant Cmlius snrastilw. Bracken ahl Drverneric gradually increase until at the top there is pure bracken stand over litter. 8.4 Herb- and species-rich mixed grasslthd of fescue, etc. Disturbed below with Rubus; and with forbs co-dominant above in a low turf including Trisetum Carex sriemtn, Petentilla sap.

CO • 1•11-IIIIII MI a a IIIII OS 0 SIM OS MI IS MI

CRID OF WIH REFDATE SITE NANE RAILWAY LINE SIZEFORMDCNOT:C ACCESS

ST 247992 Craig Gwent Hafed-yr-ynys branch S Emb 12.5 Very disturbed and developed on severe cinder tipping. Vegetation rather pate* with some fescur/Poa grassland, Carex flacca carpets, bramble thickets, nettle patches, open scrub of gorse etc. Geranium rotor:le:um in coalmen in patches as were ferns under the Bahus. 3 Lose disturbed but still varied. Fescue grassland with abundant strawberry near the line. Taller grassland with ferns and birch bushes lower down.

.7TMFD-PWIS REGION

a)ITYF:D

C19220 June SN 007213 Becon Hill Fishguard branch N Cut 9 High overgrcwn Ml•x ddth no ground cover even in more open parts except litter eni bare chair. There is some T-nerium sprcedIng in fres below and bramble, hnwthorn and blackthorn colonising from flat above. 6.9 Dauer slope strop shale rock cutting with patchy Festeec evina grassland. froher up slope becomes gentler and mixed hert-rica. acid gresalemd (raters. Thdre h.'.1s been removal of gorse here and eons baa colonised the bare soil. N Emb 19 Three cloar zones: upper edge open mixed deciduous scrub of hazel etc. with rough grass and Tcecrium below it. Middle area on slate caret; with Callen., ito-and much moss.Bottom tail damp collo... scrub with clialing Fuhneu 19 Rather variable site. Upper hige is dry herb-rich rough grassland. Much of the slope is covered in bramble thickets and open rather moribund gorse thickets. There is young tall nyaemore scrub on lower saa?eseattered trees above. CE9321 June SN 1250:1 Tenby Pembroke/Tenby branch NE Cut 15 Much bare shale scree. Open gorse scrub over much of slope, rather danaer rear top di.th greund cover of ivy,litter and moss. Nixed scrub clroweere and bare rock. Lower edge coarse vegetation of brachle/hennetail and rough grass. SW 15.6 Lower purtien mixed weedy low vegetation of gorse/ash and lenicera, with ivy, moss and tall grass and herbs. Thd bulk of the ...ete is ash/eawoodland,willow a:id birch in understovay. Cround cover similar to area by line. NE Emb 9.4 Her.lhorn/blachthorn scrub giving way dcdm the slope to tall ash scrub. This has an undergrowth of bramble, Ctraniev robertic-u-. tnd fcres. The ground cover is muinly litter ...O.th ivy and recs. SW 13.7 Mixed deciduous cmcdiand with ash dominant by line; na/altder with an ash under:A:prey below. Opcm mixed scrub layer with scdtLercd bred-Ole. Ivy carpeting greuftd. Ferns common e.g.Phyllitin. CE9422 June SN 236170 Pont-y-fenni Fishguard-Carmarthen S Cut 15.4 Mainly moist mossy quite species-rich grassland. Leder pnrt is rather CO7Tro With ArvMhatherus and bramble. There is a considerable patch of gorse scrub with a moss carpet below. There is short herb- rich acid turf dominated by Agresti:a spp. especially near the top of the bank. 6.2 Lcwor portion is herb-rich fescue grassland with Ivarcesthesum, Ca-a-c-co. and Plana-vo. This also occurs on the upper slope. :n eetwer. is open candy Ail-a/Moires. SE Emb 10 Mostly dense medium height bramble thickets with litter and moss below it. There arc however big oak and sallow bushes scattered through being especially dense above where they have been cut back vigorously. NW 10 Mainly herb- and species-poor coarse Arrhenathecadm grassland adhich hac been burnt over in the past to remove scrub. There are areas, however, that are very moasy and more mixed in their species, being co more disturbed.

• ons non nem in el sr

GRID OF vim REF DA= SI= NOR RAILWAY LINE SIDE FORM NrY" ACCESS

CE95 23 June SI; 369072 St. Ishmael Llanelli-Carmarthen DE Cut 3.7 Ratner tall rod fescue grasslend with sparso Arrecamthelar/ DnetylisAnrecyron. Low Ruths odesius scatterei throuirtna. Do tall unmans. :Ruh-nit:1 with Lathe-run, nareury, Zilenn and Crachio. SW 4.5 Dore sheltered and with scattered low bushes. Cutting through old send-hC11. Coarse herb-poor fescue grassland with de/curry and nettle invasive. Scattered areas of bare sand. Some dune flora to west. hE Emb 5.6 Dense closed tall bramble thickets with emergent nettle nnd grass scrambling through. Ground cover of iv:7or moon with some tare ballast. A few taller bushes along bank and rough grecs margins:. SW 6.3 bramielo thickets over most of bank. Low and open near flue, hinh and dense near the bottom. Some arras with marr emergent :all Lerbs. D-Ilast strewn slope some of which is exposed, or bare anier Pubis. CE96 24 June ZN 620168 L1andybie Llanelli-Shrewsbury E Cut 2.9 Pdtche0 of coarse herb-rich Arlie:lathe:run grassland with feet77-- fextuil and moadowsemet. Bramble thickets common with encrgan: nettle. leuiseten reense common near line and much co= throumhout. 2.8 Much dead gars etc. near line. Rest of bank covered in here-pcor fescue/Arrbanntherun grassland. Sone erimerun patches and Li; min rza.ars,occasional throughout. E E b 4 Mostly covered in low bramble bat with several areas of tall herbs. Resebay and grasses occur near the line and Furatoriun is cannon below as the bank gives way to a marshy flat. dryolaytes ore abandcht. Ballast dunped. 3.7 Dense higia bramble thickets mostly now dend due to n recent fire. !:OSS has colonised the exposed ballast and cinder. Sarub occurs to the north and near the bottom of the bank a marsh vegetation takes

b) POWYS

=10 1 AugustSO 107650 Penybont Llanelli-Shrewsbury cut6.4 Generally tall, herb-poor Arrhenatherun tall grassland with rmspberry encroaching especially above. Scattered tall-drrUs e.g. meadowsuoet, Fenisetun arvinse and nettle. Moos abundant rrder nettle. 7Lewes pertion very disturbed with sparse bramlle, hawthorn and AiTheacherun, with rens colonising exposed litter. Above this rough grassland 'nth bramble mixed in. Tornio abundant and paraher of garden escapes to went. Falb5.4Upper part rather herb-rich coarse grassland of Arrhennta-rum vdth cooksfoot and fescue. There is much invasive raspberry enposicily in middle arca. Dense luurthorn scrub near bottom. 7.2Variable site with rough Arrherathernm grassland and nettle stands, plus scattered shrubs of Aeon etc. Figwort and herb robort grow among grassland, and cleavers pluo abundant moss under the nettle. MIIMMEMMOIS MINIS Mala01•0101MIIM I. no no am in an am am In

APPENDIX3. BiologicalInterestsites 1978.

GRID OF REF DAZE SITE NAME RAILWAY LINESIDE FORM SOURCE NOTES (PROPOSEDACTION) ACCESS

NCC SOUTH-EASTREGION

a) KCIT

B74 7 June TR 249379 FolkestoneWarren Ashford-Dover S Flat A/SSSI Line goes throughmiddle of very good site but the DR property here is very narrow and disturbedby the track with c. 20% vegetationcover.The Euahorbincsula s.l. and Buddleinare of some interest.FUnctionsas barrierto explorationof the Warren proper and thus protectsit from disturbanceand encroachmentof holidaytrade. (Action : None). B75 8 June TR 270689 Plum RiddingIsland Faversham-Margate N Emb Info. Mentionedby NCC as being a site for Good grassland- the only turf of any value occurs on an embankedtrack off BR land to the north. The railwayhere has species-peerrough grassland.The creek which goes under the line at this paint has a fairly good flora with Zonnichellia,Fontinalic,Potamo.ctonberchtoldiion.d M io h llum a icatum. (Action : None .

b) FAST SUSSEX

B71 31 May TQ 335178 DitchlingCommon Iewes-Wivelsfield NE Cut/ A/SSS/ An odd site,having extensivecalcicolousgrasslandof Brasus Junction Flat/ erectusadjacentto the acid heath of the common.Patchesof low Emb grazed turf occur. Bramble/briaretc. occur on the flat above this cutting.Vegetationon flat and embaalocentincreasinglycoarse to the east. Culvertunderlineproducesa small marshy arca. Diversifiessite but of little note. (Action : None). B73 3 June TQ 518073 BerwickStation Brighton-Eastbourne S Pond Flora By BR property.Mentha nulegiumrecordedhere? No sign of the plant or in pond closer to station but furtherfrom the line.No suitableland now actuallyon rail land. Cut Disco- Large slopewith extremelyherb-richgrassland,with little or no very scrub.Colouredwhite at a distancedue to great abundanceof Leucanthemum.Patchesof Rumex acetosellaand Nedicagoarshicaalso. (Action: None).

c) WEST SUSSEX

B72 1 June TQ 305158 Hassocks & Keymer Victoria-Brighton W Emb Flora Noted as site for Dianthusdeltaidesand E isetum lvoticum. Suitablehabitatfor both but no specimensfound. includesCE33(Erh). Mixed deciduousscrub of sallow/ash/hazelwith Cle-atisover ivy carpet.Some rough open ground. Etb/ Flora Generallybetter for tho two flora spp. but also not found.Tall Flat herb and low scrub vegetationwith dewberryon damp slope. Cinder flats of old sidingsto the south with good grasslande.g. Orobancheminor and birch scrub. (Action: Note). NCC SOUTH REGION

a) BERKSHIRE

B63 15 May SU 421672 Marsh Benham Reading-Westbury Flat/ Info. By river, floodedpit and reed-bed.Some disturbedbramble banks. EmbSeveral reed-bedsand sedge marsheswith scrub edges: Carex rimAria and typicalherbs. By R72.

!M":•. In a IS MI •

aRID OF REF DATE SITE ACCESS NA)M RAILWAY LIFESIPE FOIN SOURCE Nom (PROMISED ACTION)

Flat/ info. Note extensive with big reed-beds in the west. The bank has rather Erb rough vegetation. with bramble and weedy grassland: Barbarea intcomredia present. There is better grassland near tse reot—bed. by improved pasture. Polvgsnum bistorta occurs en DR in good grnselend.(Action:Note).

EAY.PSH:RE

36921 May SU 290001 Setley Bridge Southampton-Bcurnemouth NW Erb/ including and continuous either wey with RFP. Brorble thicket, Flat rough grass,low scrub and species-rich grass heath. Ditch hank. Geed population of Pulmornrin longifolie; also: SerretnIn, Genistn nnmlica and Menisci. SE Erb/ Similar but :.,UaS more grassland especially Molinin and :ere of the Flat turf markedly herb rich with Orhicgloscum. :lore lung”ent. hibdtats Ike any in mrce, end notabam no lurpwurt on gorse het.' 3854 July ed:ecent.(Action:Note? Schedule). NJ 820555 Fleet Pond Woking-Dasingstoke S Flat/ A/ESS/ CTo ac, flats idth weedy grassland and birch scrub beery-Jag mare Erb vmgeteted -di,yfrom line. Punk has birch scrub and rough grassland. N not/ A/SSSI Mainly birch semb and rough gross. Little value and no pond:Ins:Ion Fab tie Ferd other than te increeme shore line and rplit itin t..y. 395 (Aetien:None). 4 September SU 517458 Nicheldever Spoil Basingstoke-Southampton E Cut/ =I chalk cutting between tunnels with bircht/bnzel scrub cyor Heaps Flat patches of herbs: Nvcelis, Frecaria, Nercuri:lis ani acme encnids: Freractis hellebort7i 7:777nnilntnera do:mesa:Sue. Some bare chalk sc:ye cliff with patchy open vegetation. Cut/ SSSI Dense hawthorn and mixed thickets on slope with similar vegetation Flat to Peet side covering most of bunk. DR land probably only covers the slopes,the spoil heaps themselves on flat above are diverse and very rich.(Aetion : Note. Confirm or extend Schedule(which- ever relevant))• CY:FORDS/ERE

99016 August SU 591852 Cholsey Paddington-Swindon NE Cut/ Disco- Continuous with CE118. Chalk rock cutting with scree below and Flat very broad flat above. Scree has patchy herb- end srecies-paar Ainhinetherm grrocitland with Pastineca common. The cliff is almost bare and the fiat above in course hero-poor Arrhenatherm/Promus erectun grasslend. Rather better near CE118. SW Cut/ Disco- Similar to NC side but closad grass on scree with scrub. The cliff not very has ialony scrub and the flatis nsrrowar. (Action:None). 99218 August SP 409152 Conbe Cutting Oxford-Worcester N Cut/ Info. Short deep cuttiro: east from R. Eyenlcde. SO7e retaining walls by Flat 'cver. Sloite hos rough limystene gransland, hare rock, nsn ncruU and Cirtit/tremble thickets. Ike flat nbove is a mixture of coarse herh— c:10.species-rich Brotus erectus grassland with Orobanche eintior and thickets. Cut/ /nfo, Similar and mucn grass in east but with tall scrub on flat in west Flat and rluch Polvoodiwi on cutting slope. Orobanche again occurs with Astra7alus mlvcvmhyllos and Salvia nratensios. (Action : Note. Schedule . IS a MI MI 1= 101 a a • IS a 11111 111111

MID OF PEF DATE SITE N RAILWAY LDT, SITE FORM SOTTCE NOTTS (PROPOSED ACTION) ACCESS

d) 1CILTSHIRE 564 16 Nay ST 823507 Redbridge Stone 'Westbury-Taunton S Cut/ Flora 2y 373 and continuous with it. Coarse Arrheratherum grassland and Flat bleorlle with some bushes arA woodltad herha. lse CILera reference is to a site. for Minuartia hybrids. The only suitable locality in on the old bridge wita ferns and horbs on itc brickwork and herb- rich grassland on flat of old rood. N Cut/ Flora An the other side but some cutting and burning. The dcaoliched Flat bridge has suitable habitat for the sando'..Tt, but not soon. (Action : None). B66 19 Nay ST 962296 Chicksgrove quarry Salisbury-Yeovil S Erb/ A/SSSI 13y Geological SCSI and 376. Interest minimal in arca by quarry with Flat poor reod beds end bramble. With R76 however represents quite diverse arca with scrab, grass, bramble, wet ground and Sisturbqd. Thaw a good species list and variety of habitat but not ell:standing. (Aatian : Nese). 567 20 May SU 227391 Eewton Toney Salisbury-Basingstoke N Cut/ Disco- Including and between cutting and embankment of CE76. Ch Lk Tmh/ very cuttivm and grassland, scrub and wcoJland. Rich gnaselarj on Flat embankment etc. and extensive flats whore old liar leases need track. Cut/ Disco- Ar other bark but with second chalk cutting and scree. Cinder flats Fob/ very where old lthe loaves used track. Juniperus, AJaaha, gc, -, i,, Flat diffulud and Polyeala oalessa. Excellent voriety vf 777thion: Note ? Shic*ele). 2.68 20 May CU 19 36 Porton Salisbury-Basingstoke N Esn Flora SupTahed site for Sol:chorus foctius - not found. Rater cover woody sdth large pavanes of tall scrub, with bramble thickets and aroas of reach grassland and tall herb. The scrub and itn edge could be suitable habitet but nothing of value noted. S Emb Flora As north bank. (Action : None). 270 22 May SU 252271 Went Dean Solisbury-Romsey S Cut Disco- Ajdnaent to end just Fast of CE73. Deep chalk cuttin7 covered in very mixed deciduous scrub of acIVSwidzi and maple etc. Icor bl -717±.7-2 uadergreadh arA patches of Eu-husland near line. Goad herbacchus ground cover. N Cut Disco- Similar but with tall trees near the top of the baillv. To the went very esd, rather open )..ith low scrub and chalk turf. Notably horb- and sphcies-rich site with geed cover for birds etc. (Aation : Note ? Schedule). 239 11 August SC 000937 Oakney Halt/ Stroud-Swindon W F.sb/ Info. fluvepo)kA to have Thlasni rerfclintum nt Halt and Pritillaria on Swill Brook Flat grass hank by medic,' SOSi. Tao flat by the line is CoVel' in recent ballast and the eabeajcunt slopes in braghle/briar with a faw ash trees and patches of closed thorn scrub. There are very occasion:1 rough grass areas. No rarities. E Frat./ Info. Very f.,S-,L.S , ,Attern to west and equally poor. Fiat (Action : None). 2107 8 September ST 865696 Corsham Swindon-Bath N Cut/ Geol. Lim'athne rock outtinm becoming very high before tunnel. Flora Flat SESI includes bramble thickets, low scrub, ivy curtnins and coarse linestone grassland. It becomes more woody in 1.).ert and has a mossy dripping cliff with a marsh below. S Cut/ Geol. Similar but less exposed rock and sore generally woody thretrhout Flat SSSI with brick wall shoring up cutting for much of length. Diverse anisal habitats. (Action : Note). M a NM • O a 11•11 a a a all•la MI a 11•11

aRID OF SITE NAME RAILWAY kr 72 SIM7. FORM SOURCE NOTES (PROPOSED ACEION) ACCESS

NOC SOUTH-WEST REGION

AVON

12106 8 September ST 721927 Cullimore's Quarry, Bristol-Gloucester W Bath A/SSSI Ouarry here very small and grossed over. No direct contact with Charfield BR. One vegetation of the narrow banks here being bramble thicket, rough Arrhenotherun and low hawthorn. (Action : None).

CORNWALL

1558 30 April SX 115644 Newbridge Wood Plymouth-Penzance S Emb it/urs Small embankment adth rather short herb-poor grassland erd frceuent trbnble thickets. Mixed aeid weedy flora on thn ballast and reTe scrub cutting. No contribution tc the site. (Action : None). 2591 May SW 581381 Angarrack Bridge Plymouth-Penzance N Flat/ Info. nvag cutting by bridge with gorse and ocid grassier-1 on ledriaa. Cut Bedew it and to the cast ballast flats and hO71:3 in an cages:sive ruerol area with c :SOX.vegetstion cover. These areas support a rich flora with neverol nolcicolcs Lind aliens of int:scat e.g. Li-stria del-at:Ten , An 'd.cd.s yd:,In i:dUt and Ctortsul" el-. i -rife:ie. S Cut Info. Mit:: eattirt with gerre end acid grassland in letters. etc. (A oviton : Note 7 Sahodule). 1260I May SW 559375 flayle Station Plymouth-Penzance N Cut/ Info. Suppocud cdce for Allium babinotonii - not found. Fiat is colonised Flat in- ..:c aite etionin(d. late cutting, slop: furtt.,:- cant has here-rich coarse Nrnssland with Antnellis otc. S Cut/ Info. 5:tilnr tc north. Flats more extenniv(-, busiyt end with continuous Flat co= ineludinn some Allinm tricuetrum. The cutting to the east is also like the North one but less coarse and with Issbia :erect:ale. (Att.:en : None). B611 May SW 545367 Hoyle Estuary St. Ives branch B Esb A/SSSI Rttna: open end IsW gorsc/sycsmore scrub with petthes of 07k end pure gorse. Ground cover of ivy and litter plus bluenell. Ruuning dee::: to saltines cf lityle estuary - sec CE67 (Eel). TI.i: nine is known for it s birds tut liB land oostrilutes li tti c to providing a little diversity of habitat and fool/shclter. (ntion : None). B94 5 September SW 933598 St. Dennis Junction Newquay branch s Flat Info. Site in fork of line and Malodor Mill brdsch. Oceplex nmgeic of o2d sidings, cinder flats and ballnst/cpoil henps in verioua rtages cf cclentration with a idch ruderel flora. billet: ^crab CC770%, tall herb vecetation of lolamonum eusrid-ium. 0-n-thera, Ltictics

el lojlett tire corn:mit:cc. The t;ontblo speele, ps,..2•nt tnclulo „co up}, I„,leem, um, bnd gerenhalorie scorn:Ionia. (Act:en : Note Stnnaalc). 5)5 5 September SW 946605 Goss Moor Newquay branch S Plot A/SSS/ Liiiu. verge with none scid ruin:, end rough gres:/scrutu 7:.-tre is sone encroachment by :species from acid nire finq -...AjniceL e.g. tE.i'tch) Ot---untts and a mmall pnTulation of Scroehnlerin rectroTcnio. Plat Info. Came eld trark bed with species-rich grassland edth "ultItt e:surea, Air, and Pilesel7a etc. Behind it low scrub spread from. oince sloes se,lecnt - Pvlica, Turult srlvatica, Salix spp. and bristtle. (Action : NO -777- 396 5 September SW 932505 Trenowth Wood Plymouth-Penzance S cut/ WsssI Van-tette: cetcankrent with opcn oak scrub with mined acidiphilous limb/ weedy and herbaceous growth. A len rock cutting has rhoiedendron Flat and hemthers plus ferns sad a ballast hopper beers a otnnd of Frilobius lanceolatum. cut/ A/nssI Almo variable: a low embankment covered in heathers pad bent; low Esb/ almost pure rhododendron scrub in the flat; open oak scrub on a Flat gentle cutting; and a high steep rock cutting, burnt 4ith gorse and catsear. (Action : Note). a a II•1 • a 1101 a MI a I= a a NM

GRID 0 7 REF DALT, ' SIGS NAME oCCESS RAILWAY LINE SIBE FORMSOURCE NOTES (=FOSE:" ACTION)

097 5 September SX 078540 Par Newquay branch FlatInfo. Margins of station oar perk with herb-rich cinlon: gronslond and by a ditch uneven ground and tall willow scrub. far:0 tarshy gTound and reed-lads near the couth and and n cutting slope by the -.cress with cross/gsrsc henthland. Linum bienno, Scro”huli.rin coorodonia,

FlatInfo. low btrdt with genortilly rough vegetation of hannonn, b de, ctc, but Thynohosinanis present and other good app. (Action : hdtn). B73 6 September SW 780357 Perranwell Falmouth branch Cut/Info. Cuttli:; in ct-tics covered mixed scrub ef moron:, is_ct Issittrica Fiat and s variety of othnr woody growth often of cultivoced nrimin. Sevnrely burnt in Font. In nhat and below cuttinc eld track bed and hallnst flats with open rough gross. Cut/Info. Similar but less rich in cutting and with damper slope end Emb/ characteristic app. c.c. Ocecondo. Eab:nkment to nemst in coarse Flat rough jr.r.rs and bra--ble. 899 : Nome). 6 September SW 817323 Falmouth Falmouth branch Flat/Info. At tho statien ballsst flots wito rough crass and opon Cutdl-'' Cut scrub: redid population of Linarin surina. To thn vent co: th- bridae, 71:.d1:encb grassland nnd seruI followaad loy c rcck cutting with a mninly nmndy :evening. Flab/Info. At the station low gross/brnmble banks with Eris- -nxisn eesehn and Cut/ SC1T Tiracia supine. West ef the bridge a pine :halter belt with Emb Raguacno masilltssunder it, ond finally n reek cutting nith s i !ripe mnrItpi or n.ienn present. (Action : Note). BI00 6 September SW 50.8515Marazion Marsh Plymouth-Penzance NW FlatA/SSSI Narrow area very poor compared to adjacent scrsh. Low sollow nerub (0 Cut) and rough gr-nn with some rood-beds; disturbed ond of little hei:tn. SE Flat & A/SSSI Similar but witch more cpan water in ditchns and concngedntly ohne Ditch rehd and te,uatees. Some bramble pntches and Sere...II-rid cit-ckesia. (heiten : Noce). 8101 6 September SW 499313 Long Rock Plymouth-Penzance FlatInfo. Nnrrow rough grass and low scrub verge with several carden encspec (!: Cut) involved. Vflry poor and disturbed in general but good peculation of Cyonden dtetvlon on hilliest immediately by trnek b-d. Flat/Info. Sy cc:ly ccacc. coke bramble thickets and hor1-rich tmearalcri oith Get alundtot D7ucrs. C.:modes rare by fence on looser c-nd (v. eommen 3102 on dunes):--(77tion : hate). 7 September SX 577578Lyrher Estuary Plymouth-Penzance Emb/A/SSSI Rork cutting with acid granaland and ferns in west. High neksnkment Flat ccdercd in slate scree nitn Polyrodium, cons, Cern inc rhonntheum (& Cut) to brackish march acd then saltincs, n11 on IR. S Fnb/A/SSSI Very similar. Scree drior with Cantranthas, such Ehlloiims Flat lasccei7tum bramt1e snd spline:siert. .i.ittincy with -int -cid (& Cut) ithateint.lin -te. . : hone 7 Extend Schedule osto ik lend). P109 7 September SX 430588 Saltash Sidings Plymouth-Penzance Cut/Info. Cancci flats, rough Crack and con:rue grucny euttini- clop-. 01: Flat tdre.c aro, has around it a bin pcpulation of Tint"as cm—rin snd the valiant arca some Cflrenius ronunCifolius arm, s 7iros. Ivy coorrn on wolled cutting hearer Stntion. CutInfo. Rough Arrhenstherus grassland and ivy/bramble. Poor. (Action : Note). c)=ION

357 28 April SS 492325 Isley Marsh Meeth & Bideford branch N FlatA/SSSI Rank herb- and species-poor Agronyron pungens crancland with no woody growth. One or two other maritime species. Adjacent to upper partc of good salt marsh. It serves to prevent the eoTancion of neighbouring farmland through drainage. Useful as a barrier but not as a wild area. (Action : None). co 1/40 SI I= MI S IM S =I

aRID OF REF DATE SITE N.412 RABDRY LINE ACCESS SIDE FORM SOURCE ROTES (PROPOSED ACTION)

SC2 3 May SX 441661 Furzehill Gurnislake & Dere Alston E Cut Disco- Coo„. lc - with 0E65. Mninly a rock cutting with voriety of vego- branch (2, very tation: old trark bod with herbaceous vegetation: epon fostooning Flat) brarbio/briar, herb-rich grassland; rock cutting with scrub to 2m; scattered areas with wet rock fcces. Cut Disco- Rock cu:Lics, rather 7= hsody and with less good grassland but very generally tie race. A inters cutting. :.ot,:: I Sc::,,A1?). B104 7 September SX 450607 Warleigh Wood Gunnielake/Bere Alston F. Cut Infe. Worded reeky cutting dorinatcd by Oucrous rotcnert over ferns, blanch brarbge, F:wbssion nod Brig.= earns:. Soec yegniss of heathy scrub wit*. b1rci/hccel. Cid :reek bed balow with rough open grecs and ephceralo e.g. Brilobice lanccol-Lue. Cut Info. Stellar but hith sc7:e :7'.:1-0 open e.ress dominated by Erica snd Vacciniue cr Pteridiun with tree: and Cortcces. Scrub cutting in Frog:yrs. Coes up to Levy bridge. (Action : Note).

d) SCZEFSE:

E56 25 April ST 521286 Charlton Yackrell Wectbury-Taimton N Cut Disco- Short b-rich calcicolour grassland with come very to either cod. T:c grassland Las a good pcpu le'' , • Cootacrice, Circiur echul(.,

ajoirent raptor:. ne. Site between Cu* S Erb cf sod with thee of :end: value. (Action : Noto ? Schedule). 265 17 May ST 717405 Wanstrow Cranmore branch NZ Cut Disco- Open erectus grassland with herb-rich patches dor:inured by very fescue. Oood varied coloicolous flora including Orcnis largo bank with :sec scrub to E. SW Cut Disco- hank willow and gross at bettorr. Then mossy very short turf dominated very by Hierecice sp., Csrok flaccs etc. Soee domp groanS witn Pleten:noes hifolie. Atsve this ranker turf with sallowirycaeore roost. s psirrose and woca-spurge. large bunk with rich flora. (Action : Note Schedule).

NSC 'etE.Z7 =AND Fli710N

a) 010XCESTERSRIBE

534 10 Aurast SO 812050 Stonchouse Gloucester-Swindon N Cut Flora Incluoing 0E116 (Cut). This sly bo the old rite for Cirrime Cu:cam-se and Betimea]s Now mainly nettle sae -L,:w)1^, relict cobrse cosus vertes nay i red: ente the:- toir was once ou:Ssble isbigat. Cut Flora t: rye:en:ere scrub hulth disturbcd/cloarod undergrohth. No cuitsblo hnbitnt for *he two spccies above. (A cron : None). 285 10 August SO 700042 Five Acre Grove Bristol-Gloucester SE Cut k/IN? Cbi s corms: south of wood: Bracrhyrodium eine:tut: grassland with betsny etc. Ey the woods: scrub hath some toil trees and ruch brnsble/Cleratis giving a dense thicket. To the north of tho wood: Calc---rostis criseloc grassland. NW Cut A/I212 Siriltr zonation: grassland richer with Brceus erectus, la"varra tuberorus, Cirsium orionhorum, Gonista tinctoria. Very soca tun by path across line. The scrub by the wood is siriLbr hut a ao:ISC Cler:Itis thicket occurs at N. end. (Action : Note 7 Schedule). NM NM a I= NM MN

MID OF RET DATE SITE NAIE RAILWAY LTNE EIDE PORN SOB(SCE NOTTS (Mal= ACTION) ACCESS

886 10 August SO 950017 Haney Farm Cutting Stroud-S‘dendon NE Cut/ Geol. Stopped limentone cutting with cinder Slot:: below it. The cinder Flat SCSI has nerb-rich calcicolous graoslond. The cutting cad ledmes, plus scree hove potchy vegetation with ferns, ceps, isnnoals and cal: tools turf. 3-:re cmirso 12rrus erectus. Cut Geol. Stepped limestone rook cutting with much :ch and hawthorn + moss 5551 and occonicnol grass areas. (Actien : Note ? Cie:alder extending Schedule to Biel.). 387 11 August SO 961012 Halley Wood Stroud-Swindon SW Cut Flora Site ikc Svmscc:d.nium robertianum and Pe'vmana'um oier 'n- - neithar found but ow:tette :aeitct. A .i"tinm wi. setc oheor focuma, int generally rather gentle vith °pan aixod deciduous sededb a:specially ash and locally grecs patches. NE Cut Flora Essentially similar to Sd side and like it with good population c: Carr:at:In mr-chelitm: and Foinactis hole:ea:tine and t"flr:,]. CC' ACLIOn. : UCte). 388 11 August ST 988960 Komble Stroud-Swindon W Cut/ Flora cd site for cerfolict= - not seen. Old track bed Flat - cressinni. Aleve ratoinin.-, brick soli is ea:a/ha ao rn sc: :lb . Cut Flora Similar to Whet with wall end scrub, but end near access point hes a ratry:r epa:: Bro: un erectus granol-nd area with Sere If moil and typical foots- soe Shicmri could occur thorn. (Action : hone). 331 17 August SP 159413 Camnden Tunnel Oxfordreester W Cut/ Flora A voice large cutting produced iy BR but nos incorporated iato the Flat -c 1-md Ls conifor codland. Wrist remain:: is very poor. An old track bed with Arrnonatnerte- in patchos actd -u-h Seuonniu- robentierum. Behind it a lea tfl::with rouph grecs ci.d ca. retie. Cut Flora heovidy sprayed cud scrub-cut. (Action : None). 8108 8 September SO 914028 Frampton Mansell Stroud-Swindon N Emb Geol. Ximol deciduous woodland of oak, cycafloro are -is over abundant (2, Cut) S031 :necl. Sround cover of ivy and morcury plum PalvaccoUnt ond Bpi' ctia. lo the west: beech, yew, senicle snd lomut.vmun. (Emb) Cool. SQ-.^siche wall with Go-noes:tutu+ robertinnomi snd or: s of roseboy. Cut SSSI Mainly rough cutting, scree,roumn ii-ass cnc open carol- with ViCiJ rviveticc:, Cycolds, Bic:a-1mm nnd cony herbs. rtction : Noce. -tend Schedule to include Biological).

NCC DIFED-FCM REGION

a) DYFED

376 20 June SM 926304 Heathfield Fi-'-guard branch Info. Above very good lowland sire which hns little affect a Flat verso. The value of this site lies in its cuhan monis eckl be ' slope with h .,s12 - rich vegetation including Fmilebiu- lel-uum and Lir:ones, repens. Some bramble and willsd: °true :.1:u Cut Info. ny“,13, gorse nonce onl acid grassland (Action : :htte). 877 21 June ss 125997 Tenby Burrowe Tenby and Pembroke SE Ectb/ Info. Vary tmcied but mainly on extension of adjacent dune syntem etc. branch Cut/ with: reed beds, rough crass, thorn scrub, herb-rich cilcicolous Flat prosaland, dune slacks and disturbef sonde, plus feri-domin:d.ed ealdim-nt. 1 al> nnd with Junoue :tutus, Vulsis narhranocea, Cschin reria, Ancen-mtic etc. NW Emb/ Info. Lsicintio_ly the same so ether side. Valuable as a protected Cut/ extension of the dunes with no access. Flat (Action : Note ? Extend schedule already on dunes). 878 22 June SN 365188 Llanllwch Mire Carmarthen-Fishguard Flat A/SSSI Through middle of lowland peat bog. Cost of site in low species- (& Emb) and herb-poor Celinin grassland. Scrub occurs to the wont snd there are occasional tddoken patches or Carcx beds. A good deal of the rdte has been recently burnt, and this has spread onto the tISSI. The cite is thus probably deleterious to the conservation value. Flat A/SSSI Very similar but even more severely burnt. (Action : Nr.e). • (Fe Emb) 111111101 MIS 01 01 a-- 10 a Mla MI IS

GRID OF RIFDATE SITE NAME RAILWAY LINE SIDE KEE SOTECE NOTES (PROPOSED ACTION) ACCESS

279 23 June SN 36 07 St. Ishmael Llanelli-Carmarthen S & W Cut/ Info. Lonr site north from CE95 for over i rile. Alomm ef nines and & 36 08 Emb/ with fe7:0 included on ER with Vulrin meelranecne and Orcle--Ln manor. Flat Roumin brombia/gross with terecrus cyivestris zni ti etc.; soh-well. Cut/ Info. Esscin:d nner north end of cite: rock cuttiny with yresem; ledc-c Flat end se: e parts ivy festooned. Sycomern/asmeles ccrub wit:, Den tcrism at foot of cliff. (actles : Rote ? Schedule perf.s with bc"r--us cylvactros e't ) B80 23 Juno SN 420039 Pinged Crossing CW7.7.13UT branch SE Erli] Info. TETT Led known am site fen Linerie cuniet - not toured. Decently Ditch creeyed. Nouch yress with tali herbs eel --e'sCiny Nentna rets:dffolie. LOP/2 ditch (ccnal) with no open ;,:tter, now s•silow

NW Emb/ Info. veny eiciler with Sedum forc:teunum on wall. Flat (Action : Dote). E31 23 June SE 417026 Ffrwd Farm Mire Cvarnawr branch FInt/ A/SCSI Lime ecuth frac access best breed flzt with Drc-ut collie: etc., Emb/ enes‘ls ehd hnre-rich vcsetntion nn cinder. deli nee's bed via Ditches tr:mble by dry ditch, whir:, has much Csree :1°O'.-1:"., P O. alOfC. Thn ditch's troce fint nest bone. :en Rd; m _ten with leabrie, Adenenerus end Allinc vIneeln. Mbe merminel m;t u.tme by -.Le :LI.2 h?'3 :Lcettitsc, CeLsitelehe :nd letRyrus ntlustric. yrcurmi on ISa Lt cdc.oss: s cc s vers.-Ai:troth. c:orm (ActHn : ::otc ? Extond tong:duly to incluwe na). 362 24 June EN 628211 Ffair-fach Llanelli-Shrewsbury NW Cut/ Geol. Rock outtiny with potchy veyetetion of grecs end low scrub. Cut:1-y Flat SSSI on RE :Lind South from bere. 'Whole quarry: shaded by loren cc:it tress rooted on cliff top and floor. Rock face covered in brmnile, or mess with ivy and ferns. Floor covered in elder, nettle, ft:fs and yellow nrchanycl. The rock cutting Scuth fres quarry ic eimiler to that to the north. (Action : None). a a MIMMIMIIM MIMIMMaaaa IS RANDOMSITE REGN / DIVN / AREA / SITE 91+. Direction•fromaccess / cr NP / Ri00 cliss SITE NA1€ Llo.eat Comm as.,,,,,rE I I DATE21.6749WEEK NO 4a6 t MAP REF AP 951.6eletSRY.F.T NO Sset6 DIST AP-RP ,. Prst woe RECORDM ArnIseciatrn .e rd ALTITUDE a ie po t GEOloGY...... ;... L...... „1.2...c wasons.,... Uteuhaboi SITEASSESSMENTPotkaiat4 O.wit Tog ali. cat*. a timasbona..tog aabw,; cowlAmnions!. 031/4.1716111464 fiCt/eabark' et SCr ta . /LA'tfloattest ahi (tab-rib. Ilia leofitzt• im.r North South TRANSECT1 Side TRANSECT North South as 'West 4 East .es Side ' rotation L=Flator Direction N S Direction Irk to of track 0' E w of track E W Width a:Cut S+ Mgt Tip NLU Widt Tn .141gtTip NIU Tn + tch a6C51:90°445 - 5115=11: t + - - - la( 11 • 02 t a abd ;Sot 426 - plat + 1-0°t:cto°145 - I•o a a‘crif•aer16a6 - 166 a 300 :slit — Le•iss Sae 1 - - I — - - Okst be - So 6.9 — Fl-.work cot brombtaaras * or - Fl-arnalmartiatftati 6104.efsasS. at rock. bj Tel - roar rocs, &ammo AbenmSt.Soira 4neighbour-Pa- UffaslIonorockat&hcnpscoilh colontatnross r land a . 0463;CaS tiasuito spa. Bronted F*3- Ponca&cotwocrnoi cover itioeVon? b hooguarn.. co*. Untaboneoolteops, Corbt r% -a Dona eXotad iltehlthifet 410441,41.• low brombla. Bando Saaggisontini . bied efOrts 41ca•to; Or- dons bromka. pOr.intaoils* lot4 F4- afretAus.641-clanto.beconlAtVvoadnatet. hobo li.con..Sorb. tthiluss7ralt TRANsscr2 No h South Side TRANSECT Nort South Side as West 3 East es Direction Direction of track of track t E U. Width Tip NEU S+ Mgt Tip 'NLU Widt Tn Tn OM” - -- 445 al a‘ OEMS irks a s o Ole late — -4

5si a SC :411400 Lo.0 •••••11 80 St - SOS 1.1 Fl•-•tyst daztA.b*nSa1tvi44!Iron en,ffICIC Fl -90162, mot oat, ,Alara m444. 644 %Itit wait. mows Key/vizi. Cook.v6s. ra.•••emnitNear creckasISononote.A.a Fa- Rock;Kt calk. *Mad beambla.and (Dieser knas golior *slake Is Tann DiStoat nALPInCtitstaehaolkons bat,. roa tscsalloorn.(*Acts &bilkdont*. Davit kuvia•couve. n- dm% Ma becatnbla,„caikbriar! habolhon., rtt —Loos beonAla.-eso cionosk,on top oP At.94orrn. Vono!koen,harmed cot* LlamamcMs4Aso .1%4 WoosVO4tr., CUT/EMB SIAE i;Eai / •DIVN / afl&A / SITE Direction Emb Cut 95. . from access: N 0 / CF / N P / CE99 E W E ' ccess • int ft. Emb 10 it olt SITE NAIS) Emb lateurtatZ S. lama DATEne..4BWMC 110 & COUNTY) Cut Cut 13 a 2 - 'irst Emb 9101YelEmb S594. Emb MAPREF AP . SHEET NO DIST AP-RP ICOrt. BEcoRrm pri eird Cut .. L Cut .. .Cut soon.v. 'oat Emb IBC( Emb ATTITUDE , . GEOLOGY•Cut boa Cut ao

sIm -.ASSESSMENTSIla ambett`kimft4 hi" bee affi" /V1ka :4 WS4ea 146 4 wa an oczarsa "I' P° CA; -ruLkurtits ;OW Itttl Ow. to1xoti cj - - 411 a eat 0- 4 Atk EMBANIGAZITTransect 1 Nort South EMBANMEOT•Transect 2 Nort. Lout: leanclas 6alloab. Sr raj iNaEast er can.ar.6,botIS. Sit West I T Fl—koineou.noL.dootel3fen brewobta... FI coos friar n orilivaci APOtaa Fra.--etuat tattrobtla.tutal • ' Fear coon%ileAsnaihmon. vulva. sac lowouda‘ma by os kir 110+214wen...bfwetWaslo*O). on Ace u 04,1-CA,hapCASeri thpiQmoit orn olderacna +a i14% sjeastsicwi.. . - r•aratinaina1 fosscdhark*

S+ Mgt Tip NLU Width Widt in Tip NLU l oabtank 1 m 'us la as ti 0 H b 1= tch id °317os 2.6 tt i-=F1at Cut - aut. 6.Z & Emb

; ist be CUTTING Transect 1 Nort South CUTTING Transect 2 - . North SoutI 1-or betWasMA.woo. - boo teak tad*. acme. A . • East West I . owl onasl.aadown. 1Mb dratnoa outoh• sr tea nowt ra:loolgios caah. staNteal co.temolanir Was Ittnahms cmt.:11, rats, on.. kroasVorarook emit . 190 faCk it LAB s a haaa14to . • Wcon..caw 3 n -.Noss es oat Cook& Ot Yalta 3 .. 464)6 s . rich.. rargrc das%aima gawk,. lb E. keio Ate's iota b.wnajho.abkcnt. t ArAa ris.....lota tat mba. et rut + hosalkorn.

Width F A S+ Mgt Tip NLU A Mgt Tip NLU Widt In cies:90° litS - Q. 2.4e :a) 414 VI 1•0 Q. Id' :6T.)litS - Zo° 126 - fasit Q. cid) +351— 21o4) ' a I Sco -4.11 Z;IM 01 5LULAJUICAL RGN / DIV:: / APEA / SITE / STATUS .. I 96 . INTaitSScr • CJ / W0cE/ BR. / 865 /..DIsc.. Status SIM NAME Wom96,00 in COUNTYSorfurntUP ph.DATE11.5.48 WEEKNO2C MAP REF lattoct SHEET N05 MAY LINECunmott brurseac=r4 Afn. SSSI ALTITUDE S50, MUGGY RA ttrust ,-....na ()plies roma rnopitlusenalt. 010a.

D C MAJORVEGETATION TYPES lacens ti Side of track NE WE NE Sto Sca ScJ too too -4. loo-.11. 100-* 100 Dist from aft 100-4' access 4004•CX)4-00 *form Landform Last Slope 0 0 • 0 0 or ba Aspect no lm 0 t Vegn Mgt +=litch. 5. at Tipping + Cut N Land use 5=iat Ent Width t MINORVEGETATION TYPES

oedeb.eWontowwe ;CU- scoøar& similar it We&emeritus/ b j ths Seveol- runt;

SITE MAP: Indicate precisely reference points and limits of section surveyed. NOTES: Continue on back or new sheet if necessary. Give word picture of site and vegetation plus any notes on preferred management.

11/4 la tre4/43 ea*. sena, okorri Ira corralianas Viltgam. est beeoreirr3 couva004/tee, eats ward fa*. (a)INEekts-orne Grotretter.scoocheaeoal mGan.%Manot firia O.nue% tiWer. laera rrry -3 ' %east rya os/ consomunt nay if: Sateen. rav(s pea Coen. Ceetworu 11/Q. resins, tie al A 101, resimeiuti. Near Wee Ina. &oar%Awensicaa> an4 e-P Y rnIr to P(359 broroWa.onVetyeed robeleasEsotataA ell

)S6.) skier tn. oC earkriss LIfreer* SoUs boon den hoar ci; atm . earTi-Ccotoren. 14. iliare 4wisa loco mon tof sa r sat#occ rosoIL oast a0.4 1". Hiciesciaamup. CIGoss Aosta ccoseiewatestlemmenesi.arap aim . FlePerNassProesdope Iwo. & Aural. Moos *a cant Iroaknel Pokes over cad 1//e. Vali utrusoto. &EAU°, snip coat primrose. read - spy,. canumnlratsivul 6, tollr aka Clarsa 61 g 't la &Swam S 6 0 " Y behothal lots.t:tt eeitAtiermieVt Vth 0coert`tion. a oelaloesliest consemoron. in.oArirat;rot 0,401. inn. mos -aoonMaqs octsowtb Aor mail. a thA9yosslami..../0041 catch:dadanion% ca. seutonI local artattee 111..... alt --_ A W

QUADRAT REGN / DIVN / AREA / SITE / QUADRAT 97- RECORD CJ / Cr / NP /CEei9/ -11QQ.

SITE NAZE Llama a ILLP13 RECORD^ sac DATE24,638 LANDFORM' ASPECT 900 SIDPE +356WIDTH OF SLOPE .10.4WEEK NO.26 PR

VEGETATIONITT (CI) 30 MOT 100 TIP

Lilatank or to CODE COV CODE COV ratty>. embea.. Salt ttO 2ift 5 b Ant1/40xchviumn.act.a.t '+=Ditch a.t ao PrAumatkat, tie( 169 5 51rtut • tristvum. Oo%scus 105 IC S=Flat Emb - 144:Awes10.40.4..s q 83 5 Quadrat Sweet). data tqi a (Lb. s.t. Mae -- 4 Potteala or qatts.. Ism10 42 utesarn. essato Lotion Canhuso.. 1t144- Portrken sancrisorba. 1scls 5 o9. PtaAhlr 1:,jcagalo.1-o.1464 5 Vio%ct altS 5

a .at AtmAlita 1 tn.. mAttroliwn. 1. a. II ck1W4 a 44e.m.eimen4ier Niot rooted ecte. P.0.40 ot - -Rams Gates, hanging Be.CogiCo..Athol:41(s qtrat) Lotus r tAsi. Wvoiclaseit 14-46 Bare gr9und /01%4 4000 10 3 Litter*/ 4001 1+0 . Bryophytesj 4003 Open water 4004 Lichens 4005 Exposed rock 4007 n_ Bare ballast 4008 Bare cinder 4009 Bare mixed ballast/cinder 4010

Quadrat descri tion:grobektanAvata. stacuricbt ctsamtwowshmeb.crimssiim.4.cwi. %/Mr lib Aotr, rockwat(lowo quirk rot onha >Setuust.04 hdbrult COeibfACOAPOA%SOW=tau Pas. V11seun wan CeacaNg4Ict a n uStar V* man. cole$Ata dik Arttssacaa 41,.t.aata

• i.• .10.11011.OWyr: (IC 71([ stril 43.3ss. : 1.)1 .[..11, 1:11 . 3(1)11 NMI on. 111" 1 Arto ill J1L 1.11,p, 1' 1 2.itt4l,:1421sSiisii:, "1,/ , 01 511131•11.50.1, I, 01 ‘1" . .,1 111 :: ' 1 i 1 34, t ./111 4, I'l, !I•n7 1"1 'Ill, Sirle:ill ,:iir!, tri . i , /10,04 IL 1 1 i ,i, ;M. i , • 1 ' 1 :1c,in'. 1.0.1, IIF ), 11,h, pi 11.1 ne m ..,...I (.1,1. 1.1,7 i , [ ' . 1 • ...1.11.1 r LE 11,4 I •;.:11 annen [ ' 21 I • 1, Ntli PI, .:`Culs.5114,1: II. Os, rigs a„, '1. • (1.11111 I V 2.viy.:(3134c3.:21,1,7111[:1,,):..JII,. 1 1647 1,05 In 712, A"la S) 1-12 31, [1 113 164n ,a1.1i .:1 21h S,rp `III C.Irt Ii Y.F4 I 1115 m ,c1 001 cc, LI Il.S1 , m 14.'S Its 11. I {. 01 111 1 •!7 13. , Jr., 4, 6 - FF.IFF (.IFF,FF.JFFFF 1.t, .20113317 [(3,3 11:0 2'174 T,,,,, '7: [I' 1,195 11, 1., t11J ... Sr` 14.4,1[s 5 , ihno. ' 1<1 1.1 :1.71 [loss; IFFF , 112 : • as....aH221:?"57[11 c.• 1 i 13 1 ST!" In icy!, ' I '4' 1, , 1o73 RI 214 •1"111 .. 17114 Rom, 5)1 I; , [1 1/2" 17.15 R1.1•11.C11 •7•1( *Sao L 34[1 r I r.1 J 1 1151 Nti '7 1 t11 *WO'S nJti .4 LI, '.. , 1 Co-!) ' 517 C," " C011 1741 211:31 [94 57,42 CrLsr,, [111 r 1745 i 1).2“: .7,47 515 , 17st, sr r- (74" ,thr II'705 123, 1374 371 :17()121TTInmg11. my 1751 2:5 ) T:43, ar, 1753 Ian In 1.0111. tn - 1,11. 17),1 Sa(in , fle :: It.715.'TI.). al..7. *nee Ur1.; , .: 1, 5 - ' , (`'' 9! A 1757 ('([ I 11:5 , ,,, ISO) Salvi 1,[ : 0 I "3'1 11711 547'15,u 01-[ ISIS S."u :','1 3;"([1V; V a'l'scri „ 3 in 19 14mc J: .4! 5,37,.m I531; 34,31 57 n •r F.13 1 . 1 3 IS15 Sy" 2122[555-7:3‘N‘Ir,cc1:6; :3,1 I/343 5„ 5, 1 43, 184" Scali Cul 6,12 r It1 - 0 14" P.nt 4 [ 2163 1122 Lc I 11:47 S41";) scl Ey, .4 o)" T1 11 3;75 5,05 '11,5 1163 1132 1..3 , 314U 2166 lb; 7 nod 56) 5 Y. ,-I .17; 4,2r 2107 Cal OCI .17 I 445 Pc1.3 I1775 Sedum 3:4 11376 313 MI 2[1)9 1111 1s77 x11; , r -4' [ 3s :171 "cd 217: IS'il 5.3rm 3'5 :171 ,. • 11 1 ',J. 1 t,1 "mem' n' :(7( FS 1rri .111 ‘[. a 14 • 1 .44.•• 137 onne 113] , I , 11: ; i c [-I . 104tata snt 1331 14; 71`)1 1 1111 sr, l'u [ 4:7 [ .3.W 1155 (Sul Ls' 2197 ! , . 1[515 .1...... *oil* 219S, 1'112 Shen aft — VI RIES [ I 5 lc, d ..-, it,, [[...1 2202 iL FI 3' I 1 1916 S7au 511 aissa 7 RI 1 •.33N,6:1 7 2 ' 41 222-1 1.1.nn I' 4 ' 3.3 1234 S..m, alb 436 WI amisa '_-_,' :27;5 1215 vsl ! Lanni. 3.0 , 45: Cert7 '75 777 pcm,u, 2:06 Via!, „:,,, 1,, n„. 1 19:1 461 76::35 ; 2213 3, '''r VC 513 2:10 1 153: S:202 4 , !- i II c.5.1::?,frivg 31,P 2214 932 Simp I ' 1 2 1:1.pi:, ,...I.I.,...r,.,1•1,..: 15:2 • :,[ 4.115 2217 4,(2. CLI"[Ill 119 ty,i11 . Sit .4.0• 11• I. : I ., I 933 A i • 1 [5:- :220 93S Snym oil ,, 1 I Ink* 1.3/al ..,C,...1„t,., 11123, r2:,..,..:,L.:.,:,::::iI: , 35171 CCC: r-,1( i; los i [ [-, 2:4: Acc., cIa 135"4 : m imm• 51 I.n dui " lug 477 ; 1 337 "51 st[l.a VIt 111) 1 J (711 .1:r, il l, [i ,..[IFI:::_1,111::[[,.: I'•:. :F.! .1 11 1115 11 art , ' , : [ 1"431, 5 2 17, VSI/ ; /.....1.7(... , 2, J I 3 I 1, 111 11,393 :243 3 , 5% •5.r I I I 122, I.,r. 1" 14 54 981 Sr:rg (IC 416 n J I S7) 1S 0 IMI.411, 5:‘ QC J 1987 SI,MS 21% [yol, Chris 1311 i 143 557 (7.,ry, .1, (54F: 11 ! LH:i; ".?1,1_1IJ ^ 1 ; ;057) 1,1 7021 5[411 arc 11,1 303 I r 3.3.2 PC 2.003 pl: 2.75,11 531 I hm: I'M, rn4 0.35 t): 732 L , om . [r I I ;" 55t, (1,755 C":, 1 I S/1 Gr, 1 I .132223::1"V' ,rn - • m ...... --...--.. ,...... e.--. ...., ••••• •• a -e• T. '' . ... 0[1:: [C . A C. gisr vt;r..PQA I aG Lctegv3. miAcr. ICGli- PANLoktmtAL3 I•ricito. ICCO.:D I 6.) 'JP Rico 99.

:11TE LicaVt.3 MPU RECORDER AM. DAIET4.648 um< NO 26

I.Ar.D WEATHEMOus.raski bias ca. odal • MOTIOOTIP TIMEloao...•12300 to. 'eds. ftlactwar4.• 126 N CJ 44.5 =repro- ANIMAL R F LII HABITATAPPRAISAL ref- to NLV. ulion BTRDS rataZon sited teak oatiligpcailkt raack. rat on =Reding a a a_ putAor. ottocsAV . Itasca 3lif tM 2 RABBITS a tat hreffitia. terhOM> Oar haunt*. am). SMALL 3 MA•MAIS a a kusaiLam ha^ 1.4%* • 024..2b.alood lARGE eel webiati 4 1 I 1 anima lvabab ( Ij 444Win raasonat stacass, etch 5 ISPIDOPTERA S cor talc:Lt.a kacaamescth ?gm extu:sfut arka OTIELR 6 itolGr-iratiA:litract mink, INSECTS 2 2 Q. ran kw, ratocs beat, smek 14m4.L. 139s cciAhltuGn 7 OTIDER INVERTS a a a. ti.aat oubstan.thtat__ VERTS& INV:MIS SEENON BR LAND ir.q. sting BIROS OTIERVERTEaRAT5'S daraaable. nT Piv(o11442 r beasatleaa- Cai4 Ctu. Rens Ines Dacha& urbkaa. Ayaisultcao. Eeilka.eas eabacaata. Ruillescor Nach.16.45 rt sp . 5amenorus &lariat cilviNato. ftyla a. Straus 'abatis Lo.si4 111. BombvEs p. CoevuesC. (Icahn& 4/41s a h CASIJALLLES

ADDITIONS - seen on NL but associated •ith BR land Phasiamts calchioas Patios anaruica Calwalaa raLuabuts lOclatia anneacis

• • : ! • , - I- I.- • . • . ! ; • • 1 ___..... 1 , '•I - . ' 1 gas , 1 I I ! • ' I __CACt____I_____,___I ' I 1 . . I 1 : . 1 : . I _ _ , , , • - : i ; ; • : - , , -f, c .0. "at in- ramat_. Cele__t'ai,C.0-‘ans.c2aks1001.. , ' 1 ! 1 ' . . 1 ' i 1 .4.14a-.0 r V.Gt•M :litstanb.i : ; i ! 1 I : . . 1 : . ! ! ; ! I 1/4) I. ___i_____L______.,______;_., • II—i • 1 i I. I 1 i , ! 1-; : . 1 1 r i I. I I . 1 I i 1 ; ' a is' MOCLaratil,! i I! i 1 :_t_LII _lilLi I : !

!--1--- .:11!,.. 1.-",7 'TT) ! 1! I at-1mi , :m1• , czas_Akiti.satimaatik;ortj. 1 7 i ! 1 i. • . , . -1-7-- • . I as its140:4_;_orsit-i.a.a.iiav; ; : .. ; ... ! : LI i'• ;;•:: . ;;:iii.:1;•• 1 , ;;. I 1•---i—; I T 1 , . . . . i , , . 1—V-r.•;:1 1, -•-ni--1---r—.- 1 1•••EtjW.:1,',..,',;.,:,..—;•----.' :.•.,,.; -, , , r . : • ,, i .1 ! %I 7:40 la 1 : : i ; T 1 I ! ... !, ! ' , , 1! I ! i ; I • ; H ; ! ! : 1 ; ; 1 ...! , 1 ! !. ! •., , 1 21= ‘a. • 71- -i-i , • rikci.g.t..._:cg_L-k.c.cs.ton. a10,1r OIA,1! '. ! i it...... I....1,... ::-.,• . I ' , . , ! i, . ..1_ ! STI 'IMO -7B--,—F- i i , 7 t444fai-o.r-zruanst_teitcAnIr_i_.i....1_,.1.L__j__;; '; i ! 1,-, I__j_ i i .1• : %,./ I i . . -1 'a 1 i 1.: • I 'i ! : : . i . .' " I . . • 11- -.2; S.icohaOtit7±cto ilt a iQ4 .L... csft;_.:bP.3.6417. es.rt:46 rt c ;.:(Airt, ,_____._ ... I;;,•.;!: !:.; .,.;..: gi;...; ;.: ShateLtAst41/40LOAk.k..544.',.:et..,thLILSt.li , . , , 403.LOscsi,x1..VcurAa± I • i.H. ' i i . ' 71-77nri i. ni I I !H. I ' ! • ! -.-11.- I 1 ; 1....-T. I U 97-aikkqfricaTS. At. • orisiguseb-ArnS-±.6..Pir::----rno..•it- 21-:;iaiT•ir- i ;N• 1;877 n4_ 1 ; ! : : - : ' : -,, , : 1 ;• ! : 1 a_ins±bonesL..:oct:.__Rttna9(2.-4..r_.a.:?iint:51E1,41DAiriva,"‘tii,r0;is. ,. 1 I . ! I I z •• ,, 1 :: i -4 'COrtin ;)60I%1.Iet.jkler3,nadaieejCialaCt.;FS';oft..__;Ittack0.ft _•_:.! I ! : . f : ! a tittai' eta,Syse+pWan,..- ' ! : b .1. . • : , , 101.

Lc:IA:60Fetruk tea ‘a eg t e "leetanstc.

e. cgrounA Sas ----erov a;oftak) 11 • - C. a i‘-;ft In a; -rersAnes: RCM= frt'r an,t1 claIrsemin.s. rst.Watt. 04 clesnk• Y4 eft;t3„ post••• Assloca.%-ion. arliCic,lask egairmi int Asa. Acatas I. p ?la knk) • Cl4h. 'CfirItti.RCM= POie hISJ 141sCMla 'Aria rit-.1,41.14 frAi wittek, 1 "revansast- ct1- eakk fuse Q. ;5 too ryas c1:14.2). am., en km. moms etas. aes t ere' cams& is appaith, as. • .

Ctitslt.tertharag• res. lertanssa“, • §conustritel peAorkont.i bseer..usisn.. a; Vvanswe 6 6¼&D4) 0 r4n:A-3 I 0-4,5 en.. rt. 5-->" 10 en..• IH 10 ao--1PhOrn. ----- 40 . %>S0m. -- vaarDA-4.

otkaartAttra.:

Divitia.lina. heatrusa• in‘b gra rateracirz aiviets, oppraorkut abetto tir cs; CW.aa1re.3. ‘11 ‘It 4 4 I a esittE kmobt% Merabeks . . ta in e....w& '6 ertsers per\-uan,. I ()Sun earylcon. ttm.e4ttr Ito.lettea insetarauSarb`rt...1 Par cant‘O wiatettrust,A;pbradmca. a. CLATit 1:14 vor 1:1:ityrat on trtte %1 I

I 0 -4.6 men) vagrok e Sameres , 94(6 +IS) mess. 1 13---fr is cm.+T) ensvpits.

Rosa-. coy otoroatima ctosed callopt., watt .4.43,h,Won., coy. (ADA. kta,(cot. to 0 2.5trut tlagiatt mtla Foe (MOW'HI CaA/1414 • .0fItikri ta‘Ca.;13M7tcspettelteir ape& l'IN*ASSI•CV. and a.u.n1154.roc-aisakirtAr 1 10,....",14.0 0-4. 10 qp.P.Ales imleog91/(Vasa reJ I JO •••-•>A'Q.Orn.--ee.vep„.ucolres ea. aka, -Peocatt wW relfaV. ass beSore. *AA al- I,k2. cutIttt pa oti- I DA. a itmtt. set ca,MI as fricas bar 2Ser,S 1011111ININ01111111111111•11MIIMONNIIIMIENIMO ale= 103.

Appendix 5. Additional lant s ecies found on Southern and Western Re ions durin 197 .

Acanthus mollis L. CotoneastermicrophyllusWall. Acinos arvensis (Lam.)Dandy CotoneastersimonsiiBaker Adiantum capillus-venerisL. , Cortaderiaselloana (J:S.8cJ.H.Schult) Agropyron junceiformeA. & D. 12ve • Aschers & Graebn. Agropyronpungens (Pers.)Roem&Schu3i:. Crocosmiax crocosmiiflora (Lemoine) Agrostis giganteaRoth. N.E. Br. Agrostis setaceaCurt. Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. Allium triquetrumL. Daucus carota ssp. gummiferHook Althaea rosea (L.) Cav. DelphiniumambiguumL. Ammophilaarenaria (L.) Link Dianthusarmeria L. Anaphalismargaritacea(L.) Benth. Diplotaxistenuifolia(L.) D.C. Anthemis cupiana Dryopteriscarthusiana(Viller)H.P. AquilegiavulgarisL. Fuchs. ArabidopeisthalianaL. Epilobiumbrunnescens(Cockayne)Raven & Arabis caucasicaWilld. Lngelham Arabis hirsuta (L.) Scop. Epilobium lanceolatumSeb. & Mauri Arenaria s. leptoclados(Reichb.)Guss. Epipactishelleborine(L.) Crantz Arenaria s. serpyllifoliaL. Epipectispalustris (L.) Crantz Asparaguso. officinalisL. Erica lusitanicaRudolphi Aster novae•angliaeL. Erigeron acer L. Aster novi-belgiiL. Erigeron mucronatusDC. Athyrium filix-femina(L.) Roth. Erophila verna (L.) Chevall. Atriplexhastata L. EuphorbiaamygdaloidesL. Atriplex littoralisL. Euphorbia esula ss L. Barbarea intermediaBor. EuphorbiacyparisslasL. Barbareaverna (Mill.)Aschern. Euphrasianemorosa (Pers.)Wallr. Bilderdykiaaubertii (L.*Henry)Molden. EuphrasiapseudokerneriPugsl. BrassicaoleraceaL. Euphrasia tetraquetra(Breb.)Arrond. Brassica rapa L. Festuca ovina L. ssp. tenuifolia(Sibth.) Briza maxima L. Peterm. Bromus inermis Leyss. Ficus carica L. Buddleja davidiiFranch. Fragariax ananassaDuchesne Calystegiasilvatica(Kit.)Grisob. Fumaria boraei Jord. Campanula glomerataL. GeraniumrotundifoliumL. Campanulamedium L. Geranium sanguineumL. Campanula tracheliumL. Glaux maritima L. CampanulaalliariifolieWilld. Glyceriaplicata Fr. Carex arenariaL. Gymnocarpiumrobertianum(Hoffm.)Newm. Carex distansL. Halimioneportulacoides(L.) Aell. Carex extensaGood. Hesperis matronalisL. Carex paniculataL. Hieraciumspp. L. Carex pendulaHuds. HicraciumumbellatumL. Carex.pseudocyperusL. Hordelymuscuropaeus(L.) Harz. Carex rostrataStokes Hordeum vulgare L. Carpinus betulus L. Hydrangea spp. L. Carum verticillatum(L.) KOch. HydrocotylcvulgarisL. Centranthusruber (L.) D.C. Hebe spp. Comm. Cephalantheradamasonium(Mill.)Druce HypericumcalycinumL. Cerastium tomentosumL. HypericumhircinumL. Chemaecyparislawsoniana(A. Murr.) Parl. Juglans regia L. Cheiranthuscheiri L. Juncus acutus L. ChrysanthemummaximumRamond Juncus maritimusLam CordylineaustralisHook f. Juncus tenuis Willd. SD. Moench CotoneasterhorizontalisDecaisne Kniphofia 104. Appendix 5 (continued)

LaburnumanagyroidesMedic. Populus EileadensisRouleau LathyruslatifoliusL. PotamogetonberchtoldiiFish. Lathyrusnissolia L. Potamogetonlucens L. Lathyrusodoratus L. Potentillaanglica Laicharding LathyruspaluctrisL. Potentillax italicaLehm. Lathyrus sylvestrisL. Potentillarecta L. LathyrustubarosusL. Prunus lauroccrosusL. Lavateraurborea L. Pseudetsugamenziesii (Mirb.)Franko. Lerma minor L. Puccinelliadistans (Jacq.)Parl. Lemna trisulcaL. Puccinelliamaritima (Huds.)Parl. Lepidium latifoliumL. Pulmonarialongifolia(Bast.)Bor. LigustrumovalifoliumHassk. Pyrus cormunis L. Linaria dalratica (L.) Mill. Quercus ilex L. Linaria purpurea (L.) Mill. RanunculuscircinatusSibth. Linaria supina (L.) Chazelles RanunculushederaceusL. Linum bienne Mill Raphanus raritirusSm. Lonicera japinocaThunb. RhododendronponticumL. Lunaria annua L. Ribes sanguineumPursh. LupinusarboreusSims Rheum sp. L. LupinuspolyphyllusLindl. Robiniu laseudacaciaL. Lyciur barbarum L. Rubia poregrinaL. LysimachiavulgarisL. Sagina apetala apetala Ard. Mahonia aquifolium(Pursh.)NrAt. SalicorniararosissimaWoods. MelampyrumnratenseL. Salix cinerea L. oleifoliaMacreight. Ventha rotundifolia(L.) Muds. Salix r. repens L. Mentha spicataL. Salix r. argentea (Sm.) G. & A. Camus MenyanthestrifoliataL. Salvia nratensisL. Misopates orontium (L.) Raf. ScrbphulariascorodoniaL. Moristerasp.Schott. ScutellariagalericulataL. Myosotis lexa Lcam. Sedum forsteranumSm. Myosotis sylvaticaHoffm. Sedum reflexur L. Hyosoton aquaticur (L.) Moenca. SerratulatinctoriaL. Myrica gale L. SisrnbriumaltissirumL. MyriophyllurspicatumL. SisymbriumorientaleL. Narcissusx biflorusCurtis Soleiroliasolcirolii(Req.) Dandy Nasturtiummicrophyllur(Boons)Rchb. Solidago canadensisL. Oenothera crythrosepalaBorbis Sorbus aria s.s. L. Ophioglossumv. vulgatumL. . Spartina anglica C.E. Hubbard • Orchis aorio L. Thymus pulegioidesL. Osmunda regalis L. Tilia x vuIgarisHayne Oxalis floribundaLehm. Verbascum virgatumStokes Parthenocissustricuspidata(Seib. & Veronica longifoliaL. Zuch.) Planch. Vicia sativo amp. nigra (L.) Ehrh. Phleum nratense3.s. L. Vicia sylvaticaL. Picea sitchensis(Bong.)Ca:r Viola canina L. Pinus radiata Don. Viola x wittrockianaGams Plantagomaritima L. Vulpia merbranacca(L.) Dum. Platantherabifolia (1.,)Rich. SannichelliapalustrisL. Polygala calcareaF.W. Schultz. Polygonatumrultiflorum(I,) All. Populus x canadensisMoench var. serotina (Hertig)Rehd.

770 speciesrecordedduring 1978. TABLE 2.4. A comparative claseification of rendes sites, 1978,shoving indicator evens., levels of division and end groups for cover (x, left) and incident (7, right) data. Arrhenather. A *lett= Feotuca rubra F. r6tra Dactylie slorrrata D. elor.rata liederm helix helix A -111.fo2.ium Corrluo nrellmra atone= reptena - Cratmegua crecr- C. =nom= Lams lomat= Arum maculatum A. caculatos "BrVP'.) tea" Fraxinar es:

F. rubra P. lanceolata Urtica dioica U. dioict. A. millefolium A millefoliem Filipondulaulmaria 0. aparine C =mom= Q. robur Ploztago lanceolata F. rubra- Callum aparine V. dioica U. dioica Quernuo robur pendula Rumex acct.,. R. ocetoom aparino C. aparina P. excelotor monegrna Centnurea nigra C. nigrn Macho= hederacea A. maculatum Botola pendula F. excelaior Agroatio Lennie Chrysanthemum loucanthemon liercurialin peronnis 0. toderacea "Litter" C. arena= "Bryophytoa" A. tonal° A. maculntum Anthoxanthum odoratum

P. reptana F. rubra Bola= mollin A tennis F. rubra 0. aparine C. monogyna Couolvulun arvenee A tenuie uliie A elation Poe trivinlin V. dioica C. arr.. Phragmitea ammonia Bwids eanguinee H. helix C. leucanthee. C. leacanthercum Pteridium aquilinam Violmriviniann P. rep ann 0 dioica P. reptane Lonicera periclymenum Alnueglutinosa R. helix U. helix Equioctum mrvense Equinetum telmateia 0 aparine C. sonogna C. mononma A. o2atios Q. robur robur C arretee F. rubra XX mollio AthYriom folix.temina A. maculatum A. elation. Salim fragilin S fragalia "Bare ground" 7. excelsior C. evellnne Lorain campectria P. nquilinum Endymion non-ccriPtue A. elativa C. monogyna r.cittoe P. communie "Bryophyte.," Q robur Dryoptorio felix-mna Cytisuo acopariun A. elan. R. canna G. ocarina Cardnmine nervosa C nigla F. excelsior A. odor...tom "Lichens" P. opine. "Bryophytes" A. elatina Solna= dalcamara F. Rosa canina ulmaria Rob. trances..

1X 17 a a 37 47 - 51 57 67 67 7! 71 A. elatius R. fraticome "Bare rock" F. veaca nAnn. H. Mantua Holinin caorolon C. holonten "BaMat" P com,unia 97 97 Q. "Litter" H. collin U. dioica F. rubra 10X 107 11X 117 ;Fr- - "Li.ter" Lotus corniculatue L. corn/cent. P. aquilinum V. riviniana Fontana ovine. R. acotosa Cardamine hirouta C. hiroata Sal= atrocinerea R rrati ocua Pieria !der-Irina/es 127 127 147 14 - 157 167 1 V. dioica P. usidunie E arvonco R. helix C. monogyne "Hare grounV R. truticocua Fragaria venca H. pilonella C. nigra Digitalla purpurca A millefolium F. ovina Vida cracca F. aim:Iris Phalarin aruadinacen C. ononco IL Emilio Q. robur Terminated C. arvenoe A. elation' Lathyrus Fr:dense 7. excelaior S. eanguinee //acre. petrmea Terminated "Reliant" H. helix Frio= opinooa Primula vulgarie R. indicants C flexuoca fragilis R. froticams D. glocerata Daimon carets Clinopodium ',dears C. aceparius Teucrium acorodonia Carnet.= holostea U collie anguatifolium Artemini, valgvie frutitons V periclymenum II _monis R. fruticocus R. fruticocua . Arctium minus "Water" Taraxacum officinal. C. a7e1Uma 7. er.aleior Rodent helix B. truticoeus G. sonoana H. perennis Ajueo roptana "Brrophrtee H helix H. peronnic Rieracium piloaella P. aangaioorbe Menai= op. (vulg.) R. truticomis Hiorecium apt Locals campectria "Bare ground" Senecio squalidus sanguine& V. riviniana "Bare ground" G. aparine Q. robur Cali. mollt.go C. spot-Lao A. pondaplatanne "lirlophytea" 0. hederacca P. spinosa F excelnior Poterius sanguisorba exceloior C. hirsuta H. molls Yirbunum lantana I. elati. H helix r B. pendula - B. Randal/. Acer pseudoplatanuo V. dieing C. avollana F ulraria 10 0. •onogrne - Pon Iv/donde - "Brrophytea" Clematis vitalba C. arena. poronnia maculatum A. maculatom S. &ileac:arm Phyllitie acolependium C. arvonco Drmchypectium "Water" D. canna Y. cracca , Q. robur S. A. Lanais 0 aparine dulcamara cylvaticom E, telmatein Angelica sylvestris Ger-ult. robertinnum cylvatic. Deochampola caeopitoon 91 101 31 19 25 56 4 82 69 24 28 18 55 45 19 13 Ocum urban. 85. 92 37 48 19 59 10 15 Fentuca gigantoa 7 2 39 232

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51—c. 38 Nia SOUTHERN & WESTERN REGIONS: 13 14 .1 40 I 40 20 GEOLOGY •

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46 4 , 19 IS 45 t> rte 19 30 a k/46 - 29 29 46 51 • 29 II CZ1 GT se 45 Cb 51 40 29 -- •52 — 59 . p. 40 GEOLOGY .' en If • 26 46 64— • 6 - 10 Cambrian Ordovician 0. 50 63 44 41 • 41 tat 64 • Pal— • 13- 15 Silurian 59 0 ( 165 - 63 93 1 2 19- 24 Old Red Sandstone (Devonian) Ot • . 1- 41 141 40 26- 30 Carboniferous 99 7 • -- - 67 58 it • 37-- 45p3 n 1: 1 . • _ ..- 36- 49 New Red Sandstone (Periniain Triassic) 23i24 t 7 57 • 16 .\ ST?. ./ 4.-----457 41- 54 Jurassic I • -- N, / 5$ • esa.k:. 411 S9 41 56 63 'a . 55- 60 Cretaceous 311. (( 50 48 ss 69 57 se. .00 63- 67 Tertiary —s • 41 a 6 64 46 -•-• 66 GS Igneous A C F 28 • • 4 25 66 Is. 1.• +++++ 31 Metamorphic L

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6 15 " 15 38 7 SOUTHERN & WESTERN REGIONS: 13 14 ego " 40 i 40 ' 20 r \, GEOLOGY 19 • .\:. 15 "41* so . 41 37 • Q) 45 40 i . ' 48 . d; is 41 46 O. 19 / 45 45 t> C5 Va. 0_0 . • la .. • 2 19 30 48 •. \146 v;=:.. • 29 29 46 51 • 29 29 41 CS \ 5 . 50 8 30 -`46 45 51 lab 40 29 -_50 52•".• . 59 2 43. p. . •••• GEOLOGY • '52 1 30- 46 ..—. • • • • • Ca. SO _srNo.. 63 6 - 10 Cambrian Ordovician 40 41 41 -7 • - ) •-• 441 13- 15 Silurian •4_ ,or 63 . 59 *65••••'63 —. •• 6 .2 19- 24 Old Red Sandstone (Devonian) - tA. - C . . 19 41 / 41 40 7 50 7 -1- • - 37-- ' 26- 30 Carboniferous 7 58 • 17 a 59 (.. i / Wu V . d) 425P3 \. \ 36- 40 New Red Sandstone (Permiam & Triassic)23/2 38 40 .Ar . l 23/24 .5- 57 r ',.... 51. \ . 51.6.52. , 4:=z:its7 s 58 mr / Th: 41- 54 Jurassic 4, io 54/ 5 59 SS. etZet•co- • -1 .1 . 28 46 59 41 43 63 C ( 55- 60 Cretaceous \_. 36' 60 41 so 59 57 ‘. 65 • '60 63- 67 Tertiary —.31 66 64 41 43 40 42 , •-•. • 66 ss Igneous A C F 28 28 66 ++4 es. 36 + + ++++++ at, Metamorphic L M + • + 4 4 4 + • + + +; 59 24 • • + • 4. F 4 60 • • • Z• 4 + • 4 + 28 • 52 • • • f • • ... • • 4 2 22 19 19 21/ 19

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21 0 10 20 30 40 50 KilomOres 0 miles A9 a t•-•••„,.• ****** 66 63 L" * ./n< * * • * utak/ `. • -- 3 ip••• 71 )21-. SOUTHERN & WESTERN REGIONS: 6 36 66 SOILS 33 4 Major urban areas 63

33 / 3 6 Raw sand 1 / • Brown alluvial soils 3 • 4 2 3 . 11 6 • 2 3 Alluvial gley soils 5 - 6 N Earthy peat soils 51 , 56 ' C. Ca 27 69 t. 10 / 56 Redzinas 17 Cre 11. 17 56 11 2 '61• • 63 . 45 Brown sand 31 ..----- . 1 1 9 16 17 3,5 Brown calcareous soils 69 1 1 61 19 . 63 / 7 10 4 4 56 • 19 36 i/ .5 . 10 / 8 22 6 11 QY 38 • . 36 2 3 61 32 (1:47 4 32 1 54 24 54 . 32 4 Brown earths 36 3 . 12 10 • 25 4 10 38 26 54 36 11 18 14 38 < 27 • 3 8 32 25. • 29 61 4 5 .:•••• • No 31 4 10 7 5 36 C:132 • 32 a 45 •'N 9 6 18 33 3 0 36 34 4 ..f . 3 Argillic broWn earths 36 25 35 63 9 (-\ 1. 63 13 56 54 36 45_ 27 . ../ • , 5 6 52 • N.. 6 ----' / I 10 35 36 ./ 63 54 Paloo-argillic brown 38 1 . 54 40 68 58 r` •_,_."----- / 1 41 earths 2 68 23 • ' 31 -- 52 41 40 .._. Podzois 54 3 • 56 * 10 Gley podzols 51 27 . -fs 54 10 54 40 •••••• • •• 4. Stagnopodzols 4 41 54 4 -32 32 27 6 35 so . • 10 Calcareous podzois . -23 .-. 31 31 • . 42 so 42 Argillic gley soils 5 36 54 51 68 40 27 40 52 54 Stagnogley soils 13 54 23 10 64 56 45 . 22 61 Brown earths 6 6 54 63 63 Brown podzolic soil 27 71 23 Stagnopodzols Stagnogley soils — •••••86 1 •••••• Stagnohumic gley soils 6317 Raw peat soils 63—

27

050 Kilometres 44 0 30 Miles