State of Nature in Oxfordshire 2017
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Full Report STATE OF NATURE IN OXFORDSHIRE 2017 THE STATE OF NATURE IN OXFORDSHIRE 2017 FULL REPORT A Wild Oxfordshire Report For a short version of this report, please visit: www.wildoxfordshire.org.uk E: [email protected] T: 01865 407034 Wild Oxfordshire, The Manor House, Little Wittenham, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RA Registered Charity number: 1131540 Company number: 6828051 Lead Author: Hilary Phillips, with thanks to Graham Scholey, Pascale Nicolet, Mike Pollard, Nick Mottram and many others who contributed information and images to this report. Sub-editing and proofreading: Helen Walsh and Roselle Chapman State of Nature in Oxfordshire 2017: Full Report 1 Contents Foreword by Prof. David Macdonald ....................................................................................................................5 Summary ...............................................................................................................................................................8 Introduction ..........................................................................................................................................................9 Oxfordshire’s State of Nature ...........................................................................................................................9 Oxfordshire’s Areas of Strategic Value for Nature ........................................................................................ 12 An Overview of Nature in Oxfordshire .............................................................................................................. 13 Important Species and Designated Sites in Oxfordshire ............................................................................... 14 Landscape-scale Priority Areas for Nature .................................................................................................... 16 Nature and Local Communities ..................................................................................................................... 17 HABITATS ........................................................................................................................................................... 19 Lowland Semi-Natural Grassland and Heathland .......................................................................................... 19 Overview .................................................................................................................................................... 19 Oxfordshire Grassland Headlines .............................................................................................................. 20 The State of Grassland and Heathland Nature .......................................................................................... 20 Chalk and Limestone Grassland ................................................................................................................. 21 Wet Grassland............................................................................................................................................ 22 Acid Grassland and Heathland ................................................................................................................... 23 Verges ........................................................................................................................................................ 23 Causes of Change ....................................................................................................................................... 24 Case Studies ............................................................................................................................................... 25 Rivers and Wetlands ...................................................................................................................................... 27 Overview .................................................................................................................................................... 27 Oxfordshire’s Wetlands Headlines ............................................................................................................ 28 The State of Wetland Nature ..................................................................................................................... 29 Rivers and Flowing Water .......................................................................................................................... 30 Ponds ......................................................................................................................................................... 31 Fens, Reedbed and Marshes ...................................................................................................................... 32 Causes of Change ....................................................................................................................................... 33 Case Studies ............................................................................................................................................... 34 Woodland and Trees ..................................................................................................................................... 37 Overview .................................................................................................................................................... 37 Oxfordshire’s Woodland and Trees Headlines .......................................................................................... 38 The State of Woodland Nature .................................................................................................................. 38 State of Nature in Oxfordshire 2017: Full Report 2 Lowland Beech and Yew Woodland .......................................................................................................... 39 Lowland Mixed Deciduous Woodland ....................................................................................................... 42 Wet woodland ........................................................................................................................................... 44 Wood Pasture and Parkland, Including Veteran Trees .............................................................................. 44 Traditional Orchards .................................................................................................................................. 45 Causes of Change ....................................................................................................................................... 46 Case Studies ............................................................................................................................................... 47 Farmland ........................................................................................................................................................ 49 Overview .................................................................................................................................................... 49 Farmland Headlines ................................................................................................................................... 50 The State of Farmland Nature ................................................................................................................... 50 Arable field margins ................................................................................................................................... 51 Hedgerows and Scrub ................................................................................................................................ 52 Cropped Areas ........................................................................................................................................... 52 Ponds and ditches ...................................................................................................................................... 54 Causes of Change ....................................................................................................................................... 54 Case Studies ............................................................................................................................................... 55 Settlements ................................................................................................................................................... 57 Overview .................................................................................................................................................... 57 Settlements Headlines ............................................................................................................................... 58 The State of Nature in Settlements ........................................................................................................... 58 Parks and Nature Reserves ........................................................................................................................ 59 Gardens ...................................................................................................................................................... 60 Wildlife Corridors ....................................................................................................................................... 60 Built Environment .....................................................................................................................................