BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES CONTENTS

APPENDIX 1

Datasets used in the Northamptonshire Biodiversity Character Assessment ...... 03

APPENDIX 2

Natural Areas in Northamptonshire ...... 04 Natural Area 44. Midlands Clay Pastures ...... 04 Natural Area 45. Rockingham Forest ...... 09 Natural Area 52. West Anglian Plain ...... 14 Natural Area 54. Yardley-Whittlewood Ridge ...... 20 Natural Area 55. Cotswolds ...... 25

APPENDIX 3

Site of Special Scientifi c Interest Summaries ...... 26

APPENDIX 4

Wildlife Site Summaries ...... 55

FIGURES

Figure 1. Natural Areas in Northamptonshire ...... 86 Figure 2. Northamptonshire Sites of Special Scientifi c Interest and National Nature Reserves ...... 87 Figure 3. Northamptonshire Wildlife Sites and Local Nature Reserves ...... 88 Figure 4. Northamptonshire Geology ...... 89 Figure 5. Northamptonshire Biodiversity Character Types ...... 90

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 2 APPENDICES

APPENDIX 1. DATASETS USED IN THE NORTHAMPTONSHIRE BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT

1:250,000 Ordnance Survey digital mapping (raster data) 1:50,000 Ordnance Survey digital mapping (raster data) 1:10,000 Ordnance Survey digital mapping (raster data) Northamptonshire Aerial Photographs

Northamptonshire Physiographic Model

1: 250,000 Soils Mapping 1:10,000 Geological Mapping Quarries

Centre for Ecology and Hydrology Land Cover Map (2000)

Wildlife Sites (subdivided into habitat types) Sites of Special Scientifi c Interest (subdivided into habitat types) Local Nature Reserves National Nature Reserves Ancient-semi natural woodlands Ancient-semi natural woodlands (replanted) Natural Areas

Ordnance Survey Springs and Issues (sub-set of Mastermap “water” dataset) Environment Agency Indicative Floodplain Environment Agency Main Rivers

Urban Boundaries

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APPENDIX 2. NATURAL AREAS IN NORTHAMPTONSHIRE On 4th December 1996, the Secretary of State for the Environment, John Gummer, launched a new map of England entitled ‘The Character of England: landscape, wildlife and natural features’. This was produced by English Nature, working in collaboration with the Countryside Commission. The map shows England divided into unique character areas based upon their landscape, wildlife and other natural features such as geology and soils. English Nature uses these areas either individually or aggregated with adjacent areas as the framework for defi ning Natural Areas. The advantage of such an approach is that wildlife can be viewed in a more appropriate ecological context rather than within artifi cial administrative boundaries, as has traditionally been the case. The starting point of the Natural Area approach is to defi ne what wildlife is characteristic of an area, regardless of whether it is common or rare (this could include extinct species if they were formerly characteristic of the area). This means great importance is placed upon what is often referred to as local distinctiveness, in other words what it is that distinguishes any area from neighbouring land and provides it with a particular identity. The advantage of this approach is that the inevitably limited resources can be targeted to maintain and enhance this local distinctiveness, allowing the rare and unusual to be conserved alongside the widespread and typical. Consequently, greater emphasis is placed upon the quality of the wildlife resource in the countryside as a whole, rather than just a handful of special sites. There are 5 natural Areas covering Northamptonshire, although all extend beyond the county boundary. Therefore some of the characteristic species noted may not and never have been found in Northamptonshire. The following are extracts from the relevant Natural Area Profi les.

NATURAL AREA 44. MIDLANDS CLAY PASTURES The area is underlain by Triassic mudrocks and Lower Jurassic clays, silts, sands and iron-rich sandy limestones. The area was glaciated around 600,000 years ago and thick glacial deposits blanketed much of the underlying rock. During the last ‘ice age’ (110 - 10,000 years ago) glaciers did not reach far enough south to directly infl uence the landform. However, the intense cold resulted in repeated freeze and thaw cycles that greatly increased erosion on scarp slopes. The soils that have developed are closely related to the underlying solid geology and superfi cial deposits. Limestones have been extensively quarried for cement in Warwickshire and iron-rich sandy limestones have been worked for use in the Northamptonshire and Banbury iron and steel industry until recent times. The history of quarrying has led to the creation of many important geological exposures. Key Habitats Wildlife occurs throughout the Natural Area in a wide range of habitats found in both rural and urban areas. Farmed land is an important habitat and in common with much of lowland England, arable land and agriculturally improved pasture comprise a major proportion of the habitats now present within the Natural Area. Such widespread habitats include important features such as hedgerows and mature trees, ponds and small watercourses and rough grassland such as is found alongside tracks and on road verges. These habitats give much of the character to the Natural Area and support a wide range of species, including some that have undergone dramatic recent declines such as skylark and grey partridge. There are also a number of other important habitats of more restricted distribution within the Natural Area and these are described below. Broadleaved woodland on acid soils; mainly in the north and east of the area. These woodlands typically have a canopy of pedunculate oak, silver birch, downy birch and ash, with a shrub layer dominated by hazel with smaller amounts of hawthorn, holly and midland hawthorn. Very locally small- leaved lime and sessile oak dominate the canopy. The characteristic ground fl ora comprises bramble, bracken, bluebell, wood anemone, wood sorrel, creeping soft-grass and wood millet. Broadleaved woodland on base-rich soils; typically these woods have a canopy of pedunculate oak and ash, with smaller amounts of fi eld maple, small-leaved lime and wych elm, over a shrub layer dominated by hazel and hawthorn, with dogwood, spindle and wild privet. The ground fl ora on the wet clay is characteristically dog’s mercury, tufted hair-grass and wood sedge. Acid grassland and heathland; the characteristic species of this habitat, which occurs on sandy, freely draining soils, are common bent, velvet bent, sweet vernal grass, sheep’s sorrel, heath bedstraw, tormentil and common cat’s-ear.

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Neutral grassland; this habitat is characterised, in unimproved situations, by a very diverse vegetation with many grass and herb species, growing on the soils developed from neutral clays. The more calcareous swards possess quaking-grass, golden oat-grass, lady’s bedstraw, dropwort, stemless thistle, rough hawkbit and salad burnet, whereas those of more acid reaction support betony and devil’s-bit scabious. Plants found more generally throughout include black knapweed, cowslip, pignut and pepper- saxifrage, with some of the scarcer plants being adder’s-tongue fern, moonwort, lady’s-mantle, meadow saxifrage, saw-wort and green-winged orchid. Calcareous grassland; dominated by upright brome and tor-grass, together with glaucous sedge, quaking-grass, lady’s bedstraw, cowslip, wild basil, dropwort, spiny restharrow and woolly thistle. Also present are black and greater knapweeds, devil’s-bit scabious and wild carrot. In some abandoned quarries a grassland with many of these species can develop. This less natural habitat is characterised by yellow-wort, woolly thistle, fairy fl ax, wild basil and bee orchid. There is often a rich orchid fl ora, including early purple, greater butterfl y, man, pyramidal, green-winged and twayblade. Scrub is often associated with such sites. Rivers and other watercourses, which retain an unaltered state; especially where bordered by, mature trees/unimproved grassland. These are relatively natural watercourses with many channel and bank features, mature bank-side trees and unaltered gradations of vegetation from aquatic to terrestrial via often varied marginal and emergent stands. Flood meadows, characterised by great burnet and meadow foxtail, on regularly fl ooded alluvial soil are found within the headwaters of the Avon and Cherwell Rivers. Open water in lakes and reservoirs; often subject to recreational pressure, but still of high importance for wintering waterfowl and passage waders and terns. Marsh/swamp; these are wetlands on a mineral substrate, either natural or artifi cial in origin, and are associated with running and standing water. Many sedges, rushes and grasses occur, including greater tussock-sedge, greater pond sedge, soft rush, common reed and reed sweet-grass.

PRIORITY SPECIES The conservation of most species is ensured through an approach, which focuses on conserving their habitats, the logic being that if the necessary habitat types are maintained in suffi cient extent then individual species will look after themselves. Unfortunately, a growing number of species are undergoing such rapid declines or have become so rare that it is necessary to focus attention on individual species in order to try and secure their future survival. In order to ensure that the highest priority species are the focus of conservation effort a series of tables is presented below which includes species recognised as being of national signifi cance. Birds have been identifi ed using the RSPB red and amber lists from ‘Birds of conservation concern’. Species listed in ‘Biodiversity: The UK Steering Group Report’ are highlighted. Invertebrates have been limited to those listed in the national Red Data Book (RDB), and those species from the short and middle lists in ‘Biodiversity: The UK Steering Group Report’. (Short and Middle list species are a particular priority for action).

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TABLE 1. INVERTEBRATES: NATIONALLY RARE AND SCARCE BUTTERFLIES AND DRAGONFLIES, ALL OTHER SPECIES ARE EITHER RED DATA BOOK OR BAP SHORT / MIDDLE LIST SPECIES (CONTINUED OVERLEAF)

Species name Status Habitat County UK BAP Dipogon bifasciatus (wasp) Red Data Book 3 woodland Nt Ectemnius borealis (wasp) Red Data Book 3 woodland Nt Nephus quadrimaculatus (beetle) Red Data Book 2 woodland Nt Orthoperus brunnipes (beetle) Red Data Book 3 woodland Nt Trachys minuta (beetle) Red Data Book 2 woodland Nt Black hairstreak butterfl y Red Data Book 4 woodland, scrub Nt Long Nephrotoma crocata (fl y) Red Data Book 3 woodland Nt Wa Smicrus fi licornis Red Data Book K woodland Nt Concolorous moth Red Data Book 3 woodland Nt Ernoporus caucasicus (beetle) Red Data Book 1 pasture woodland Nt Middle Ernoporus tiliae (beetle) Red Data Book 1 pasture woodland Nt Nemozoma elongatum (beetle) Red Data Book 3 pasture woodland Nt Wa Procraerus tibialis (beetle) Red Data Book 3 pasture woodland Nt Scraptia testacea Red Data Book 3 pasture woodland Nt White-clawed crayfi sh declining river Wa Short Four-spotted moth Red Data Book 3 hedgerow Nt Middle Lamprochromus strobli Red Data Book 3 wetland Nt Purple emperor nationally scarce woodland Nt Long Duke of burgundy fritillary nationally scarce woodland, grassland Nt Long Wood white nationally scarce woodland Nt Wa Long White-legged dragonfl y nationally scarce aquatic Nt Wa

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 6 APPENDICES

TABLE 2. VASCULAR PLANTS

Species Name Status Habitat County BAP UK calcareous Man orchid (extinct?) nationally scarce grassland Wa calcareous Fine-leaved sandwort nationally scarce grassland Wa Snake’s-head fritillary (extinct?) nationally scarce wet grassland Wa Mudwort nationally scarce wetland Nt Plot’s elm nationally scarce hedgerow Nt Long Lamb’s succory (extinct nationally) Red Data Book arable (sandy soil) Nt Spreading hedge-parsley nationally scarce arable Wa Long Shepherds-needle nationally scarce arable Wa Middle Red hemp-nettle (extinct) nationally scarce arable Wa Middle Broad-leaved spurge (extinct?) nationally scarce arable Wa Long Slender tare nationally scarce arable Wa

TABLE 3. BIRDS

Species Name Status Habitat County BAP UK Woodcock RSPB Amber list woodland Nt Ox Wa Long Green woodpecker RSPB Amber list woodland Nt Ox Wa Long Nightingale RSPB Amber list woodland Wa Long Redstart RSPB Amber list woodland Nt Ox Wa Long Kingfi sher RSPB Amber list wetland Nt Ox Wa Long Shoveler RSPB Amber list wetland Nt Wa Long Snipe RSPB Amber list wetland Nt Wa Long Redshank RSPB Amber list wetland Wa Long Grasshopper warbler RSPB Amber list wetland Nt Ox Wa Long Wigeon RSPB Amber list wetland Nt Wa Long Pintail RSPB Amber list wetland Nt Ox Wa Long Pochard RSPB Amber list wetland Nt Long Goldeneye RSPB Amber list wetland Nt Ox Wa Long Teal RSPB Amber list wetland Nt Wa Long Gadwall RSPB Amber list wetland Nt Wa Long Grey partridge RSPB Red list farmland Nt Ox Wa Short Song thrush RSPB Red list farmland Nt Ox Wa Short Skylark RSPB Red list farmland Nt Ox Wa Short Tree sparrow RSPB Red list farmland Nt Ox Wa Middle Corn bunting RSPB Red list farmland Nt Ox Wa Middle Barn owl RSPB Amber list farmland Nt Ox Wa Long

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 7 APPENDICES

TABLE 4. LOWER PLANTS

Species Name Status Habitat County BAP UK Didymodon nicholsonii (moss) nationally scarce streams, rivers Octodiceras fontanum (moss) nationally scarce aquatic Pottia bryoides (moss) nationally scarce exposed soil Rhynchostegiella curviseta (moss) nationally scarce rock near streams wet hollows on Riccia cavernosa (liverwort) nationally scarce arable Sphaerocarpos michelii (liverwort) nationally scarce bare soil

TABLE 5. MAMMALS AND OTHER VERTEBRATES

Species name Status Habitat County UK BAP Lesser horseshoe bat declining various Wa Long Whiskered bat declining various Nt Long Natterer’s bat declining various Nt Ox Wa Long Pipistrelle bat declining various Nt Ox Wa Short Daubenton’s bat declining various Nt Long Noctule bat declining various Nt Ox Wa Long Water vole declining river Nt Ox Wa Short Brown hare declining farmland Nt Ox Wa Short Dormouse much reduced woodland Wa Short Otter much reduced river Wa Short Great-crested newt declining ponds NT Ox Wa Short

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NATURAL AREA 45. ROCKINGHAM FOREST

Earth Science Much of the Natural Area is situated on a bedrock of limestone of Jurassic age. However, it is rare for this limestone to be naturally near the surface as the area has be blanketed by thick glacial deposits, which resulted in heavy clay soils of a generally calcareous nature being fairly typical. Since the Medieval period and before ‘ironstone’ (an iron rich form of limestone) and limestone have been quarried producing artifi cial limestone exposures, which became colonised, by the plants and animals of limestone derived soils. In more recent times commercial limestone and ironstone extraction has been carried out on a reasonably large scale and many of the typical ‘gullets’ produced by opencast mining operations were to be found. Today many of the quarries have been fi lled in, but a number of important geological exposures remain. Tufa formation is characteristic of the area. This is a soft rock produced when springs emerge from the limestone and precipitate dissolved calcium carbonate. Very localised acid deposits are found in the form of decalcifi ed limestone, where leaching has removed the calcium carbonate content to leave a sandy substrate. Key Habitats Wildlife occurs throughout the Natural Area in a wide range of habitats found in both rural and urban areas. Farmed land is an important habitat and in common with much of lowland England, arable land and agriculturally improved pasture comprise a major proportion of the habitats now present within the Natural Area. Such widespread habitats include important features such as hedgerows and mature trees, ponds and small watercourses and rough grassland such as is found alongside tracks and on road verges. These habitats give much of the character to the Natural Area and support a wide range of species, including some that have undergone dramatic recent declines such as skylark and grey partridge. There are also a number of other important habitats of more restricted distribution within the Natural Area and these are described below. Ancient, semi-natural broadleaved woodland; is the major habitat resource of the area. Most of the woods stand on ill-drained calcareous clays and their characteristic tree and shrub species are ash, pedunculate oak, fi eld maple, hazel, hawthorn, midland hawthorn and wild service tree with local concentrations of wych elm, small-leaved lime and English elm. The typical ground fl ora dominants on the wet clay are tufted hair-grass, dog’s mercury, bluebell, meadowsweet, enchanter’s-nightshade and wood anemone with many other herbs, including many orchids, sedges and grasses, some of them locally important. Pockets of acid sands occur locally, giving rise to woodland in which sessile oak, small-leaved lime, silver birch and hazel fi gure strongly over a ground fl ora typifi ed by creeping soft-grass, bracken, wood sorrel and lily-of-the-valley. Further diversity is provided in some areas by varied ride grasslands. Unimproved calcareous grassland; found on old (sometimes very old) quarries, such as Barnack, or on a few sites where the turf is original. Upright brome and tor-grass are the dominant plants but there is a rich herb fl ora including nationally rare and scarce plants, many orchids and others of local importance. Unimproved mesotrophic grasslands; on calcareous clay soils with ridge and furrow topography These are characterised by cowslip and green-winged orchid with betony and devil’s-bit scabious on more acid and/or leached soils, and with salad burnet, golden oat-grass and lady’s bedstraw where it becomes more strongly calcareous. Bryophyte dominated springs; have formed where ground water issues strongly from the junctions of permeable and impermeable strata. The bryophytes, which includes such species as Cratoneuron commutatum, which mediate tufa formation. Marshes and swamps; on wet ground and beside rivers. The characteristic vegetation on the mineral soils includes hard rush, lesser pond-sedge and reed sweet-grass. Valley mires; formed in hollows where springs and seepages release calcareous water and there has been the formation of alkaline fen peat. Characteristic plants are purple moor-grass and blunt-fl owered rush associated with a number of other sedges and rushes, and herbs such as marsh valerian, black bog- rush, tormentil, bogbean and marsh pennywort.

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Flowing waters; with a substrate of clay and base-rich waters. Watercourses, which are large, tend to have been over-managed. Watercourses with a natural structure are scarce in the area and are best represented by the River Ise, a tributary of the River Nene which has a characteristic ‘Clay River’ fl ora including yellow water-lily, branched bur-reed, unbranched bur-reed, arrowhead, common club-rush and greater pond-sedge. Unimproved fl ood meadows; in the valley of the River Ise as it passes through the area, characterised by great burnet and meadow foxtail.

Priority Species The conservation of most species is ensured through an approach, which focuses on conserving their habitats, the logic being that if the necessary habitat types are maintained in suffi cient extent then individual species will look after themselves. Unfortunately, a growing number of species are undergoing such rapid declines or have become so rare that it is necessary to focus attention on individual species in order to try and secure their future survival. In order to ensure that the highest priority species are the focus of conservation effort a series of tables is presented below which includes species recognised as being of national signifi cance. Birds have been identifi ed using the RSPB red and amber lists from ‘Birds of conservation concern’. Species listed in ‘Biodiversity: The UK Steering Group Report’ are highlighted. Invertebrates have been limited to those listed in the national Red Data Book (RDB), and those species from the short and middle lists in ‘Biodiversity: The UK Steering Group Report’. (Short and Middle list species are a particular priority for action).

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TABLE 1. INVERTEBRATES: NATIONALLY RARE AND SCARCE BUTTERFLIES AND DRAGONFLIES, ALL OTHER SPECIES ARE EITHER RED DATA BOOK OR BAP SHORT / MIDDLE LIST SPECIES

Species Name Status Habitat County UK BAP Gonomyia masoni (cranefl y) Red Data Book 3 woodland C Wood white butterfl y nationally scarce woodland Nt Long Platypalpus aeneus (fl y) Red Data Book 2 woodland C Platypalpus stigma (fl y) Red Data Book 2 woodland C Osphya bipunctata (beetle) Red Data Book 3 woodland C Cheilosia chrysocoma (fl y) Red Data Book 3 woodland C Nt Black hairstreak butterfl y Red Data Book 4 woodland C Nt Long Concolourous moth Red Data Book 3 woodland Nt Long Purple emperor butterfl y nationally scarce woodland Nt Long Agrilus sinuatus (beetle) Red Data Book 2 dead wood C Nt Machimus rusticus (fl y) Red Data Book 2 calcareous grassland C Micrambe lindbergorum (?) Red Data Book K calcareous grassland C Chalk-hill blue butterfl y nationally scarce calcareous grassland C Long Smicronyx reichi (beetle) Red Data Book 3 calcareous grassland C Four-spotted moth Red Data Book 3 calcareous grassland Nt Middle Vertigo angustior (snail) declining wetland C Nt Short Stenelmis canaliculata (beetle) Red Data Book 2 wetland C Hairy dragonfl y nationally scarce wetland C Nt Variable damselfl y nationally scarce wetland Nt Ruddy darter dragonfl y nationally scarce wetland C Nt White-clawed crayfi sh declining river Nt Short

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TABLE 2. VASCULAR PLANTS: INCLUDING EXTINCT SPECIES

Species Name Status Habitat County BAP UK Dense-fl owered fumitory nationally scarce arable Nt Cornfl ower (extinct) nationally scarce arable C Nt Middle Shepherd’s-needle nationally scarce arable Nt Middle Corncockle Red Data Book arable Nt Corn parsley Red Data Book arable Nt Long Narrow-leaved cudweed (extinct) Red Data Book arable Nt Long Broad-leaved spurge (extinct?) nationally scarce arable Nt Long Red hemp-nettle (extinct) nationally scarce arable C Nt Middle Early spider-orchid (extinct) Red Data Book calcareous grassland C Long Spotted cat’s-ear Red Data Book calcareous grassland Nt Long Burnt-tip orchid (extinct) nationally scarce calcareous grassland C Nt Long Slender bedstraw (extinct) nationally scarce calcareous grassland Nt Perennial fl ax (extinct) nationally scarce calcareous grassland C Lesser calamint (extinct) nationally scarce calcareous grassland Nt Early gentian (extinct?) nationally scarce calcareous grassland C Short Fine-leaved sandwort nationally scarce calcareous grassland C Man orchid nationally scarce calcareous grassland C Nt Euphrasia pseudokerneri nationally scarce calcareous grassland C Pasque fl ower nationally scarce calcareous grassland C Long Rare spring-sedge nationally scarce calcareous grassland C Wood barley nationally scarce woodland edge etc C Nt Crested cow-wheat nationally scarce woodland edge etc C Green hound’s-tongue (extinct) Red Data Book woodland Nt Long Greater dodder (extinct?) nationally scarce streams banks etc Nt Tasteless water-pepper nationally scarce ponds, ditches C Fen pondweed nationally scarce base rich water Nt Narrow-leaved water-dropwort nationally scarce damp grassland C Sulphur clover nationally scarce boulder clay grassland Nt Wall bedstraw nationally scarce walls Nt Plot’s elm nationally scarce hedgerow Nt Long

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TABLE 3. BIRDS

Species Name Status Habitat County BAP UK Red kite RSPB Red list woodland Nt Long Woodcock RSPB Amber list woodland C Nt Long Turtle dove RSPB Red list woodland C Nt Middle Nightingale RSPB Amber list woodland C Nt Long Redstart RSPB Amber list woodland Nt Long Spotted fl ycatcher RSPB Red list woodland C Nt Middle Hawfi nch RSPB Amber list woodland Nt Long Hen harrier (winter) RSPB Red list farmland C Nt Long Snipe RSPB Amber list farmland C Nt Long Barn owl RSPB Amber list farmland C Nt Long Short-eared owl (winter) RSPB Amber list farmland C Nt Long Grey partridge RSPB Red list farmland C Nt Short Song thrush RSPB Red list farmland C Nt Short Skylark RSPB Red list farmland C Nt Short

TABLE 4. MOSSES AND LIVERWORTS

Species Name Status Habitat County BAP UK Cratoneuron commutatum nationally rare tufa forming springs C Seligeria donniana nationally scarce limestone in shade ? Brachythecium salebrosum nationally scarce woodland ?

TABLE 5. MAMMALS AND OTHER VERTEBRATES

Species Name Status Habitat County UK BAP Slow worm declining various Nt Long Adder declining various Nt Long Pipistrelle bat declining various C Nt Short Whiskered bat declining various C Nt Long Otter much reduced river C Nt Short Water vole declining river Nt Short Great crested newt declining ponds C Nt Short Dormouse much reduced woodland Nt Short Brown hare declining farmland C Nt Short

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NATURAL AREA 52. WEST ANGLIAN PLAIN Earth Science The West Anglian Plain is characterised by clay deposits and river-terrace gravels. The deposits present date from the Middle Jurassic and more recent Pleistocene times. The Jurassic geological interest focuses on sections exposing and representing the Blisworth Clay, White Limestone Formation, Oxford Clay and the Cornbrash. The White Limestone is extremely rich in fossils, especially various molluscs, brachiopods (marine bivalves), echinoids (sea-urchins) and oysters. The uppermost part of the Middle Jurassic includes the Oxford Clay, which is internationally famous for its vertebrate and invertebrate fossil fauna. These fossils include fi sh, reptiles, rare dinosaurs and diverse molluscs. The Oxford Clay is also famous for being the source of the clay for the brick-making industries of Peterborough and the Marston Vale. The Cornbrash is also rich in fossil remains. These consist of important bryozoan (sponge) faunas, and specifi c types of ammonite, which have helped in dating the rocks. The hard-rock geology described above is largely obscured, in this Natural Area, by more recent soft deposits of glacial origin - the sands, gravels and glacial clays. Hence, the predominantly ‘clayland’ nature of the soils. Locally, along many river valleys, extensive terraces of gravel deposits were laid down. These are now heavily utilised by the aggregate industry as sources of material for the construction business sector. Such gravel deposits often contain important fossil representatives of both vertebrate and invertebrate land faunas. In the Nene and Ouse valleys, fossil mammal bones found include those of rhinoceros, bison, and hippopotamus. In addition remains of plants and animals of both glacial and interglacial periods occur. Together, these record a time span of at least 300,000 years. Key Habitats Wildlife occurs throughout the Natural Area in a wide range of habitats found in both rural and urban areas. Farmed land is an important habitat and in common with much of lowland England, arable land and agriculturally improved pasture comprise a major proportion of the habitats now present within the Natural Area. Such widespread habitats include important features such as hedgerows and mature trees, ponds and small watercourses and rough grassland such as is found alongside tracks and on road verges. These habitats give much of the character to the Natural Area and support a wide range of species, including some that have undergone dramatic recent declines such as skylark and grey partridge. There are also a number of other important habitats of more restricted distribution within the Natural Area and these are described below. Open waters; encompass old fl ooded gravel pits, old fl ooded clay pits, reservoirs, canals, the River Ouse and River Nene (and a small stretch of the River Welland) and a multitude of smaller watercourses down to small drains. The dominant clay substrate is refl ected by the presence of a community of arrowhead, common club-rush, yellow water-lily and fl owering rush in the larger rivers. Some of the old gravel pits support whorled water-milfoil and bladderwort. The fl uctuating margins of some of the larger standing water bodies supports inundation plant communities including marsh dock and golden dock. Swamps; associated with major rivers and old fl ooded mineral workings. Typical species are reed sweet-grass, lesser pond-sedge, greater tussock-sedge, giant horsetail and lesser bulrush. Reedbeds; small stands of reed occur at the margins of the major rivers and associated with old clay and gravel pits. Marshes and fl ood meadows; occurring on, respectively, permanently wet mineral soil and seasonally fl ooded (winter and spring) alluvium in the valleys of the major watercourses in the area. Fritillary is the most notable member of the fl ood meadow grassland fl ora associated with great burnet, pepper saxifrage, marsh foxtail and narrow-leaved water-dropwort. Marshes in the area are characterised by hard rush and tufted hair-grass, and marsh marigold with common cotton-grass occurring sparingly. Gravel Workings and Clay Pits; have already been mentioned, but in some parts of the Natural Area these are of real importance, particularly along the river Nene (gravel pits) and around Peterborough and the Marston Vale south of Bedford (clay pits).

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 14 APPENDICES

Neutral unimproved grasslands; on poorly draining calcareous boulder clay and on alluvium, often with ridge-and-furrow topography and managed for a hay crop. Green-winged orchid, cowslip, adder’s-tongue fern, dropwort and pepper saxifrage are usually present in the sward with lady’s mantle, saw-wort and meadow saxifrage of more local occurrence. Where strongly calcareous conditions prevail, the meadow vegetation includes pyramidal orchid, fragrant orchid, stemless thistle and upright brome; where the soil is more acid, heath grass, tormentil, betony and devil’s-bit scabious occur with heath-spotted orchid very rarely. Ancient semi-natural broadleaved woodland; these occur on heavy, ill-draining calcareous clays and have coppice-with-standards structure, mostly neglected although some areas are still actively worked. Some of the woodlands have ancient peripheral woodbanks and others have clearly developed over earlier farmland or long-abandoned settlements as ridge-and-furrow or other earthworks occur on the wooded ground. The characteristic canopy species are ash, pedunculate oak and fi eld maple with very local concentrations of alder, aspen, birch, wych elm and, in Cambridgeshire particularly, other elms. The shrub layer is typically composed of hazel, hawthorn, Midland hawthorn, dogwood, wild privet, guelder-rose, wayfaring-tree and spindle. The ground fl ora dominants on the wet clay are bluebell, dog’s mercury, primrose, tufted hair-grass, meadowsweet, wood anemone, wood sedge, pendulous sedge and yellow archangel. Many other woodland herbs, sedges and grasses occur including a number of orchids and rare and scarce plants including oxlip. Very locally the soils are freely draining and acidic sands supporting bracken and creeping soft-grass. The woodlands sometimes have a rich ride fl ora, in places resembling neutral grassland; elsewhere tall herbs dominate including valerian, angelica, rushes and pendulous sedge.

Valley mires; typical plants are blunt-fl owered rush, marsh valerian, marsh pennywort, marsh arrowgrass, marsh marigold and ragged robin with the less common bottle sedge, marsh willowherb and bogbean. Arable land; in terms of extent, arable land accounts for the majority of the Natural Area. Within these areas, there are many fragments of habitat of local importance for wildlife, such as hedgerows and fi eld margins, and they may support species of arable weeds and farmland birds Urban areas; the Natural Area is characterised by a number of major towns and cities, notably Peterborough, Northampton, Bedford, Milton Keynes, Huntingdon and Cambridge. These areas urban areas contain important post-industrial habitats and ‘urban commons’, both transient and longer-term, some of which are locally important for wildlife. Priority Species The conservation of most species is ensured through an approach, which focuses on conserving their habitats, the logic being that if the necessary habitat types are maintained in suffi cient extent then individual species will look after themselves. Unfortunately, a growing number of species are undergoing such rapid declines or have become so rare that it is necessary to focus attention on individual species in order to try and secure their future survival. In order to ensure that the highest priority species are the focus of conservation effort a series of tables is presented below which includes species recognised as being of national signifi cance. Birds have been identifi ed using the RSPB red and amber lists from ‘Birds of conservation concern’. Species listed in ‘Biodiversity: The UK Steering Group Report’ are highlighted. Invertebrates have been limited to those listed in the national Red Data Book (RDB), and those species from the short, middle and long lists in ‘Biodiversity: The UK Steering Group Report’. (Short and Middle list species are a particular priority for action).

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 15 APPENDICES

TABLE 1. INVERTEBRATES: NATIONALLY RARE AND SCARCE BUTTERFLIES AND DRAGONFLIES, ALL OTHER SPECIES ARE EITHER RED DATA BOOK OR BAP SHORT / MIDDLE /LONG LIST SPECIES

Species Name Status Habitat County UK BAP Pisidium tenuilineatum (bivalve) Red Data Book 3 aquatic Be Short Anasimyia interpuncta (hoverfl y) Red Data Book 2 wetland N Libellula fulva (dragonfl y) Red Data Book 2 wetland Be Long Hydrochus carinatus (beetle) Red Data Book 3 wetland Hydrochus ignicollis (beetle) Red Data Book 3 wetland Macroplea appendiculata (beetle) Red Data Book 3 wetland Colobaea pectoralis (fl y) Red Data Book 2 wetland Valvata macrostoma Red Data Book 2 wetland Helophorus longitarsis (beetle) Red Data Book 3 wetland Stenelmis canaliculata (beetle) Red Data Book 2 wetland Spilomena vagans (wasp) Red Data Book 3 wetland Pteromicra pectorosa (fl y) Red Data Book 2 wetland N Mallota cimbiciformis (fl y) Red Data Book 2 woodland Be Bu N Myolepta luteola (hoverfl y) Red Data Book 3 woodland Be Bu Osphya bipunctata (beetle) Red Data Book 3 woodland Agrilus sinuatus (beetle) Red Data Book 2 woodland Be Bu N Strangalia revestita (beetle) Red Data Book 3 woodland Be Zeugophora fl avicollis (beetle) Red Data Book 1 woodland Be Concolourous moth Red Data Book 3 woodland Be N Long Black hairstreak butterfl y Red Data Book 4 woodland Be N Long Limnophila pictipennis (cranefl y) Red Data Book 2 fl ood meadow Sciomyza dryomyzina (fl y) Red Data Book 2 fl ood meadow Ochthebius pusillus (beetle) Red Data Book 3 brickpits White-letter hairstreak butterfl y nationally scarce hedgerow Variable damselfl y nationally scarce aquatic C Wood white butterfl y nationally scarce woodland N Long

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 16 APPENDICES

TABLE 2. VASCULAR PLANTS

Species Name Status Habitat County BAP UK Field cow-wheat Red Data Book arable Be LONG Corn cleavers Red Data Book ? arable LONG Broad-leaved spurge nationally scarce arable Bu Be C LONG Red hemp-nettle (extinct?) nationally scarce arable C LONG Slender tare nationally scarce arable, various Be C Shepherd’s-needle nationally scarce arable Bu Be C LONG Spreading hedge-parsley nationally scarce arable Be C LONG Crested cow-wheat nationally scarce woodland edge etc Be C Oxlip nationally scarce woodland Be C hedgerow, Plot’s elm nationally scarce woodland N Be C LONG woodland, Spiked star-of-Bethlehem nationally scarce grassland Be boulder clay Sulphur clover Nationally scarce grassland Be C Lesser calamint nationally scarce calcareous deposits Fritillary nationally scarce wet grassland C Narrow-leaved water-dropwort nationally scarce wet grassland N Tasteless water-pepper nationally scarce pond, ditch Be C Dodder nationally scarce stream, ditch etc Narrow-leaved marsh-orchid nationally scarce calcareous fl ushes C Whorled water-milfoil nationally scarce base rich water Be Fringed water-lily nationally scarce base rich water C Fen pondweed nationally scarce base rich water C Grass-wrack pondweed nationally scarce base rich water Greater water-parsnip nationally scarce lake, river Be LONG

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 17 APPENDICES

TABLE 3. BIRDS

Species Name Status Habitat County BAP UK Greylag goose RSPB amber list wetland Bu Long Ringed plover RSPB amber list wetland Be Bu C N Long Snipe RSPB amber list wetland Be Bu C N Long Curlew RSPB amber list wetland Be Bu C N Long Redshank RSPB amber list wetland Be Bu C N Long Kingfi sher RSPB amber list wetland Be Bu C N Long Grasshopper warbler RSPB amber list wetland Be Bu C N Long Reed bunting RSPB red list wetland Be Bu C N Middle Wigeon RSPB amber list wetland Bu C N Long Gadwall RSPB amber list wetland C N Long Teal RSPB amber list wetland Bu N Long Pintail RSPB amber list wetland Be Bu C N Long Shoveler RSPB amber list wetland N Long Pochard RSPB amber list wetland Be Bu C N Long Goldeneye RSPB amber list wetland Be Bu C N Long Golden plover RSPB amber list wetland Be Bu C N Long Lapwing RSPB amber list wetland Be Bu C N Long Jack snipe RSPB amber list wetland Be Bu C N Long Woodcock RSPB amber list woodland Be Bu C N Long Grey partridge RSPB red list farmland Be Bu C N Short Songthrush RSPB red list farmland Be Bu C N Short Barn owl RSPB amber list farmland Be Bu C N Long Skylark RSPB red list farmland Be Bu C N Short Grey plover (passage) RSPB amber list wetland Be Bu C N Long Dunlin (passage) RSPB amber list wetland Be Bu C N Long Ruff (passage) RSPB amber list wetland Be Bu C N Long Whimbrel (passage) RSPB amber list wetland Be Bu C N Long Greenshank (passage) RSPB amber list wetland Be Bu C N Long Turnstone (passage) RSPB amber list wetland Be Bu C N Long Sandwich tern (passage) RSPB amber list wetland Be Bu C N Long Arctic tern (passage) RSPB amber list wetland Be Bu C N Long Little tern (passage) RSPB amber list wetland Be Bu C N Long

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 18 APPENDICES

TABLE 4. LOWER PLANTS

Species Name Status Habitat County BAP UK Aloina brevirostris nationally rare calcareous grassland Amblystegium humile nationally scarce neutral grassland Bryum dunense nationally scarce soil, sand B. intermedium nationally scarce basic soil, walls B. pseudotriquetrum var. bimum nationally scarce damp soil B. torquescens nationally scarce calcareous grassland Campylium calcareum nationally scarce basic soil, bark Ephemerum recurvifolium nationally scarce woodland Long Lophozia perssonii (liverwort) nationally rare arable Phascum fl oerkeanum nationally scarce arable Plagiothecium laetum nationally scarce woodland P. ruthei nationally scarce woodland Platygyrium repens nationally scarce woodland Pohlia lescuriana nationally scarce arable Pottia bryoides nationally scarce arable Pterygoneurum ovatum nationally scarce calcareous grassland Rhynchostegiella curviseta nationally scarce soft rock Riccia cavernosa (liverwort) nationally scarce arable Ricciocarpos natans (liverwort) nationally scarce aquatic Seligeria calcarea nationally scarce shaded limestone Sphaerocarpos michelii (liverwort) nationally scarce arable Tortula vahliana nationally rare clay soil Tortula virescens nationally scarce bark Trichostomopsis umbrosa nationally scarce walls Weissia rostellata nationally rare arable Middle W. squarrosa nationally rare arable Middle W. sterilis nationally scarce calcareous grassland Middle Chara canescens nationally rare aquatic Middle Tolypella intricata nationally rare aquatic Middle

TABLE 5. MAMMALS AND OTHER VERTEBRATES

Species Name Status Habitat County UK BAP Grass snake declining ponds, various Be Bu C N Long Pipistrelle bat schedule 5 various Be Bu C N Short Whiskered bat schedule 5 various N Long Natterer’s bat schedule 5 various N Long Leisler’s bat schedule 5 various C N Long Water vole declining river Be Bu C N Short Dormouse much reduced woodland C N Short Otter much reduced river C N Short Brown hare declining farmland Be Bu C N Short Great crested newt declining ponds Be C N Short

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 19 APPENDICES

NATURAL AREA 54. YARDLEY-WHITTLEWOOD RIDGE Earth Science The underlying geology of the Natural Area falls into two main types: (i)To the west and east the upland ridge is composed of middle and upper Jurassic rocks and capped by boulder clay. The clay was laid down during Pleistocene times, as ice from the last glaciation melted and retreated leaving its sediment load behind as a thick mantle. (ii)The Yardley-Whittlewood Ridge Natural Area is split into two by the River Tove. Here the second type of underlying geology is visible. The exposures consist of upper to middle Jurassic aged deposits. Through time the River Tove has gradually cut downwards eroding the thick boulder clay and depositing alluvium. The exposures are of a relatively recent age in geological terms. The soil types mirror the underlying geology. The east and west sides of the ridge have soils that are heavy (neutral or slightly acid) clays and fringed by areas of more calcareous clays. Where the River Tove cuts into the Natural Area, the valley contains a ribbon of permanently waterlogged (or ‘gley’) soils of alluvial origin. There are no geological Sites of Special Scientifi c Interest within the Natural Area. The area has been the subject of only local and small scale mineral extraction.

Key Habitats Wildlife occurs throughout the Natural Area in a wide range of habitats found in both rural and urban areas. Farmed land is an important habitat and in common with much of lowland England, arable land and agriculturally improved pasture comprise a major proportion of the habitats now present within the Natural Area. Such widespread habitats include important features such as hedgerows and mature trees, ponds and small watercourses and rough grassland such as is found alongside tracks and on road verges. These habitats give much of the character to the Natural Area and support a wide range of species, including some that have undergone dramatic recent declines such as skylark and grey partridge. There are also a number of other important habitats of more restricted distribution within the Natural Area and these are described below. Ancient semi-natural broad-leaved woodland; this is the most extensive habitat. In some woodlands, particularly in Whittlewood Forest, there are notable over-mature pedunculate oak standards which are of importance as habitats for ancient woodland invertebrates. The typical canopy forming species are pedunculate oak, ash and fi eld maple with birch and aspen locally. Sub-canopy shrubs consist generally of hawthorn, midland hawthorn, spindle, hazel, spurge laurel (a species restricted mainly to Yardley-Whittlewood Ridge and Rockingham Forest Natural Area in Northamptonshire) and guelder-rose. The ground fl ora of these woodlands, typical of the wet calcareous clay, is dominated by dog’s mercury, bramble, bluebell, primrose and wood anemone. Many other woodland herbs, sedges and grasses occur including some which are nationally and locally scarce, for example herb-paris, thin-spiked wood-sedge, bird’s-nest orchid, wild daffodil, wood barley, crested cow-wheat, grey sedge and purple helleborine. Butterfl ies are well represented with species such as purple emperor, white admiral, wood white and black hairstreak. The woods support typical woodland birds (eg nightingale, all 3 woodpeckers, woodcock) and the goshawk is making a return to the larger woods. Dormice have been found in the woods although their population number is uncertain. Roe, red, sika, muntjac and fallow deer are having signifi cant effects upon the vegetation in the woods. Ancient broadleaved parkland; this is typifi ed by over-mature pollard trees of ash and pedunculate oak. Ancient trees support a wide range of wildlife, which is not found elsewhere. These trees support species of specialised fungi and many invertebrates are completely dependant upon dead wood. Removal of an ancient tree can cause complete disappearance of a population. Nationally scarce insects include various longhorn beetle species, the false darkling beetle and click beetles. Birds and bats often use these ancient trees for roosting. Many parks and pasture-woodlands are associated with ancient coppice woodland or secondary plantation, adding habitat diversity to the core feature.

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 20 APPENDICES

Unimproved mesotrophic grassland; this occurs as discrete agricultural fi elds, along woodland rides, roadside verges, green lanes and as part of the complex habitat mosaic found at Yardley Chase. Some fi elds have characteristic ridge-and-furrow topography and support anthills. Grassland swards on the ill-draining calcareous clay are characterised by black knapweed, green-winged orchid, saw-wort, adder’s-tongue fern, cowslip and pepper saxifrage with some heath-grass, tormentil and betony where the soil is slightly more acid. Areas with a more calcareous soil are typifi ed by a local abundance of tor grass and upright brome, with some dropwort, quaking grass and stemless thistle. Unimproved grasslands in river valleys have developed fl ood meadow vegetation characterised by great burnet and meadow foxtail. These grasslands can be particularly important for birds (eg skylark, snipe and curlew) and hares occur in highest numbers in the fl ood meadows along the river Tove. Unimproved calcareous grassland; this is a minor feature of the area since there are few exposures of the underlying limestone. One railway cutting supports limestone grassland dominated by upright brome associated with stemless thistle and bee orchid. It also supports a population of the small blue butterfl y. Marshes and mires; these are found throughout the area, but are only of small extent. The marshes occur on mineral soils and are characterised by Yorkshire fog, tufted hair-grass, hard rush and soft rush, whereas the mires occur on alkaline fen peat, which has developed in the vicinity of springs providing a good supply of lime-rich water. Blunt-fl owered rush is typical of these mires, which also support marsh arrow-grass, southern marsh-orchid and great burnet. The marshes and mires are usually found associated with the unimproved mesotrophic grasslands and support uncommon bird species such as snipe. Standing and fl owing open waters; standing water habitat is best represented by the pools in Yardley Chase and by the short length of Grand Union Canal. Flowing open waters, with the exception of the River Tove, mainly comprises of small over-managed and degraded agricultural watercourses. The plants most characteristic of the Yardley Chase pools are shining pondweed and stoneworts. The pools also support signifi cant populations of great crested newts. The Grand Union Canal and River Tove have similar fl oras, although the river has a better representation of submerged plants. The clay substrate of the river supports the characteristic plants such as branched bur-reed, common club-rush, greater pond-sedge, yellow water-lily, unbranched bur-reed and water chickweed with slender tufted-sedge locally. Water Voles are still found along the banks of the River Tove. Hedgerows; this habitat is a valuable link between other wildlife areas. Some hedgerows can be relicts of ancient woodland, others indicators of boundaries and recently planted hedges. Since Dutch elm disease killed many elm, ash is the most common hedgerow tree followed by oak. Shrubs found in hedgerows include blackthorn, cherry plum and hazel. Hedgerows are important as fl ying corridors for bats and feeding areas for insects. Hedgerows provide good cover for game and song birds when well managed. Churchyards and boundary walls; many churchyards and parks in south Northamptonshire and north Bedfordshire provide limestone walls, graves and old trees which support a variety of rare and characteristic lichens. Those growing on limestone are especially noteworthy. Geographically the Natural Area is important as many lichens occur on the edge of their range. Helmdon churchyard was found to have 131 species of lichen of which 95 were growing on stone. 3 churchyards in Bedfordshire found 6 nationally scarce lichen species eg Caloplaca isidiigera, Leptogium plicatile(See appendix). Helmdon and Wappenham churchyards in Northamptonshire are considered to have some of the best lichen assemblages in the country. Priority Species The conservation of most species is ensured through an approach, which focuses on conserving their habitats, the logic being that if the necessary habitat types are maintained in suffi cient extent then individual species will look after themselves. Unfortunately, a growing number of species are undergoing such rapid declines or have become so rare that it is necessary to focus attention on individual species in order to try and secure their future survival. In order to ensure that the highest priority species are the focus of conservation effort a series of tables is presented below which includes species recognised as being of national or local signifi cance. Birds have been identifi ed using the RSPB Red and Amber lists from ‘Birds of conservation concern’, while invertebrates have been limited to those listed in the national Red Data Book (RDB). In addition species from the short and middle lists in ‘Biodiversity: The UK Steering Group Report’ are highlighted. (Short and Middle list species are a particular priority for action).

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 21 APPENDICES

TABLE 1. INVERTEBRATES: NATIONALLY SCARCE BUTTERFLIES, RED DATA BOOK AND BAP SPECIES ONLY

Species Name Status Habitat County UK BAP Harpalus obscurus Red Data Book 1 calcareous grassland N Harpalus parallelus Red Data Book 3 calcareous grassland N Micrambe lindbergorum Red Data Book K calcareous grassland N Smicronyx reichei Red Data Book 3 calcareous grassland N Stenichnus poweri Red Data Book K calcareous grassland N Trachyphloeus digitalis Red Data Book K calcareous grassland N Photedes extrema Red Data Book 3 calcareous grassland N Black hairstreak butterfl y Red Data Book 4 scrub N Long Limonia masoni Red Data Book 3 woodland N Orthoperus brunnipes Red Data Book 3 woodland N Wood white butterfl y nationally scarce woodland N Long Purple emperor butterfl y nationally scarce woodland N Long

TABLE 2. VASCULAR PLANTS

Species Name Status Habitat County BAP UK Plot’s elm nationally scarce hedges N Long Crested cow-wheat nationally scarce wood edge N Broad-leaved spurge (extinct) nationally scarce arable N Grey mouse-ear Red Data Book calcareous grassland N Penny royal Red Data Book wet grassland N

TABLE 3. BIRDS

Species Name Status Habitat County BAP UK Woodcock RSPB Amber list woodland N Long Turtle dove RSPB Red list woodland N Middle Green woodpecker RSPB Amber list woodland N Long Nightingale RSPB Amber list woodland N Long Redstart RSPB Amber list woodland N Long Grasshopper warbler RSPB Amber list woodland N Long Spotted fl ycatcher RSPB Red list woodland N Middle Tree sparrow RSPB Red list woodland N Middle Snipe RSPB Amber list wetland N Long Curlew RSPB Amber list wetland N Long Skylark RSPB Red list farmland N Short Grey partridge RSPB Red list farmland N Short Song thrush RSPB Red list farmland N Short Barn owl RSPB Amber list farmland N Long

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 22 APPENDICES

TABLE 4. LOWER PLANTS

Species Name Status Habitat County BAP UK Aspicilia subcircinata nationally scarce walls, buildings, stone Be Caloplaca isidiigera nationally scarce walls, buildings, stone Be Caloplaca variabilis nationally scarce walls, buildings, stone Be Lepraria lesdainii nationally scarce walls, buildings, stone Be Leproloma vouauxii nationally scarce walls, buildings, stone Be Leptogium plicatile nationally scarce walls, buildings, stone Be Brachythecium mildeanum nationally scarce damp soil Platygyrium repens nationally scarce woodland

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 23 APPENDICES

TABLE 5. MAMMALS AND OTHER VERTEBRATES

Species Name Status Habitat County UK BAP Grass snake declining ponds Long Great crested newt declining ponds Short Dormouse declining woodland Short Water vole declining streams, woodland Short Pipistrelle bat declining various Short Noctule bat declining various Long Red deer declining woodland Long Fallow deer locally abundant woodland Long

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 24 APPENDICES

NATURAL AREA 55. COTSWOLDS The Cotswolds Natural Area covers a very small area of south west Northamptonshire, which, although dominated by limestone geology, is not typical of the wider Cotswold area. Therefore only a short summary follows. The Cotswolds Natural Area overlies a band of limestone stretching from Somerset to Warwickshire. These Jurassic Limestones are internationally famous, as many are rich in fossils, and the rock stratigraphy is of particular importance. An extensive semi-natural habitat in the Cotswolds is unimproved grassland and the Natural Area supports over 50% of the national resource of limestone grassland characterised by upright brome and tor grass. The limestone grasslands are rich in plants and invertebrates, particularly butterfl ies, and are the national stronghold for Duke of Burgundy butterfl y. The Cotswolds also contain signifi cant areas of ancient woodland. Woodland cover is relatively continuous on the scarp where internationally important stands of beechwood are to be found and in some parts of the plateau where there are woodland estates. In the north and on the eastern dip slope woodland is more isolated.

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 25 APPENDICES

APPENDIX 3. SITE OF SPECIAL SCIENTIFIC INTEREST SUMMARIES

Summary information is based on SSSI Site Objective Statements prepared by English Nature’s Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire Local Area Team in 1995. Full SSSI Citations can be downloaded from the English Nature website at http://www.english-nature.org.uk/Special/sssi/search.cfm

Alder Wood and Meadow SSSI

Habitat Type: Ancient semi-natural broadleaved woodland Unimproved hay meadow

Vegetation: W8 Wet Ash - Maple woodland MG5 b Centaurea nigra - Cynosurus cristatus, Galium verum sub-community

Species: Vascular plants No rare species on fi le Locally rare: Herb-Paris Paris quadrifolia Giant Bellfl ower Campanula latifolia Invertebrates Nationally notable: Wood White Leptidea sinapis Locally important: Purple Hairstreak Quercusia quercus Green Hairstreak Callophrys rubi 20 other species of Lepidoptera recorded Vertebrates Birds: none listed Mammals: none listed

Aldwincle Marsh SSSI

Habitat Type: Fen and Marsh

Vegetation: M22 a Juncus subnodulosus-Cirsium palustre fen meadow, typical sub-community MG7 b Lolium perenne ley, Poa trivialis sub-community MG10 b Holcus lanatus-Juncus effusus rush pasture, Juncus infl exus sub-community S3 Carex paniculata swamp S7 Carex acutiformis swamp S5 Glyceria maxima swamp S28 Phalaris arundinacea fen, Epilobium hirsutum-Urtica dioica sub-community Typical sub-community: Juncus-Centaurea nigra, Juncus-Carex hirta-Deschampsia cespitosa, Juncus subnodulosus

Species: Vascular plants No information concerning rare species on fi le Locally important: Marsh Pennywort Hydrocotyle vulgaris Marsh Valerian Valeriana dioica Bogbean Menyanthes trifoliata

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 26 APPENDICES

Ashton Wold SSSI

Habitat Type: Ancient secondary broadleaved woodland (with old oaks c.25m in height)

Vegetation: W8 Fraxinus excelsior - Acer campestre - Mercurialis perennis woodland Sub-community Primula vulgaris - Glechoma hederacea

Species: Vascular plants No rare species information available on fi le Invertebrates RDB4: 1 Lepidoptera: Black Hairstreak Strymonidia pruni National/Notable: 1 Lepidoptera: 1 Vertebrates Birds: No information available on fi le Mammals: No information available on fi le

Badby Wood SSSI

Habitat Type: Ancient semi-natural broadleaved woodland Marsh Unimproved neutral grassland

Vegetation W5 Alnus glutinosa - Carex paniculata woodland W8 Fraxinus excelsior - Acer campestre - Mercurialis perennis woodland W8 a Sub-community Primula vulgaris - Glechoma hederacea W8 b Sub-community Anemone nemorosa W10 Quercus robur - Pteridium aquilinum - Rubus fruticosus woodland W10 a Sub-community Quercus robur wood, Pteris-Holcus and Holcus societies Sub W10 b -community Anemone nemorosa W10 d Sub-community Holcus lanatus Also small area of marsh and unimproved neutral grassland

Species Vascular plants No information concerning rare species on fi le but several county rarities have been recorded including Wood Horsetail Equisetum sylvaticum, Blinks Montia fontana, Hairy Wood-rush Luzula pilosa, Wood Melick Melica unifl ora, Greater Tussock-sedge Carex paniculata, Marsh Valerian Valeriana dioica and near the wood edge Black Currant Ribes nigrum and Wood Vetch Vicia sylvatica. Invertebrates Notable: 1 Lepidoptera: 1 White-letter Hairstreak Strymonidia w.album Vertebrates Birds: Tree Pipit, Redstart and Wood warbler of local importance and have all bred here. Mammals: Badger Meles meles (Schedule 8)

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 27 APPENDICES

Badsaddle, Withmale Park and Bushwalk Woods SSSI

Habitat Type: Ancient broadleaved woodland

Vegetation No NVC information available Wet Ash/Maple

Species Vascular plants Nationally scarce: Yellow Star of Bethlehem Gagea lutea Invertebrates No information available on fi le Vertebrates Birds: No information available on fi le Mammals: No information available

Banhaw, Spring and Blackthorns Woods SSSI

Habitat Type: Ancient semi-natural broadleaved woodland

Vegetation: Wet Ash-Maple woodland No NVC information available on fi le

Species: Vascular plants No information available on fi le Invertebrates RDB4: 1 Lepidoptera: 1 Strymonidia pruni Black Hairstreak Notable: 2 Araneae: 1 Achaearanea simulans (Thorell, 1875) Coleoptera: 1 Prionocyphon serricornis (Mueller, 1821) Vertebrates Birds: No information available on fi le Mammals: No information available on fi le

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 28 APPENDICES

Birch Spinney and Mawsley Marsh SSSI

Habitat Type: Semi-natural broadleaved woodland Unimproved neutral grassland Semi-improved neutral grassland Marshy grassland Running water

Vegetation: Neutral grassland Acidic marshy grassland Semi-natural woodland - Ash-Maple Wet Ash-Wych Elm Tall fen

Species: Species Vascular plants Locally rare: Giant Bellfl ower Campanula latifolia Tussock Sedge Carex paniculata Marsh Arrow-grass Triglochin palustris Marsh Valerian Valeriana dioica

Invertebrates No information available on fi le

Vertebrates Birds: Locally important. Previous records of breeding Snipe. Mammals: Badgers - numerous with extensive digging.

Bosworth Mill Meadow SSSI

Habitat Type: Agriculturally unimproved old grassland

Vegetation: Mesotrophic grassland associations: MG6 b Lolium perenne-Cynosurus cristatus grassland, Anthoxanthum odoratum sub-community MG5 a Cynosurus cristatus-Centaurea nigra grassland, Lathyrus pratensis sub-community MG5 c Cynosurus cristatus-Centaurea nigra grassland, Danthonia decumbens sub-community MG4 Alopecurus pratensis-Sanguisorba offi cinalis grassland MG8 Cynosurus cristatus-Caltha palustris grassland

Species: Vascular plants No rare species on record Locally important: Meadow Saxifrage Saxifraga granulata Adder’s-tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum Invertebrates No data available on ISR (1994) Vertebrates Birds: No rare species Mammals: No rare species

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 29 APPENDICES

Bozeat Meadow SSSI

Habitat Type: Unimproved neutral grassland

Vegetation: MG5 b Cynosurus cristatus-Centaurea nigra grassland Centaureo-Cynosuretum cristati Sub-community Galium verum MG1 a Arrhenatherum elatius grassland Arrhenathetum elatioris Sub-community Festuca rubra

Species: Vascular plants No information available on fi le concerning rare species Invertebrates No information available on fi le concerning rare species. ISR (1994) Vertebrates Birds: No information available on fi le Mammals: No information available on fi le

Bucknell Wood Meadows SSSI

Habitat Type: Unimproved neutral grassland

Vegetation: MG5 Centaurea nigra-Cynosurus cristatus pasture MG9 a Holcus lanatus-Deschampsia caespitosa coarse grassland/ MG10 b Holcus lanatus-Juncus effusus rush pasture

Species: Vascular plants Locally important: Pepper-saxifrage Silaum silaus Invertebrates No records available on ISR (1994) Vertebrates Birds: Locally important: breeding Snipe Mammals: No rare species

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 30 APPENDICES

Bugbrooke Meadows SSSI

Habitat Type: Wet grassland, possibly of water meadow origin

Vegetation: MG4 Alopecurus pratensis/Sanguisorba offi cinalis grassland MG5 Centaurea nigra/Cynosurus cristatus grassland MG8 Cynosurus cristatus/Caltha palustris grassland

Species: Vascular plants Locally important: Sneezewort Achillea ptarmica Cottongrass Eriophorum angustifolium Common Adder’s-tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum Spearwort Ranunculus fl ammula Lesser Marsh Arrowgrass Triglochin palustris Marsh Valerian Valeriana dioica Invertebrates No data available for this site on ISR (1994) Vertebrates No rare species on record

Bulwick Meadows SSSI

Habitat Type: Wet grassland

Vegetation: MG6 Lolium perenne-Cynosurus cristatus grassland Sub-community Lolio-Cynosuretum typicum MG6 a Lolium perenne leys and related grasslands Sub-community Lolium perenne-Alopecurus pratensis-Festuca pratensis grassland MG7 c Cynosurus cristatus-Caltha palustris grassland MG8 Holcus lanatus-Juncus effusus rush pasture MG10 a Sub-community Holco-Juncetum effusi typicum variant solitus

Species: Vascular plants No rare species information available on fi le Locally rare: Flat Sedge Blysmus compressus Common Bistort Polygonum bistorta Invertebrates No information available on fi les concerning rare species Vertebrates Birds: No information available on fi le concerning rare species This site is formerly an important breeding ground for Snipe Gallinago gallinago Mammals: No information available on fi le concerning rare species

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 31 APPENDICES

Collyweston Great Wood and Easton Hornstocks NNR

Habitat Type: Ancient coppiced broadleaved woodland

Vegetation: Nationally important (as ranked in SSSI Identifi cation/Confi rmation of Important Features sheet): Small Leaved Lime woodland Calcareous Hazel-Ash woodland Wet Field Maple and Ash-Maple woodlands Acid Birch (Oak woodlands) Regionally important: Bare/disturbed ground Locally important: Grassland/Scrub/Tall Herb

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 32 APPENDICES

Species: Vascular plants No RDB plants Regionally important: Broadleaved Helleborine Epipactis helleborine Violet Helleborine Epipactis purpurata Mountain Melick Melica nutans Bee Orchid Ophrys apifera Fly Orchid Ophrys insectifera (last recorded 1984) Locally important: Columbine Aquilegia vulgaris Deadly Nightshade Atropa belladonna Nettle-leaved Bellfl ower Campanula trachelium Lily-of-the-valley Convallaria majalis Wood Spurge Euphorbia amygdaloides Henbane Hyoscyamus niger Greater Wood-rush Luzula sylvatica Wild Service-tree Sorbus torminalis Small-leaved Lime Tilia cordata Invertebrates Regionally important: Saproxylic invertebrates pRDB1 Lepidoptera Epiblema grandaevana RDB1 Coleoptera Ernoporus caucasius RDB3 Lepidoptera The Concolorous Moth Photedes extrema Nationally notable: Lepidotera Silky Wainscot Chilodes martimus White-spotted Pinion Cosmia diffi nis Barred Hook-tip Drepana cultraria Angle-striped Sallow Enarsia paleacea A micromoth Ethmia dodecea Lead-coloured Drab Orthosia populeti Psoricoptera gibbosella Green Arches Anaplectoides prasina Lilac Beauty Apeira syringaria Blotched Emerald Comibaena bajularia Gold Swift Hepiatis hecta Thistle Ermine Myelois cribrella Rufous Minor Oligia versicolor Parachronistis albiceps Grizzled Skipper Pyrgus malvae Locally important: Coleoptera Glow-worm Lampyris noctiluca plus 20 other species of invertebrates - Coleoptera and Diptera Nationally important: Mollusca Large Black British Slug Limax cinereoniger Locally Important: Mollusca Operculate Snail Pomatias elegans

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 33 APPENDICES

Collyweston Quarries SSSI

Habitat Type: Species-rich Jurassic Limestone grassland

Vegetation: A mosaic of CG5 a and CG5 b sub-communities - Bromus erectus, Brachypodium pinnatum grassland.

Species: Vascular plants Nationally important: Spotted Cat’s-ear Hypochaeris maculata Man Orchid Aceras anthropophorum Locally important: Purple Milk-vetch Astragalus danicus Dyer’s Greenweed Genista tinctoria Invertebrates pRDB3 Coleoptera Smicronyx reichi pRDBK Coleoptera Meligehtes bidentatus Micrambe lindbergorum Nationally notable: 37 invertebrate species of which 13 are Lepidoptera Nationally notable: Araneae (spider) Maso gallichs Vertebrates Birds: No rare species on record Mammals: No rare species on record

Coombe Hill Hollow SSSI

Habitat Type: Neutral grassland communities - acid soil variant of calcareous loam pasture

Vegetation: MG5 c Crested Dog’s-tail-Lesser Knapweed Danthonia decumbens sub-community

Species: Vascular plants No rare species listed Invertebrates No rare species listed in ISR (1994) Vertebrates No rare species listed

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 34 APPENDICES

Dungee Corner Meadow SSSI

Habitat Type: Calcareous clay pasture - an atypical example notable for the presence of Bromus erectus, Brachypodium pinnatum and Linum catharticum.

Vegetation: MG5 b Crested Dog’s-tail-Common Knapweed-Lady’s Bedstraw sub-community

Species: Vascular plants Locally important: Orchis morio Green-winged Orchid - strong population Invertebrates No information on ISR fi le (1994) Vertebrates No rare species on record

Everdon Stubbs SSSI

Habitat Type: Ancient semi-natural broadleaved woodland

Vegetation: W16 Quercus-Betula-Deschampsia woodland on drier plateau top W10 Quercus-Pteridium-Ribes woodland on wetter surrounding slopes

Species: Vascular plants Locally important: Wild Daffodil Narcissus pseudonarcissus Orpine Sedum telephium Wood Vetch Vicia sylvatica Moschatel Adoxa moschatellina Bitter Vetch Lathyrus linifolius Invertebrates No information on fi le Vertebrates Mammals: Badgers recorded as resident

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 35 APPENDICES

Geddington Chase SSSI

Habitat Type: Semi-natural broadleaved woodland

Vegetation: Ash/Maple (wet Maple woods) Hazel/Ash (acid Pedunculate Oak-Hazel-Ash woods - heavy soil form) Neutral grassland (semi-improved/unimproved) - rides

Species: Vascular plants Locally important: Broadleaved Helleborine Epipactis helleborine Wild Daffodil Narcissus pseudonarcissus - rare in Northamptonshire Blackthorn Prunus spinosa Invertebrates RDB3: Lepidoptera: The Concolorous Moth Photedes extrema Cloaked Pug Moth Eupithecia abietaria RDB4 :Lepidoptera: Black Hairstreak Strymonidia pruni Vertebrates Mammals: Dormouse

Glapthorn Cow Pasture SSSI

Habitat Type: Dense blackthorn scrub Ash-maple woodland

Species: Vascular plants Greater Dodder Cuscuta europaea Blackthorn Prunus spinosa Invertebrates RDB4 Lepidoptera Black Hairstreak Strymonidia pruni Nationally notable: Three species of coleoptera Vertebrates Birds: Luscinia megarhynchos Nightingale

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 36 APPENDICES

Hardwick Lodge Meadow SSSI

Habitat Type: Unimproved grassland Additional habitats are provided by the old and mature hedgerows, ditches and a pond

Vegetation: MG5 b Cynosurus cristatus-Centaurea nigra grassland Sub-community Galium verum MG9 a Holcus lanatus-Deschampsia cespitosa grassland: Sub-community Poa trivialis MG5 a Sub-community Lathyrus pratensis

Species: Vascular plants No information available on fi le concerning rare species Locally rare: Heath Spotted-orchid Dactylorhiza maculata Invertebrates No rare species information available on ISR (1994) Vertebrates Birds: No information available on fi le concerning rare species Mammals: No information available on fi le concerning rare species

Helmdon Disused Railway SSSI

Habitat Type: Calcareous grassland Mesotrophic grassland

Vegetation: CG3 c Bromus erectus grassland Sub-community Knautia arvensis-Bellis perennis MG1 Arrhenatherum elatius grassland CG7 Festuca ovina-Hieracium pilosella-Thymus praecox/pulegioides grassland

Species: Vascular plants No information available on fi le concerning rare species Invertebrates Nationally notable: 1 Lepidoptera:1 Wood White Leptidea sinapis Only Northamptonshire locality for Cupido minimus Small Blue Vertebrates Birds: No information available on fi le concerning rare species

Mammals: Badger Meles meles - 3 setts on site Amphibian: Schedule 5 Common Frog Rana temporaria Common Toad Bufo bufo

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 37 APPENDICES

Higham Ferrers Gravel Pits SSSI

Habitat Type: Open water - of local signifi cance

Vegetation: No special vegetation interest

Species: Vascular plants No rare species interest Invertebrates No records on ISR fi le (1994) Vertebrates Birds: Nationally and regionally important breeding bird populations Shoveler Little Ringed Plover Wintering wildfowl Regionally important breeding birds: Lapwing Redshank Mammals: No rare species on record

High Wood and Meadow SSSI

Habitat Type: Ancient semi-natural broadleaved woodland Acid grassland

Vegetation: Regionally important: Acid Pedunculate Oak-Hazel woodland Lowland Hazel-Pedunculate Oak woodland Agrostis-Festuca acid grassland

Species: Vascular plants No rare species on record Locally important: Moschatel Adoxa moschatellina Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrage Chrysosplenium oppositifolium Hairy Woodrush Luzula pilosa Wood Vetch Vicia sylvatica Invertebrates No data for rare species on record - under-recorded

The meadow contains prolifi c anthills of Lasius fl avus; three other ant species have also been recorded on the SSSI. In addition, the meadow supports numerous colonies of solitary bees and wasps. Vertebrates Birds: No rare species on record, although over 80 bird species have been recorded and the diversity of habitats present provide good nesting opportunities. Mammals: Active badger sett within the meadow.

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 38 APPENDICES

King’s Cliffe Banks SSSI

Habitat Type: Oolitic limestone grassland

Vegetation: CG5 a Bromus erectus - Brachypodium pinnatum grassland, typical sub-community

Species: Vascular plants No rare species on fi le Lower Plants (status unknown): Bryophytes - Ctenidium molluscum, Homalothecium lutescens Lichens present on extruding limestone rocks Invertebrates No invertebrate information on fi le Vertebrates No rare species on fi le

Mantles Heath SSSI

Habitat Type: Ancient broadleaved woodland

Vegetation: No NVC information available on fi le Acid Pedunculate Oak-Hazel-Ash woodland

Species: Vascular plants No information concerning rare species available on fi le Locally important: Wood Vetch Vicia sylvatica Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrage Chrysosplenium oppositifolium Slender St John’s-wort Hypericum pulchrum Wild Daffodil Narcissus pseudonarcissus Moschatel Adoxa moschatellina Invertebrates No information on fi le concerning rare species (ISR 1994) Vertebrates Birds: No information available on fi le concerning rare species. Mammals: Badgers Act - Meles meles Badger setts on site

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 39 APPENDICES

Mill Crook SSSI

Habitat Type: Hay meadow

Vegetation: MG4 Alopecurus pratensis - Sanguisorba offi cinalis grassland MG5 b Cynosurus cristatus - Centaurea nigra grassland Galium verum sub-community

Species: Vascular plants No information on fi le concerning rare species Locally important: Pepper-saxifrage Silaum silaus Yellow-rattle Rhinanthus minor Invertebrates No information on fi le concerning rare species Vertebrates Birds: No information on fi le concerning rare species One of the only two sites in the county where breeding Curlew were recorded in 1994

Old Sulehay Forest SSSI

Habitat Type: Broadleaved semi-natural woodland

Vegetation: Nationally important: Acid Birch-Ash-Lime Acid Pedunculate Oak-Lime

Species: Vascular plants Locally of interest: Nettle-leaved Bellfl ower Campanula trachelium Deadly Nightshade Atropa belladonna Wood Meadow-grass Poa nemoralis Narrow Buckler-fern Dryopteris carthusiana Woolly Thistle Cirsium eriophorum Invertebrates Nationally notable: Coleoptera: 8 species Diptera: 2 species Lepidoptera: 1 species - Ethmia dodecea Vertebrates Mammals: Extensive Badger Meles meles setts

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 40 APPENDICES

Pipewell Woods SSSI Habitat Type: Ancient broadleaved woodland Vegetation: No NVC information available on fi le Wet Ash-Maple woodland Species: Vascular plants Locally important: Giant Bellfl ower Campanula latifolia Herb Paris Paris quadrifolia Wood Speedwell Veronica montana Invertebrates No information available on fi le concerning rare species (ISR 1994) Vertebrates Birds: Breeding Sparrowhawk Mammals: Dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius

Pitsford Reservoir SSSI Habitat Type: Man-made reservoir (waterbody). Ephemeral marsh and mud fl at habitats exist within “draw down” zone of reservoir. Vegetation: NVC available only for certain habitats.

MG1 Arrhenatherum elatius grassland MG9 Holcus lanatus-Deschampsia cespitosa grassland MG13 Agrostis stolonifera-Alopecurus geniculatus grassland S19 Phragmites swamp Species: Invertebrates Nationally notable: Lepidoptera: Wood White Leptidea sinapis NB The site is especially important for: Lepidoptera: Essex Skipper Thymelicus lineola Vertebrates Birds: Passage and wintering wildfowl. Nationally important numbers of wintering wildfowl, especially Shoveler Anas clypeata. Breeding birds of local importance: Great Crested Grebe Kingfi sher Little Grebe Reed Warbler Teal Mammals: Badgers Act: Badger Meles meles - 3 setts Bats: Schedule 5 Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981: Pipistrelle Bat Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Daubenton’s Bat Myoris daubentoni Reptiles: Schedule 5 Wildlife & Countryside Act: Grass snake Natrix natrix Amphibians: Great Crested Newt Triturus cristatus Smooth Newt Triturus vulgaris Common Toad Bufo bufo Common Frog Rana temporania

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 41 APPENDICES

Plumpton Pasture SSSI

Habitat Type: Meadow bordered by hedgerow with trees Unimproved grassland Scrub and trees around pond Small pond

Vegetation: MG5 a Cynosurus cristatus-Centaurea nigra grassland MG9 Holcus lanatus-Deschampsia cespitosa grassland

Species: Vascular plants Locally important: Spiny Restharrow Ononis spinosa Bitter-vetch Lathyrus linifolius Invertebrates No information available on fi le concerning rare species (ISR 1994) Vertebrates No information on fi le concerning rare species

Racecourse Farm Fields SSSI

Habitat Type: Jurassic Limestone grassland

Vegetation: No NVC information available on fi le

Floristically rich grassland, with dominant Bromus erectus, Festuca rubra and Brachypodium pinnatum

Species: Vascular plants Nationally scarce: Aceras anthropophorum Man Orchid Locally important: Rock-rose Helianthemum nummularia Autumn Gentian Gentianella amarella Clustered Bellfl ower Campanula glomerata Small Scabious Scabiosa columbaria Dodder Cuscuta epithymum Invertebrates Notable status: 194 Coleoptera: 52 Diptera: 21 Hemiptera: 118 Lepidoptera: 1 Neuroptera: 1 Orthoptera: 1 Vertebrates No information on fi le concerning rare species

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 42 APPENDICES

Ramsden Corner Plantation SSSI

Habitat Type: Woodland with ancient woodland affi nities Scrub Acidic grassland

Vegetation: No NVC information available on fi le

Acid grassland dominated by Agrostis capillaris, A. canina, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Rumex acetosella and Galium saxatile Acid Pedunculate Oak-Hazel-Ash woodland

Species: Vascular plants No information available on fi le concerning rare species Locally important: Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrage Chrysosplenium oppositifolium Wood Horsetail Equisetum sylvaticum Bitter Vetch Lathyrus linifolius Wood Vetch Vicia sylvatica Broad-leaved Helleborine Epipactis helleborine Invertebrates No information available on fi le concerning rare species (ISR 1994) Vertebrates Mammals: Badgers Act: Evidence of Badger Meles meles - disused sett

River Ise and Meadows SSSI

Habitat Type: Neutral grassland - species-rich fl ood meadow River (geomorphology)

Vegetation: No NVC information available concerning rare species

Species: Vascular plants No information on fi le concerning rare species Comprehensive aquatic fl ora Locally important: Rigid Hornwort Ceratophyllum demersum Skullcap Scutellaria galericulata Invertebrates RDB3: 1 Mollusca: Pisidium tenuilineatum Notable: 2 Coleoptera: Plateumaris affi nis (Kunze, 1818) Diptera: Wiedemannia lota (Walker) Schedule 5: Crustacea: 1 Austropotamobius pallipes Crayfi sh Vertebrates Birds: No information available on fi le concerning rare species Fish: The site is locally important for Grayling Thyllamus thyllamus - only example in Northamptonshire

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 43 APPENDICES

Salcey Forest SSSI

Habitat Type: Ancient semi-natural oak high forest Conifer plantation Oak/Conifer plantation Other broadleaved plantation Semi-improved/unimproved grassland (rides)

Vegetation: No NVC information available on fi le Acid Pedunculate Oak/Hazel/Ash high forest Some very old veteran Oaks (Medieval)

Species: Vascular plants No information available on fi le concerning rare species Locally important: Thin-spiked Wood-sedge Carex strigosa Bird’s-nest Orchid Neottia nidus-avis Invertebrates RDB3: 2 Lepidoptera: Brindled Pug Eupithecia abietaria The Concolorous Moth Photedes extrema RDB4: 1 Lepidoptera: Black Hairstreak Strymonidia pruni National/Notable: 24 Coleoptera: Ctesias serra Diptera: Criorhina asilica Lepidoptera: 22 (moths) Vertebrates Birds: Schedule 1, Part 1: Records from 1967-1979 (NTNC Management Report): Barn Owl Tyto alba Breeding Sparrowhawk Mammals: Schedule 5: Dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius Amphibian: Great Crested Newt Triturus cristatus

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 44 APPENDICES

Southfi eld Farm Marsh SSSI

Habitat Type: Tall grass washland Wet meadow and sedge marsh

Vegetation: No NVC information available on fi le Tall grass washland (Notable species: Reed Sweet-grass Glyceria maxima, Reed Canary-grass Phalaris arundinacea, Tufted Hair-grass Deschampsia cespitosa, Floating Sweet-grass Glyceria fl uitans, Lesser Pond-sedge Carex acutiformis, Tufted-sedge C. elata) Wet meadow and sedge marsh (Notable species: Carex species, Great Burnet Sanguisorba offi cinalis, Marsh Marigold Caltha palustris)

Species: Vascular plants No information on fi le concerning rare species Locally important: Tufted-sedge Carex elata Water Horsetail Equisetum fl uviatile Invertebrates RDB2: 1 Diptera: Pteromicra pectorosa (Hendel) RDB3: 1 Diptera: Anasimyia interpuncta (Harris) Notable/Nb: 8 Diptera: 8 Local: 41 Diptera: 41 Species-rich communities of soldier fl ies, hoverfl ies and snail-killing fl ies. Site ranked 8th in Northamptonshire for invertebrates; this places it amongst the sites that Peter Kirby rated ‘B’ in the 1986 ISR report, ie of SSSI quality for invertebrates. Vertebrates No information on fi le concerning rare species

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 45 APPENDICES

Short Wood SSSI

Habitat Type: Ancient semi-natural broadleaved woodland

Vegetation: No NVC information available on fi le Wet Ash-Maple - typical Ash-Maple Suckering Elm - Invasive Elm

Species: Vascular plants No information available on fi le concerning rare species. Locally important: Wood Speedwell Veronica montana Bird’s-nest Orchid Neottia nidus-avis Greater Butterfl y-orchid Platanthera chlorantha Wood Melick Melica unifl ora Violet Helleborine Epipactis purpurata * Herb-Paris Paris quadrifolia * * both recorded on site in past Invertebrates RDB4: 1 Lepidoptera: Black Hairstreak Strymonidia pruni Notable: 3 Coleoptera: 3 Vertebrates Birds: No information available on fi le concerning rare species Mammals: Badgers Act: Meles meles Badger

Stoke and Bowd Lane Woods SSSI

Habitat Type: Ancient semi-natural broadleaved woodland

Vegetation: W8 Fraxinus excelsior/Acer campestre/Mercurialis perennis woodland Teucrium scorodonia sub-community Deschampsia cespitosa sub-community Anemone nemerosa sub-community

Species: Vascular plants No information on fi le concerning rare species Locally important: Nettle-leaved Bellfl ower Campanula trachelium Greater Butterfl y-orchid Platanthera chlorantha Bird’s-nest Orchid Neottia nidus-avis Broadleaved Helleborine Epipactis helleborine Invertebrates RDB4: 1 Lepidoptera: Black Hairstreak Strymonidia pruni Vertebrates

Birds: No information available concerning rare species Mammals: Schedule 5 Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 Dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 46 APPENDICES

Sudborough Green Lodge Meadows SSSI

Habitat Type: Unimproved/semi-improved neutral grassland Ponds (3) Stream and ditch lined with Salix spp and tall herbs Hedgerows Scrub

Vegetation: MG5 b Cynosurus cristatus-Centaurea nigra grassland Galium verum sub-community MG6 Lolium perenne-Cynosurus cristatus grassland CG3 d Bromus erectus grassland Festuca rubra-Festuca arundinacea sub-community

Species: Vascular plants No information on fi le concerning rare species Locally important: Fairy Flax Linum catharticum Green-winged Orchid Orchis morio Adder’s-tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum Pepper Saxifrage Silaum silaus Common Milk-vetch Polygala vulgaris Sulphur Clover Trifolium ochroleucon Invertebrates No information available on fi le concerning rare species (ISR 1994) Vertebrates Birds: Schedule 1 Part 1 Barn Owl Tyto alba Mammals: No information available on fi le concerning rare species

Syresham Marshy Meadows SSSI

Habitat Type: Relict eutrophic valley mire Base-rich marsh, spring fed Unimproved neutral grassland

Vegetation: MG6 Lolium perenne-Cynosurus cristatus grassland MG5/6 Cynosurus cristatus-Centaurea nigra grassland MG5b Galium verum sub-community MG5c Cynosurus cristatus-Centaurea nigra grassland/Danthonia decumbens sub-community MG9 Holcus lanatus-Deschampsia cespitosa grassland MG10 Holcus lanatus-Juncus effusus rush pasture M22a Juncus subnodulous-Circium palustre fen-meadow/Briza media-Trifolium spp sub-community M22b Carex elata sub-community CG3 Bromus erectus grassland MG1 Arrhenatherum elatius grassland Complex of relict eutrophic valley mire and base-rich marsh communities

Species: Vascular plants No information on fi le concerning rare species Locally important: Southern Marsh-orchid Dactylorhiza praetermissa Marsh Arrow-grass Triglochin palustris Invertebrates No information available on fi le concerning rare species (ISR 1994) Vertebrates Mammals: No information available on fi le concerning rare species

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 47 APPENDICES

Titchmarsh Duck Decoy SSSI

Habitat Type: Man-made duck decoy pond surrounded by planted trees

Vegetation: No NVC information available on fi le

The decoy pond is becoming colonised by Common Reed Phragmites australis and Reed Sweet- grass Glyceria maxima Woodland contains Silver Birch Betula pendula, Crack Willow Salix fragilis, Scots Pine Pinus sylvestris, Alder Alnus glutinosa, Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna and Blackthorn Prunus spinosa

Species: Vascular plants No information on fi le concerning rare species Invertebrates No information on fi le concerning rare species (ISR 1994) Vertebrates The former duck decoy acts as one of Northamptonshire’s largest heronries c40 breeding pairs of Grey Heron Ardea cinerea. Mammals: No information available on fi le concerning rare species

Titchmarsh Meadow SSSI

Habitat Type: Base-rich marsh Calcareous pasture Small drained Medieval fi sh pond supporting marsh vegetation

Vegetation: No NVC information available on fi le

The meadow is dominated by jointed rush Juncus articulatus, hard rush Juncus infl exus, common Spike-rush Eleocharis palustris and blunt fl owered-rush Juncus subnodulosus

Species: Vascular plants No information available on fi le concerning rare species Locally important: Marsh Arrow-grass Triglochin palustris Southern Marsh-orchid Dactylorhiza praetermissa Invertebrates No information on fi le concerning rare species (ISR 1994) Vertebrates No information on fi le concerning rare species

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 48 APPENDICES

Twywell Gullet SSSI

Habitat Type: Limestone grassland Scrub Several ponds

Vegetation: CG5 Bromus erectus-Brachypodium pinnatum grassland The ponds are vegetated with Bulrush Typha latifolia and Blunt-fl owered Rush Juncus subnodulosus Scrub dominated by Salix spp and Fraxinus excelsior Ash

Species: Vascular plants No information on fi le concerning rare species Locally rare: Knapweed Broomrape Orobanche elatior Dwarf Thistle Cirsium acaule Woolly Thistle C. eriophorum Basil Thyme Acinos arvensis Carline Thistle Carlina vulgaris Blue Fleabane Erigeron acer Hound’s-tongue Cynoglossum offi cinale Bee Orchid Ophrys apifera Invertebrates Notable/Nb: 7 Coleoptera: Cryptocephalus aureolus (Suffrian, 1847) Helophorus dorsalis (Marsham, 1802) Limnebius nitidus (Marsham, 1802) L. papposus (Mulsant, 1844) Longitarsus dorsalis (F, 1781) L. ganglbaueri (Heikertinger, 1912) Diptera: Eupachygaster tarsalis (Zetterstedt) Vertebrates Amphibians: Great Crested Newt Triturus cristatus present

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 49 APPENDICES

Wadenhoe Marsh & Achurch Meadow SSSI

Habitat Type: Riparian wetland Base-rich fl ushes Unimproved permanent grassland Species-rich community intermediate between alluvial meadow and calcareous loam pasture types

Vegetation: S4, S5, S7 Tall fen Base-rich fl ush Alder woodland Marshy grassland Semi-improved neutral grassland MG5b, MG6, MG11a Unimproved neutral grassland Scrub Running/standing water

Species: Vascular plants No rare species on fi le Invertebrates Nationally important: Coleoptera: 4 Diptera: 5 Lepidoptera: 1 Eupithecia insigniata Vertebrates Birds: One of the most important sites in the Nene Valley for breeding Lapwing, Redshank and Curlew. Snipe formerly bred. Mammals: No rare species on fi le

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 50 APPENDICES

Wakerley Spinney SSSI

Habitat Type: Native broadleaved woodland Semi-natural calcareous grassland

Vegetation: CG3 Bromus erectus grassland CG5 Bromus erectus-Brachypodium grassland Hieracium spp sub-community Wet ash-maple woodland

Species: Vascular plants No information on fi le concerning rare species Locally uncommon: Woodruff Galium odoratum Violet Helleborine Epipactis purpurata Fly Orchid Ophrys insectifera Wood Spurge Euphorbia amygdaloides Invertebrates RDB3: 1 Hymenoptera: Dipogon bifasciatus (Geoffroy in Fourcroy, 1785) RDB4: Lepidoptera: Strymonidia pruni Black Hairstreak Na/Notable/Nb: Coleoptera: Ptinomorphus imperialis (L., 1767) Selatosomus bipustulatus (L., 1767) Variimorda villosa (Schrank, 1781) Diptera: Diogma glabrata (Meigen) Volucella infl ata (Fabricus) Hemiptera: Drymus latus (Douglas & Scott) Hymenoptera: Ectemnius sexcinctus (Fabricus, 1775) Lepidoptera: Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina White-letter Hairstreak Strymonidia w-album Vertebrates No information on fi le concerning rare species

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 51 APPENDICES

Weldon Park SSSI

Habitat Type: Ancient broadleaved woodland

Vegetation: Ash-Maple woodland Hazel-Ash woodland

Species: Vascular plants No information available on fi le concerning rare species Locally important: Grey Sedge Carex divulsa Thin-spiked Wood-sedge C. strigosa Scaly Male-fern Dryopteris affi nis Trailing Tormentil Potentilla anglica Invertebrates RDB4: 1 Lepidoptera: Strymonidia pruni Black Hairstreak Notable/Na: 2 Coleoptera: Helaphorus dorsalis (Marsham, 1802) Lepidoptera: Purple Emperor Apatura iris Vertebrates Birds: No information on fi le concerning rare species Mammals: Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 52 APPENDICES

Whittlewood Forest SSSI (inc Buckingham Thick Copse NNR)

Habitat Type: Ancient semi-natural broadleaved woodland

Vegetation: No NVC information available on fi le (Main tree species: Ash Fraxinus excelsior, Pedunculate Oak Quercus robur, Silver Birch Betula pendula, Aspen Populus tremula, Elm Ulmus spp.)

Species: Vascular plants No information available on fi le concerning rare species

Regionally rare: Grey Sedge Carex divulsa Locally rare: 6 Lichens (rare epiphytic species): Usnea certatina Pertusaria hemishaerica Lecanora confusa Invertebrates RDB3: 2 Coleoptera: Prionocyphon serricornis Diptera: Limonia masoni RDB4: 1 Lepidoptera: Black Hairstreak Strymonidia pruni pRDB: 1 Coleoptera: Cypha seminulum (Erichson, 1839) Notable/Na/Nb: 28 Coleoptera: 25 Diptera: Rhamphomyia sulcatina (Collin) Criorhina asilica (Fallen) Lepidoptera: Wood white Leptidae sinapsis Vertebrates Birds: No information available on fi le concerning rare species Mammals: Badger Meles meles - 3 setts on site

Wollaston Meadow SSSI

Habitat Type: Neutral meadow grassland

Vegetation: MG4 Alopecurus pratensis-Sanguisorba offi cinalis grassland MG4/MG5b Cynosurus cristatus-Centaurea nigra grassland Galium verum sub-community

Species: Vascular plants No information available on fi le concerning rare species

County rarity: Dropwort Filipendula vulgaris Invertebrates No information available on fi le concerning rare species (ISR 1994) Vertebrates No information available concerning rare species

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 53 APPENDICES

Yardley Chase SSSI

Habitat Type: Ancient semi-natural broadleaved woodland, old parkland trees with associated deadwood Unimproved neutral grassland, largest area in Northamptonshire Eutrophic pools Woodland rides

Vegetation: MG5 Cynosurus-cristatus-Centaurea nigra grassland W8 Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland Type 10 standing water vegetation types

Species: Vascular plants No information on fi le concerning rare species Locally important: Stinking Hellebore Helleborus viridis Adder’s-tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum Dropwort Filipendula vulgaris Pepper Saxifrage Silaum silaus Typha Lesser Bulrush angustifolia Southern Marsh-orchid Dactylorhiza praetermissa Invertebrates RDB3: 3 Coleoptera: Procraerus tibialis (Boisduval & Lacordaire, 1835) Lepidoptera: Eupithecia abietaria The Concolorous Moth Photedes extrema RDB4: 2 Lepidoptera: Black Hairstreak Strymonidia pruni Notable/Na/Nb: 21 Coleoptera: Conopalpus testaceus (Olivier, 1790) Ctesias serra (F, 1792) Enicmus brevicornis (Mannerheim, 1844) Melasis buprestoides (L, 1761) Lepidoptera: 16 Orthoptera: Metrioptera brachyptera 13 species of breeding Odonata (dragonfl ies) Contains the largest British population of Wood white Leptidae sinapis [Notable/Nb scarcity]. Largest number of species of breeding butterfl ies of any Northamptonshire site (30). Vertebrates Mammals: Badgers Act: Badger Meles meles Amphibians: Schedule 5, Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 Common Frog Rana temporaria Common Toad Bufo bufo Great Crested Newt Triturus cristatus Palmate Newt Triturus helveticus Reptiles: Schedule 5, Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 Grass Snake Natrix natrix

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 54 APPENDICES

APPENDIX 4. WILDLIFE SITE SUMMARIES

Wildlife Site Habitat Type/s Area (hectares) Abington Meadow Grassland: marsh/marshy grassland 4.5 Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha/Swamp Abington Old Millpond Open water: standing, eutrophic 1.6 Crataegus monogyna - Hedera helix scrub Abington Park Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 1.7 Abington Park Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha 0.4 Abington Park Spinney Woodland: broadleaved 2 Achurch Marsh Swamp 6 Adams Wood Woodland: coniferous, plantation 13 Adstone Disused Railway Scrub 2.5 Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland Adstone Marsh Grassland: marsh/marshy grassland 5 Adstone Meadows Grassland: neutral 3 Aldwincle Meadows Grassland: marsh/marshy grassland 17 Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Grassland: poor semi-improved Boundaries, hedge with trees Boundaries, defunct hedge Alford Thorns/Twantry Woodland: mixed, plantation 7.5 Plantation Andrews Quarry Rock & waste: artifi cial exposure, quarry 17 Scrub Arbury Hill Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds 0.3 Armston Grove Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 14 Ash Coppice Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 30 Ashby Home Wood Woodland: mixed, plantation 13 Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha Ashton disused airfi eld Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland 31.5 Grassland: neutral, lowland Ashton Kingcup Marsh Swamp: tall fen vegetation 1 Ashton Mill Fields Grassland: marshy, lowland 2.9 Ashton New Meadows Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland 18 Boundaries, hedge with trees Ashton Old Water Meadows Swamp: single sp. dominant swamp 6.6 Swamp: tall fen vegetation Boundaries, defunct hedge, species-poor Scrub Ashton Water Dragonfl y Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 1.1 Sanctuary Scrub Grassland: neutral Ashton Wold Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural, high forest 63 Woodland: broadleaved, plantation Scrub Parkland/scattered trees Askershaw Wood Woodland: broadleaved, plantation, coppice with standards 50 Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland Astcote Thorns Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 5 Aston le Walls Railway Line Scrub 8.5 Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Astwell Mill Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha 0.4

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 55 APPENDICES

Wildlife Site Habitat Type/s Area (hectares) Astwell Spinney & Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 2 Woodland: mixed, plantation Aynho Park Parkland: scattered trees 2.3 Scrub Grassland: neutral, lowland Cultivated/disturbed land Aynho Valley Open water: mesotrophic streams & rivers 1-3m wide 24.5 Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha Aynho Viaduct Carr Scrub: dense/continuous, neutral 2 Aynho Viaduct Grassland Grassland: neutral, lowland 0.5 Aynho Viaduct Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha 0.5 Scrub Badby Church Meadow Grassland: neutral, lowland 2 Badby East Meadow Grassland: neutral, lowland 2.5 Badby Plantation Woodland: broadleaved 3.5 Badby Wood Meadow Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland 1.5 Badby Wood Quercus robur-Pteridium aquilinum-Rubus fruticosus woodland 47.1 Boundaries, hedge with trees Baldwins Spinney Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 1.1 Open water: mesotrophic running water Banbury Lane Boundaries, hedge with trees 5 Grassland: neutral Bangrave Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 1 Barby Old Canal Open water: standing, eutrophic 1.9 Boundaries, hedge with trees Marginal/inundation: marginal Barby Roughs Lane Boundaries, hedge with trees, species-rich 1 Barford Meadows Grassland: neutral, lowland 27 Grassland: calcareous, lowland Woodland: broadleaved, plantation Open water: running water Barlow Farms Fields Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland 9 Boundaries, hedge with trees Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha Cultivated/disturbed land Barnes Meadow Local Nature Open water: standing water 15.5 Reserve Scrub Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Swamp, marginal and inundation Barnhill Spinney Grassland: acidic, unimproved, lowland 5.5 Scrub Barnwell Country Park Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha 9.2 Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha Scrub Barnwell Mill Fields Grassland: calcareous, unimproved 8 Grassland: neutral, lowland Scrub Barnwell Nene Fishing Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 1.4 Barnwell Wold Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 67.8 Woodland: coniferous, plantation Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds et Bearshank Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha 0.2

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 56 APPENDICES

Wildlife Site Habitat Type/s Area (hectares) Bearshank Wood Woodland: plantation 40.2 Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha Bedlam Copse Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 3.5 Beggar’s Lane Grassland: neutral, unimproved 2 Grassland: marshy, lowland Benefi eld Road Verges Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland 1 Berry Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 3.75 Biddlesden Meadows Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland 12 Grassland: marsh/marshy grassland Big Covert Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 5 Big Spinney Woodland: mixed 3.3 Big Waters Swamp/Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 5 Biggin Fishpond Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 3 Billing Aquadrome Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha 17 Open water: eutrophic running water Cultivated/disturbed land: amenity grassland Built up area, caravan site Billing Arbours Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 10 Billing Brook South Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 0.8 Billing East Lagoons Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 4.3 Billing Fishponds Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha 0.3 Billing Park Long Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 0.75 Billing Park South Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha 0.4 Billing Scrub Scrub 3.5 Billing West Lagoon Open water: standing, eutrophic, large lakes >5ha/Scrub 11.1 Birch & Linshire Copses Woodland: mixed, plantation 36 Blackberry Fox Covert Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 3.3 Blackpits Spinney Woodland: plantation 1.8 Blackthorn Spinney Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 3 Blackthorn Wood Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 2 Blackthorn Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 5 Blatherwyke Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, large lakes >5ha 21 Blue Lagoon Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 6 Rock & waste: artifi cial exposure, quarry Blueberry Grange Wood Woodland: plantation 2 Boddington Marshy Field Grassland: marshy, lowland 3 Grassland: neutral, lowland Boddington Meadow Grassland: neutral, lowland 2.5 Boddington Reservoir Open water: reservoir 25 Borough Hill Field Grassland: acidic, lowland 2.6 Borough Hill Plantation Woodland: broadleaved, plantation 6.5 Borough Hill Spring Open water: running, oligotrophic 0.1 Bottom Spinney Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 1.75 Boughton Hall Park Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 2.8 Open water: mesotrophic springs and small streams Woodland: mixed Boughton Lane Embankment Scrub 3

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 57 APPENDICES

Wildlife Site Habitat Type/s Area (hectares) Boundary Plantation Woodland: mixed, plantation 6 Boundary Plantation Cynosurus cristatus-Centaurea nigra grassland: Galium verum sub 0.4 Grassland community Bozeat Cemetery Grassland: neutral, lowland 1 Bozeat Glebe Meadow Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland 1.5 Bozeat Wood Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 3 Brackley Disused Railway Scrub/Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland 1.7 (East) Brackley Disused Railway Scrub/Grassland: neutral, lowland 2.2 (West) Grassland: marsh/marshy grassland Brackley Gorse Scrub 3 Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural/Open water: running water Brackley Marsh Open water: standing water 1.4 Swamp, marginal and inundation Scrub Brackley Pocket Park Grassland: neutral, lowland 2 Swamp Open water: standing, eutrophic Scrub Brackley Railway Grassland: neutral, lowland 5 Embankment Grassland: calcareous, lowland Bradlaugh Fields/(Old Grassland: neutral, lowland 40 Northampton Golf Club) Grassland: marshy, lowland Boundaries, hedge with trees Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds Heathland: dry heath/acid grassland mosaic Brampton Brook Plantation Woodland: broadleaved, plantation 2.5 Brampton Valley Way Boundaries, hedge with trees 56 Bare ground Grassland: neutral, lowland Grassland: acidic, lowland/Scrub Brampton Wood Woodland: mixed, plantation 75 Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland Braunston Cleves Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 10 Braunston Covert Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 5.3 Grassland: neutral, lowland Braunston Marsh Swamp/Boundaries, hedge with trees 0.3 Braunston Old Railway Station Scrub 4 Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Briar Hill Canal Marsh Scrub 1.2 Swamp Brickhill Pond Scrub 4.3 Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha Brickhill Spinney Woodland: plantation 1 Brickyard Spinney Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 1.5 Woodland: mixed, plantation Scrub: dense/continuous Brigstock Country Park Woodland: mixed, plantation 12.8 Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha Rock & waste: artifi cial exposure, quarry Brington Belt Woodland: broadleaved, plantation, coppice with standards 4 Broadgow Spinney Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 2

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 58 APPENDICES

Wildlife Site Habitat Type/s Area (hectares) Brookfi eld Plantation Woodland: mixed, plantation 134 Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland Open water: standing water Brookfi eld Plantation Cutting Grassland: calcareous, unimproved 18 Grassland: neutral, unimproved Scrub: scattered Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha Rock & waste: artifi cial exposure, quarry Brookfi eld Plantation Pool Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 0.5 Broughton Green Lane Boundaries, hedge with trees 2 Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub Arrhenatherum elatius grassland Buckby Folly Covert Woodland: mixed, plantation 6.5 Bucknell Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 0 Woodland: broadleaved, plantation Woodland: coniferous, plantation, high forest Woodland: mixed/Scrub/Boundaries, hedge with trees Grassland: neutral, lowland Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds Bucknell Wood Pastures Grassland: neutral, lowland 25 Boundaries, hedge with trees Bull Nose Coppice Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 3 Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Bullicks Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural, coppice with standards 14.4 Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds Bullocks Penn Spinney Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 7 Burcote Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 3.5 Burn Coppice Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 17 Burntfold Copse Woodland: coniferous, plantation 12.2 Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds Burton Latimer Meadows Grassland: neutral, lowland 5.5 Grassland: marshy, lowland Bushey Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 4 Woodland: coniferous, plantation Business Park Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 1.25 Butchers Spinney Woodland: mixed, plantation 1 Byfi eld Pool Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 3 Cadge Wood Woodland: mixed, plantation 21.5 Caldecott Verge Grassland: calcareous, unimproved 0.5 Camp Lane & Drain Boundaries, hedge with trees 2.2 Open water: running water Campion Reserve Scrub/Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds/Grassland: neutral, 11.2 lowland/Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural Woodland: coniferous, plantation Canons Ashby Lower Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 2.2 Canons Ashby Top Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 1.7 Canons Ashby Woodland Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 15 Woodland: mixed, plantation Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha Swamp, marginal and inundation Cappenham Bridge Drain Marginal/inundation: marginal 1 Open water: eutrophic running water

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 59 APPENDICES

Wildlife Site Habitat Type/s Area (hectares) Castle Ashby Parkland Parkland/scattered trees: mixed 4 Castle Field Grassland: marshy, lowland 0.5 Castle Moats Woodland: broadleaved 0.6 Open water: standing, dystrophic, ponds etc. < 0.5ha Cat’s Head Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 4.5 Charlton Old Workings Grassland: calcareous, lowland 2 Charlton Stream Open water: running water 1.5 Swamp Scrub Charwelton Bridge Spinney Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 0.5 Charwelton Disused Railway Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland 5 (North) Scrub Charwelton Disused Railway Scrub 8 (South) Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland Charwelton Hall Fishponds Open water: mesotrophic streams & rivers 1-3m wide 2 Woodland: broadleaved Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha Cheese Copse Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 27 Woodland: mixed, plantation Cherry Hall Plantation Woodland: mixed, plantation 8 Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural Cherry Lap Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 30 Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Chinkwell Belts Parkland/scattered trees: broad-leaved 4 Chinkwell Clumps Woodland: broadleaved, plantation 1.5 Woodland: broadleaved, plantation Woodland: broadleaved, plantation Chinkwell Spinney Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural, coppice 5 Church Brampton Golf Course Scrub: scattered, acidic 52 Grassland: acidic, lowland Church Charwelton Fishponds Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds 4 Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural Church Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds 0.2 Church Spinney Woodland: plantation 4.5 Church Wood Woodland: mixed, plantation 13 Cleaver’s Clump Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 3 Cockcrow Spinney Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 1.5 Cockley Brake Woodland: broadleaved 7 Cold Oak Copse Woodland: coniferous, plantation 40 Woodland: broadleaved, plantation Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural Scrub Coleready Plantation Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 25 Woodland: mixed, plantation Grassland: acidic, unimproved, lowland Open water: running water Collingtree Golf Course Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 7.3 Open water: eutrophic running water Boundaries, hedge with trees, species-rich Boundaries, permanently wet ditch Common Wold Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 12 Coombe Hill Spinney Woodland: mixed, plantation 5

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 60 APPENDICES

Wildlife Site Habitat Type/s Area (hectares) Coppicemoor Spinney Woodland: broadleaved, plantation 5.5 Corby Old Quarry Gullet Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland 22.2 Corby Old Quarry Ponds Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5haOpen water: standing, 36 eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha Woodland: mixed, plantation Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland Corby Tunnel Quarries Rock & waste: artifi cial exposure, quarry 17 Grassland: calcareous, unimproved Open water: standing, dystrophic Corner Meadow Alopecurus pratensis-Sanguisorba offi cinalis grassland 0.6 Corner Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds 0.2 Cosgrove Old Canal Scrub 2 Swamp: single sp. dominant swamp Boundaries, hedge with trees Cosgrove Priory Mill Stream Open water: mesotrophic streams & rivers 1-3m wide 1.5 Cosgrove Quarry Grassland: calcareous, lowland 2.8 Scrub Cotterstock Road Verges Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland 0.2 Cottesbrooke Green Lane Boundaries, hedge with trees 2 Cottesbrooke Hazel Hedge Boundaries, hedge with trees 2 Open water: mesotrophic running water Cottesbrooke Park Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 1.8 Cow Pasture Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 6 Cowpasture Spinney Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 9 Open water: mesotrophic running water Cowthick Plantation Woodland: mixed, plantation 37 Woodland: coniferous, plantation Scrub Cowthick Plantation Cutting Rock: artifi cial exposure 16 Scrub Grassland: neutral, lowland Cranford Meadow Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland 4 Cranford St.John Quarry Rock & waste: artifi cial exposure, quarry 2 Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland Cranford Wood Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 16 Cransley Reservoir Open water: reservoir 18 Cransley Wood Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 15 Creaton Covert Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural, under planted 4.5 Recently felled woodland: broad-leaved Woodland: mixed, plantation Creaton Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha 0.5 Croughton Spinney Woodland: broadleaved 1.5 Croughton Spring Copse Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 1.8 Crow Coppice Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 6 Cuckoopen Wood Woodland: mixed, plantation 20.2 Woodland: coniferous, plantation Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds Culworth Castle Arrhenatherum elatius grassland: Centaurea nigra sub-community 0.5

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Wildlife Site Habitat Type/s Area (hectares) Culworth Marsh Scrub 2 Open water: running water Swamp Cutthroat Lane Boundaries, hedge with trees 2 Open water: eutrophic running water Grassland: neutral, lowland Dallington Brook Field Grassland: marshy, lowland 2 Dallington Brook Grassland Grassland: neutral, lowland 1 Open water: eutrophic running water Dallington Old Tennis Courts Parkland/scattered trees 4.5 & Ponds Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Dallington Tennis Club Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha 0.4 Dane Hole Woodland: mixed 7 Dark Spinney Woodland: mixed, plantation 3 Daventry & District Golf Grassland: acidic, lowland 2.5 Course Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds Daventry Disused Railway Scrub 8 Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Boundaries, hedge with trees Daventry Reservoir & Country Open water: reservoir 30 Park Swamp, marginal and inundation Woodland Scrub Marginal/inundation Deanshanger Gravel Pits Open water: standing water 14 Deanshanger Old Canal Boundaries, hedge with trees 1.5 Scrub Swamp Deene Park Lakes Open water: standing, eutrophic, large lakes >5ha 12.8 Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha Open water: running water Delapre Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, large lakes >5ha 8 Delapre Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds 0.3 Delapre Wood Woodland: broadleaved 15 Delf Spinney Woodland: broadleaved, plantations 4 Scrub: dense/continuous Boundaries, hedge with trees Grassland: neutral, lowland Denford Old Ash Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 4 Desborough Pond and Stream Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha 0.5 Open water: eutrophic running water Dibbins & Hollow Woods Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 28 Dingley Wood Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 7.5 Ditchford Lock Gravel Pits Open water: mesotrophic lakes 0.5-5ha 12.5 Open water: large mesotrophic lakes >5ha Scrub Ditchford Lock Meadows Grassland: marshy, lowland 10 Doddington Marshy Field Grassland: marshy, lowland 4 Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Dodford Disused Railway Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland 5 Scrub: scattered

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Wildlife Site Habitat Type/s Area (hectares) Dogsmouth Brook Meadow Grassland: neutral, lowland 0.75 Open water: running water Downtown Disused Railway Scrub/Boundaries, hedge with trees 6 Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Draughton Crossing - Woodland: broadleaved 6 Kelmarsh Tunnels Scrub: dense/continuous Grassland: neutral, lowland Bare ground Drayton House Parkland Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland 60 Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha Drayton Reservoir Swamp, marginal and inundation 11 Open water: reservoir Dryleas Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 20.5 Woodland: broadleaved, plantation Duck End Quarry, Cranford Rock & waste: artifi cial exposure, quarry 16 Scrub Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha Duckpond Spinney Swamp 3 Woodland: broadleaved Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha Duncote Marshy Field Grassland: marshy, lowland 2.5 Grassland: neutral, unimproved Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha Duston Junction Scrub Scrub/Swamp 1.2 Duston Mill Meadow Grassland: marshy, lowland 1.5 Swamp: single sp. dominant swamp Duston Mill Race Open water: mesotrophic rivers >3m wide 0.5 Duston West Meadow Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland 3.5 Earl’s Barton Bridge Shelter Woodland: broadleaved 2 Belt Open water: mesotrophic streams & rivers 1-3m wide Earl’s Barton Carr Woodland: broadleaved 13 Scrub: dense/continuous, neutral Swamp Earl’s Barton Lock Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, large lakes >5ha 26 Earl’s Barton Quarry Rock & waste: artifi cial exposure, quarry 5 Grassland: neutral, lowland Grassland: calcareous, lowland Scrub: scattered Earl’s Barton Spinney Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds 0.5 East Spinney Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 2.5 Eastfi eld Park Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 2 Eastfi eld Park Pines Woodland: coniferous, plantation 2 Eastfi eld Park Ponds Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds 1 Easton Maudit Verge Grassland: neutral, lowland 0.6 Boundaries, wall Ecton Backwater Open water: eutrophic running water 1.5 Ecton Brook Park Scrub: dense/continuous 3 Woodland: broadleaved Boundaries, hedge with trees Ecton East Gravel Pit Open water: large mesotrophic lakes >5ha 19

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Wildlife Site Habitat Type/s Area (hectares) Ecton Park Spinneys Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 10 Woodland: mixed Scrub Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds Open water: running water Ecton West Gravel Pit Open water: mesotrophic lakes 0.5-5ha 12 Ekens Copse Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural, coppice 8 Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural, under planted Ekens Copse Moat Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland 1.7 Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds Elderstubbs Farm Pasture Grassland: marshy, lowland 2 Grassland: neutral, lowland Elderstubbs Farm Woodland Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 1 Boundaries, hedge with trees Eleven Acre Spinney Woodland: broadleaved 6.6 Elkington Covert Woodland: broadleaved, plantation 1.5 Elkington Spring Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland 7 Grassland: acidic, unimproved, lowland Open water: mesotrophic running water Elkington Vale 2.1 Embankment Grassland: calcareous, lowland 4.1 End Quarry, Newton Woodland: mixed, plantation 3 Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds Engine Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 2 Evenley Common Arrhenatherum elatius grassland: Centaurea nigra sub community 1 Arrhenatherum elatius grassland: Festuca rubra sub community Arrhenatherum elatius grassland: Urtica dioica sub community Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub Boundaries, hedge with trees Evenley Fishpond Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha 0.4 Eydon Disused Railway Scrub 7 Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Eydon Marshy Field Grassland: marshy, lowland 3 Fair Oak Sale Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 4.5 Far Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha 1.7 Scrub Woodland: mixed Farthinghoe Lodge Lake Marginal/inundation 1.2 Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha Farthinghoe Reserve Boundaries, hedge with trees 3.5 Scrub Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Faxton Corner Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 7.5 Fermyn Woods Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 87.8 Woodland: coniferous, plantation/Woodland: mixed, plantation Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Ferrels Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 16 Finedon Cally Banks Scrub 2.4 Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland Grassland: marshy, lowland Finedon Disused Railway Scrub Grassland: neutral, lowland 8

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Wildlife Site Habitat Type/s Area (hectares) Finedon Mines Woodland: mixed, plantation 5 Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland Scrub Finedon Poplars Woodland: broadleaved, plantation, coppice with standards 8 Woodland: broadleaved/Scrub Finedon Quarry Scrub/Grassland: neutral, lowland 14 Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha Finedon Sidings Grassland: marshy, lowland 4.7 Boundaries, seasonally wet ditch Scrub Open water: eutrophic running water Finedon Top Lodge Quarry Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland 3.3 SSSI Scrub: scattered Open water: standing, dystrophic Rock & waste: artifi cial exposure, quarry Fineshade Disused Railway Boundaries, hedge with trees 4.5 Scrub Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Fineshade Disused Railway Scrub 3.5 (West) Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland Rock: artifi cial exposure Fineshade Lane Boundaries, hedge with trees 2 Boundaries, seasonally wet ditch Fineshade Woods Woodland: mixed, plantation, high forest 565 Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural, high forest Woodland: coniferous, plantation, high forest Fish Ponds Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds 0.6 Scrub Fishpond Covert Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 5.5 Five Willow Farm Quarry Rock & waste: artifi cial exposure, quarry 4 Scrub Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland Fox Covert Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 2 Fox Covert Woodland: broadleaved 7 Fox Covert Woodland: mixed, plantation 12 Foxhole Copse Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 12 Woodland: mixed, plantation Frere Hill Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 18.5 Garden Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 0.5 Garden Meadow Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland 0.8 Gaultney Wood Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 10 Gayton Disused Railway Line Scrub 9.7 Open water: running water Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Gayton Reserve Lake & Stream Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 1 Open water: mesotrophic running water/Scrub Gayton Reserve Ponds Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds 0.3 Geddington Chase Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 278.8 Woodland: mixed, plantation, high forest Geddington Wood Woodland: mixed, plantation 15 Geese Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 10.1 Woodland: broadleaved, plantation Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha

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Wildlife Site Habitat Type/s Area (hectares) Gillet’s Meadow 1.4 Glendon Junction Quarry Grassland: neutral, lowland 2 Glendon Lodge Quarry Rock & waste: artifi cial exposure, quarry 3 Grassland: neutral, lowland Scrub Open water: standing water Glendon Railway Cutting Scrub: scattered 1.5 Boundaries, hedge with trees Grassland: neutral, lowland Rock: artifi cial exposure Goodman’s Spinney Scrub 4.5 Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural Grassland: marshy, lowland Open water: running water Gooseholm Copse Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 6 Grafton Park Wood Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 115 Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland: Primula vulgaris-Glechoma hederacea sub-community Grafton Regis Drain Open water: eutrophic running water 1 Grafton Regis Meadow Alopecurus pratensis-Sanguisorba offi cinalis grassland 2.2 Grand Union Canal - Open water: canal 8 Northampton Arm Grand Union Canal: Bridge Woodland 3 Spinneys Open water: canal Grand Union Canal: Open water: canal 3 Bugbrooke Marginal/inundation: marginal Grand Union Canal: Crick Open water: canal 6 Grand Union Canal: Elkington Open water: canal 6 Grand Union Canal: Open water: canal 4 Navigation Inn Grand Union Canal: Stanford Open water: canal 3 Grand Union Canal: Watford Open water: canal 5.5 Grand Union Canal: Weedon Open water: canal 5 Bec Grand Union Canal: Welford Open water: canal 6 Grand Union Canal: Welton Open water: canal 4 Grand Union Canal: Winwick Open water: canal 3.5 Swamp, marginal and inundation Grand Union Canal:Brook Open water: mesotrophic springs and small streams 0.25 Grand Union Canal:Yelvertoft Open water: canal 5 Swamp, marginal and inundation Grange Road Spinney Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 9 Woodland: mixed, plantation Grange Wood/(Penn Valley) Woodland: mixed 4 Great Byards Sale Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 18 Great Cattage Wood Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 8 Great Coppice Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 2 Great Doddington Meadow Lolium perenne-Cynosurus cristatus grassland 10 Great Doddington River Nene Open water: eutrophic running water 2 Great Dryclose Plantation Woodland: plantation 1.8

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Wildlife Site Habitat Type/s Area (hectares) Great Hollow Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 5 Great Morton Sale Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 11 Great Morton Sale Disused Grassland: calcareous, unimproved 1.5 Railway Scrub Great Morton Sale Grassland Other artifi cial habitats 0.2 Great Oaken Copse Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 4.5 Great Oakley Meadow Grassland: neutral, lowland 2 Reserve Great Oakley Quarry Rock & waste: artifi cial exposure, quarry 2.5 Greatworth Hall Cutting Scrub/Grassland: marsh 1.5 marshy grassland Green Lane Crossing Meadow Grassland: marshy, lowland 0.7 Green Side Wood Woodland: coniferous, plantation, high forest 81.5 Grassland: neutral, lowland Greens Norton Disused Scrub 11 Railway Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Grendon Lakes Open water: mesotrophic lakes 0.5-5ha 130 Open water: large mesotrophic lakes >5ha Boundaries, hedge with trees Scrub/Open water: eutrophic running water Cultivated/disturbed land: ephemeral/short perennial Grendon Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds 0.2 Grendon Quarter Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 3 Grimscote Heath Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 12 Grotto Spinney Woodland: broadleaved 0.7 Grubs Copse Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 7.5 Grumblers Holt Woodland: broadleaved 3.3 Gumwells Wold Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 13.5 Hallfi eld Spinney Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 3.5 Halse Copse North Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 8 Halse Copse South Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 12 Hannington Ponds Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 1 Hanwell Spinney Woodland: plantation 1.5 Hardingstone Brook Open water: eutrophic running water 0.5 (Rushmills) Hardingstone Dyke Grassland: neutral, lowland 0.6 Open water: eutrophic running water Hardwater Dyke Boundaries, permanently wet ditch 1 Hardwater Mill Lake Open water: large mesotrophic lakes >5ha 10 Hardwick Meadow East Arrhenatherum elatius grassland 2 Arrhenatherum elatius grassland: Centaurea nigra sub-community Hardwick Wood Woodland: mixed, plantation 40 Scrub Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Hargrave Verges Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland 0.75 Harlestone Firs Recently felled woodland: mixed 115 Woodland: broadleaved, plantation Woodland: coniferous, plantation Woodland: mixed, plantation Scrub

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Wildlife Site Habitat Type/s Area (hectares) Harlestone Forest Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural, high forest 13 Recently felled woodland: mixed Harlestone Heath Nature Grassland: acidic, unimproved, lowland 4.2 Reserve Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds Open water: eutrophic running water Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Scrub Harper’s Brook Boundaries, hedge with trees 1 Open water: eutrophic running water Grassland: neutral, lowland Harrington Pool Open water: mesotrophic lakes 0.5-5ha 0.6 Harry’s Park Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 52.4 Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha Open water: running water Harry’s Wood Quarry Rock: artifi cial exposure 2.5 Hazel and Thoroughsale Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural, coppice 54 Woods Woodland: broadleaved, plantation Woodland: coniferous, plantation Scrub: dense/continuous Scrub: scattered Parkland/scattered trees Grassland: neutral, unimproved Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5h Hazelborough Woods Woodland: broadleaved, plantation 0 Heath Spinney and Brook Woodland: mixed, semi-natural 5 Open water: eutrophic running water Boundaries, hedge with trees Hellidon Hill Golf Course Grassland: marsh/marshy grassland 8 Grassland: neutral, unimproved/Scrub Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha Hellidon Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds 0.25 Helmdon Cutting (North) Scrub/Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland 4 Helmdon Old Station Scrub/Grassland: neutral, lowland 4 Hen Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural/Scrub 4 Hermitage Wood Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 24 Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland: Deschampsia cespitosa sub-community Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland: Primula vulgaris-Glechoma Hermitage Wood Drive Holcus lanatus-Deschampsia cespitosa grassland 2 Heron Bank Gorse Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 5 Scrub Open water: running water Higham Ferrers Pocket Park Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland 3.2 Scrub Higham Ferrers Reserve Open water: eutrophic running water 9 Open water: standing, eutrophic, large lakes >5ha Grassland: marsh/marshy grassland Hill Side Spinney Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 1 Hills Planting Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds 0.25 Hillside Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds 0.2

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Wildlife Site Habitat Type/s Area (hectares) Hobby Fields Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland 4.5 Open water: running water Scrub: scattered Hog Hole Spinney Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 4 Hog’s Hole Scrub 2 Swamp Open water: running water Hogstaff Spinney Woodland: mixed, plantation 10 Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural Hollow Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 11.5 Hollowell Green Lane Boundaries, hedge with trees 2 Scrub Hollowell Reservoir Open water: reservoir 80 Marginal/inundation Grassland: neutral Holywell Pool Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 3 Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural Horn Wood Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 22 Horse Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 2 Horton Menagerie Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha 0.5 Horton Woods Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 41 Woodland: broadleaved, plantation Woodland: coniferous, plantation Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha Hostage Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 30 Houghton Crossing - Lamport Boundaries, hedge with trees 4 Station Bare ground Grassland: neutral, lowland Houghton Crossing Spinney Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 1.5 Household Coppice Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 11 Household Coppice Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha 0.2 Hunsbury Green Lane Boundaries, hedge with trees, species-rich 7 Grassland: neutral, lowland Hunsbury Hill Country Park Scrub: scattered 6 Woodland: mixed Woodland: broadleaved Hunsbury Hill Spinney Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 3 Hunsbury Hill Spinney Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds 0.2 Hunsbury Ironstone Gullet Rock: artifi cial exposure 3 Open water: standing, eutrophic Hunsbury Ironstone Railway Rock: artifi cial exposure 4 Icehouse Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 4 Icehouse Plantation Woodland: broadleaved, plantation, high forest 2.3 Icehouse Spinney Woodland: broadleaved 1 Irchester Country Park Woodland: mixed 63 Scrub Grassland: neutral, unimproved Boundaries, hedge with trees Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha

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Wildlife Site Habitat Type/s Area (hectares) Irchester Disused Quarry Scrub: dense/continuous, basic/calcareous 3 Scrub: scattered, basic/calcareous Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland Irchester North Pit Rock & waste: artifi cial exposure, quarry 3.5 Irchester South Quarry Rock & waste: artifi cial exposure, quarry 1.2 Open water: standing, mesotrophic Irthlingborough Carr Scrub 1 Irthlingborough Newt Ponds Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha 0.5 Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Boundaries, hedge with trees Irthlingborough Old Pond Scrub/Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha 0.4 Ise Marsh and Cook’s Spinney Swamp 1.5 Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural Open water: mesotrophic streams & rivers 1-3m wide Ise Marsh, Wicksteed Grassland: marshy, lowland 0.75 Jack’s Copse Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 3 Kelmarsh Car Park - Gt Boundaries, hedge with trees 7 Oxendon Car Park Bare ground Grassland: neutral, lowland Scrub Kelmarsh Dale Woodland: broadleaved, plantation 8 Open water: mesotrophic streams & rivers 1-3m wide Kelmarsh Tunnels - Kelmarsh Grassland: neutral, lowland 4 Car Park Scrub Bare ground Boundaries, hedge with trees Kettering Railway Woodland: broadleaved 1 Embankment Mound Scrub Grassland: neutral Kilsby Landfi ll Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha 0.6 Bare ground Kinewell Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, large lakes >5ha 21 King’s Cliffe Disused Railway Scrub 8 (East) Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland King’s Cliffe Disused Railway Scrub 5 (West) Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland/Boundaries, hedge with trees King’s Cliffe Meadow Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland 1.9 Boundaries, hedge with trees King’s Sutton Meadow Open water: running water 2 Grassland: neutral, lowland Scrub King’s Sutton Mill Stream Open water: running water 0 Kings Wood Local Nature Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 45 Reserve Kingsthorpe Drains Open water: standing water 5 Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds Boundaries, permanently wet ditch Swamp Kingsthorpe Practice Field Grassland: marshy, lowland 2 Kingsthorpe River Nene - Open water: mesotrophic streams & rivers 1-3m wide 7 North Kingsthorpe River Nene - Open water: eutrophic running water 2.5 South

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Wildlife Site Habitat Type/s Area (hectares) Kingsthorpe Tussocks Grassland: marshy, lowland 4 Swamp Boundaries, permanently wet ditch Kingthorn Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 10 Kirtley Coppice Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 3 Knightley Wood Woodland: mixed, plantation, coppice with standards 10 Boundaries, hedge with trees Lady Wood Woodland: coniferous, plantation 48 Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural Grassland: neutral, lowland Lamport Lodge Spinney Woodland: broadleaved 1 Lamport Marsh Woodland: broadleaved 2 Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds <0.5ha Lamport Station - Draughton Boundaries, hedge with trees 7 Crossing Bare ground Grassland: neutral, lowland Lamport Station Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds 0.25 Langborough Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 13 Woodland: mixed Langley Coppice Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 19 Laundimer Woods Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 225 Woodland: broadleaved, plantation/Woodland: coniferous, plantation Woodland: mixed, plantation Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha Open water: running water Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Laxton Verges Bromus erectus-Brachypodium pinnatum grassland 0.6 Laxton Wood Woodland: coniferous, plantation 32 Leam Fishponds Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 1.5 Lilford Spinney Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 1.5 Lilford Wood Woodland: mixed, plantation 25 Lincoln Lodge Meadow Grassland: improved 9 Open water: mesotrophic streams & rivers 1-3m wide Open water: eutrophic running water Lings Wood LNR Grassland: acidic, unimproved, lowland 16 Scrub/Woodland: mixed, plantation Woodland: coniferous, plantation Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha Litchborough Copse Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 3.5 Litchborough Walls Boundaries, wall 0.1 Little Billing Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 1 Little Green Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 7.6 Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds Scrub: dense/continuous Little Horton Wood Woodland: mixed, plantation 25 Little Houghton Gravel Pits Open water: large mesotrophic lakes >5ha 30 Little Morton Sale Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 9 Little Morton Sale Quarry Rock & waste: artifi cial exposure, quarry 3.8 Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha Little Oaken Copse Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 4.5 Little Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 2.5

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Wildlife Site Habitat Type/s Area (hectares) Little Wood Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha 0.1 Loddington Coppice Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 1.3 Lodge Coppice Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 8 Lodge Coppice Woodland: broadleaved 3.5 Lodge Ground Spinney Woodland: broadleaved, plantation 1.8 Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds Lodge Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 4.5 Swamp Scrub Boundaries, wall Long Furlong & Old Pastures Woodland: mixed, plantation 72 Long Hold Spinney Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 8 Long Lown Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural, coppice with standards 16 Woodland: plantation Long Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 13 Lovell’s Spinney Open water: mesotrophic streams & rivers 1-3m wide 1.8 Open water: mesotrophic springs and small streams Grassland: marsh/marshy grassland Scrub Lower Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds 0.3 Lutton Pasture Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland 1.1 Lyveden Moat Scrub/Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha 0.9 Lyveden New Bield Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland 1.8 Maidford Bog Carex rostrata-Potentilla palustris tall-herb fen: Carex rostrata-Equisetum 0.2 fl uviatile sub-community Maidford Lodge Ponds Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds 0.4 Maidford Meadow Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland 5 Grassland: marshy, lowland Maidford Wood Woodland: coniferous, plantation 2.2 Grassland: neutral, lowland Maidwell Dale Woodland: broadleaved 12 Maidwell Hall Fishpond Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 0.9 Mallows Cotton Lakes Open water: standing, eutrophic, large lakes >5ha 23.5 Open water: standing, eutrophic, large lakes >5ha Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha Mantles Heath Quercus robur-Pteridium aquilinum-Rubus fruticosus woodland 24 Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland Marsh Lane Ponds Scrub, Open Water 1.2 Marston House Ponds Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha/Swamp 1.3 Martins Pit Scrub: dense/continuous 0.7 Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds Mavis Wood Woodland: broadleaved/Boundaries, hedge with trees 7.3 Mawsley Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 4.5 Meadow Leys Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 17.1 Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland/Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha Meg Spinney Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 3 Scrub Open water: mesotrophic running water Menagerie Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 2

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Wildlife Site Habitat Type/s Area (hectares) Merry Tom Crossing - Grassland: acidic, lowland 10 Brixworth Car Park Bare ground Boundaries, hedge with trees Middle Billing Brook Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 0.9 Middle Coppice Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 3.7 Middle Laundimer Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 35.5 Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Mill Spinney Woodland: broadleaved, plantation 4 Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland Moreton Pinkney Disused Scrub 4.7 Railway (North) Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Open water: mesotrophic ponds etc. < 0.5ha Moreton Pinkney Disused Scrub 3.7 Railway (South) Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Open water: mesotrophic ponds etc. < 0.5ha Mounterley Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 20 Woodland: mixed, plantation Naseby Covert Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 7 Naseby Reservoir Open water: reservoir 48 Marginal/inundation Woodland Naseby Road Belt Woodland: plantation 2 Nassington Meadows and Grassland: neutral, semi-improved, lowland 18 Dykes Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Open water: eutrophic running water Nassington Railway Line & Scrub: scattered 14.8 Sidings Boundaries, hedge with trees Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland Nether Laundimer Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural/Grassland: neutral, unimproved, 22.5 lowland New Coppice Lane Boundaries, intact hedge, species-rich 1 New Coppice Reserve Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 3 New Covert Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 8 New Covert Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural, under planted 2.5 New Inn Spinney Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 1 New Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 0.5 New Lake Meadow Grassland: neutral, lowland 1 New Plantation Woodland: broadleaved, plantation 27 Woodland: mixed, plantation New Wood Woodland: broadleaved, plantation 6 Newbottle Spinney Woodland: broadleaved 16 Newton Old Railway & Pit Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland 13.5 Woodland: mixed, semi-natural Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha Newton Spinney Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 8 Nichols Hill Spinney Woodland: mixed, plantation 2 Nobottle Belt Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 3 Nobottle Short Wood Woodland: broadleaved, plantation, high forest 3 Nobottle Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural, coppice with standards 24 Recently felled woodland: broadleaved North Billing Brook Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 0.8

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Wildlife Site Habitat Type/s Area (hectares) North Wold Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 20 Woodland: coniferous, plantation, high forest Northampton Washlands Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes >5ha 78.9 Nun Wood Woodland: mixed, plantation 8.5 Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural Nursery Wood Woodland: mixed, semi-natural 1 Parkland/scattered trees Oak Spinney Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 1.5 Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha Oak Spinney Woodland: mixed, plantation 1.5 Oakley Bushes Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 4 Obelisk Spinney Woodland: broadleaved 1 Old Astwick Village Moat Scrub: dense/continuous, neutral 1.2 Swamp Open water: standing, eutrophic Grassland: marshy, lowland Old Brickpit Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 0.5 Old Clay Pits Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha 1 Grassland: neutral, lowland Swamp Old Covert Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 3.5 Old Depot Grassland Cultivated/disturbed land 1 Old Down Covert Woodland: broadleaved 12 Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds Old Dry Bushes Woodland: broadleaved, plantation 24.5 Woodland: coniferous, plantation Woodland: mixed, plantation Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Old Dry Hills Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 21 Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Old Green Lane Boundaries, hedge with trees 1 Old Head Wood Woodland: mixed, plantation 178 Old Hemplow Woodland: mixed, plantation 8 Old Meadow Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 18 Woodland: mixed, plantation Old Nene Railway Line Boundaries, hedge with trees 3.7 Boundaries, permanently wet ditch Other artifi cial habitats Old Poors Gorse Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 9.5 Old Stratford A5 Verge Scrub: scattered, neutral 0.5 Scrub: dense/continuous, neutral Grassland: neutral, lowland Old Sulehay Sand Pits Rock & waste: artifi cial exposure, quarry 28 Old Sulehay West Quarry Rock & waste: artifi cial exposure, quarry 11 Oldfi eld Thicket Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 2 Onley Long Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds 0.5 Oundle & Stoke Woods Woodland: mixed, plantation 51 Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Oundle Marina Lakes Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 3.2 Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha

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Wildlife Site Habitat Type/s Area (hectares) Oundle Nene Woodland Scrub/Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 4.2 Swamp: tall fen vegetation Oundle Station Scrub Scrub: dense/continuous 1.5 Grassland: neutral Boundaries, seasonally wet ditch Oundle Wharf Meadow Swamp 2.5 Arrhenatherum elatius grassland: Urtica dioica sub-community Oxbow Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 0.5 Oxen Wood Woodland: coniferous, plantation, high forest 35 Grassland: neutral, lowland Oxford Canal (South) Open water: eutrophic running water 4 Marginal/inundation: marginal Oxford Canal: Barby Open water: canal 6 Oxford Canal: Onley Fields Open water: canal 3.5 Oxford Lane Boundaries, hedge with trees 2.5 Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Par Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 2.7 Paradise Ponds Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha 2 Park Copse Woodland: mixed, plantation 19.5 Park Spinney and Green Lane Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 2.3 Boundaries, hedge with trees Park Wood Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 19 Parsons Spinney Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 4 Parsons Wood Woodland: broadleaved 36 Pesthouse Wood Woodland: broadleaved 12 Pitsford Station - Merry Tom Boundaries, hedge with trees 4.5 Crossing Grassland: neutral, lowland Bare ground Plantation Meadow Lolium perenne-Alopecurus pratensis grassland 3.75 Plumpton Verge Arrhenatherum elatius grassland: Centaurea nigra sub-community 1 Plumpton Wood Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 58 Woodland: coniferous, plantation Woodland: mixed, plantation Plumpton Wood Corner Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 0.8 Pond Quarter Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds 0.2 Pond Spinney Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 1 Pond Spinney Woodland: broadleaved, plantation, high forest 2.5 Pool Rock & waste: artifi cial exposure, quarry 1.3 Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha Poors Piece and Causeway 11.7 Field Potcote Copse Woodland: broadleaved, plantation 3 Prince of Wales Spinney Woodland: mixed, plantation 5 Prior’s Haw Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 9.5 Quarry 1 Rock & waste: artifi cial exposure, quarry 1 Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha Quarry 2 Rock & waste: artifi cial exposure, quarry 3.1 Open water: standing, dystrophic, ponds etc. < 0.5ha

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Wildlife Site Habitat Type/s Area (hectares) Quarry End, Cranford Rock & waste: artifi cial exposure, quarry 0.7 Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland Rabbit Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 3 Rabbithill Spinney Woodland: mixed 7.5 Ramsden Corner SSSI Grassland: acidic, lowland 3.2 Grassland: neutral, lowland Mire: Flush/spring Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural/Scrub Raunds Disused Railway Scrub 3 Cutting Ravensthorpe Reservoir Open water: reservoir 71 Redhill Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 16 Ring Haw Green Lane Boundaries, hedge with trees 2.8 Grassland: calcareous, lowland Ring Haw Quarry Grassland Grassland: calcareous, lowland 4 Rock: artifi cial exposure Ring Haw Quarry Gullet Rock & waste: artifi cial exposure, quarry 2 Ring Haw Woodland Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 8 Ringstead Grange Gravel Pits Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 13 Open water: standing, eutrophic, large lakes >5ha River Cherwell Open water: eutrophic running water 30 Marginal/inundation: marginal Roade Disused Railway East Scrub 1.5 Grassland: neutral, lowland Robin Wood and Stream Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 2.7 Scrub Open water: eutrophic running water Rockingham Road Grassland Grassland: neutral, lowland 3.5 Rockingham Wood Woodland: mixed, semi-natural, coppice with standards 14 Rothwell Gullet Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland 1.8 Scrub Rock & waste: artifi cial exposure, quarry Rough Close Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 10 Rough Wold Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 3.5 Round Lown Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 7.5 Rowler’s Covert Woodland: mixed, plantation 17 Rowley Wood Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 8 Woodland: mixed, plantation Royal Coppice Woodland: mixed, plantation 17 Rushden Field Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland 3.5 Rushden Old Railway Line Boundaries, hedge with trees 5.5 Grassland: neutral, lowland Scrub Rushden Old Railway Line Boundaries, hedge with trees 3.1 (East) Grassland: neutral, lowland Scrub Rushden Old Railway Line Boundaries, hedge with trees 2.4 (West) Grassland: neutral, lowland Rushton Grange Meadow Arrhenatherum elatius grassland: Filipendula ulmaria sub-community 4 Arrhenatherum elatius grassland: Centaurea nigra sub-community Glyceria maxima swamp Carex acutiformis swamp

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Wildlife Site Habitat Type/s Area (hectares) Rushton Park Woodland Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 1.5 Salcey Forest Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha 0 Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Woodland: broadleaved, plantation Woodland: mixed, plantation Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland Samby Sykes Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural/Woodland: broadleaved, plantation 11.5 Sandy Spinney Quarry Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha 14 Scrub Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland Rock & waste: artifi cial exposure, quarry Sart Wood Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 7.5 Sawtry Coppice Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 3 Scaldwell Spinney Woodland: mixed, plantation 4 Scotland Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 2.6 Scotland Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural, coppice with standards 24 Woodland: plantation Seawell Wood Woodland: coniferous, plantation 22 Sewells Pond Scrub 2.6 Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha Shelfl eys Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 2.3 Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds Shenley Farm Ponds Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds 0.2 Shipley Wood Woodland: mixed, plantation 2.7 Shire Hill Lodge Woods Woodland: coniferous, plantation/Woodland: mixed, plantation 410 Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Short Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 2.9 Short Wood Woodland: coniferous, plantation 16 Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural Shutterdown Spinney Woodland: broadleaved, plantation 2 Sibbertoft Coombes Woodland: mixed, plantation 27 Sidegate Lane Scrub Scrub 1.2 Arrhenatherum elatius grassland: Pastinaca sativa sub-community Skew Bridge Ski Lake Scrub 14 Open water: standing, eutrophic, large lakes >5ha Tall herb and fern: other, tall ruderal Skew Bridge West Lake Scrub 2.7 Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha Slade Brook and Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 5 Open water: eutrophic running water Slade Covert Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 6.5 Sling’s Nook Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 7.5 Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Slipton Verge Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland 0.5 Snapes Wood Woodland: mixed, plantation 43 Solarium Upper Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 3.7 Woodland: broadleaved, plantation, high forest South East Quarry, Cranford Rock & waste: artifi cial exposure, quarry 5.5 Scrub Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha

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Wildlife Site Habitat Type/s Area (hectares) South Ground Covert Woodland: mixed, plantation 23 Scrub Open water: running water South Wood Woodland: broadleaved 54.5 South Wood Quarry Grassland Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland 5.7 Souther Wood Recently felled woodland: mixed 78.75 Woodland: coniferous, plantation, high forest Woodland: broadleaved, plantation Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds Grassland: neutral, lowland Souther Woods Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 390 Woodland: broadleaved, plantation Woodland: mixed, plantation Southwick Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 22.8 Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Scrub Spanhoe Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural/Woodland: broadleaved, plantation 31.5 Woodland: mixed, plantation Spanhoe Wood Road Verges Bromus erectus grassland: Centaurea nigra sub-community 2 Spring Grove Cultivated 3.5 Disturbed land: introduced shrub Spring Hollow Woodland: mixed, plantation 4 Spring Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds 0.2 St James’ Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 1.5 St James’ Park River Nene Open water: eutrophic running water 2 St Marys Wood Woodland: coniferous, plantation 8 Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural St. James’ Lake Grassland: marshy, lowland 8 Open water: standing, eutrophic Stanford Covert Woodland: broadleaved 11 Stanford Reservoir Open water: reservoir 54 Grassland: marshy, lowland Stanion Lane Plantation Woodland: mixed, plantation 94 Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Open water: standing, eutrophic Stanwick Hay Meadow Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland 2.5 Stanwick Lakes Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 7.3 Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha Stanwick New Marsh Swamp, marginal and inundation 10.7 Scrub Open water: running water Stanwick Osier Bed Scrub, Swamp 2.3 Stanwick Pastures Woodland: mixed, plantation 21 Recently felled woodland: broad-leaved Stanwick Verges Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland 0.4 Stanwick Weir Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, large lakes >5ha 13 Station Rd Bridge - Houghton Grassland: neutral, lowland 9 Crossing Bare ground Scrub Staverton Clump Quercus robur-Pteridium aquilinum-Rubus fruticosus woodland: Holcus 1.5 lanatus sub-community Staverton Lodge Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 1.2

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Wildlife Site Habitat Type/s Area (hectares) Staverton Wood Quercus robur-Pteridium aquilinum-Rubus fruticosus woodland: Holcus 19 lanatus sub-community Woodland: broadleaved, plantation Woodland: mixed, plantation Steane Park Grounds Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland 30 Grassland: neutral, semi-improved Open water: standing, dystrophic, small ponds Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha Scrub: scattered, neutral Stephen Oak Pond Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha 0.3 Stephen Oak Riding Woodland: mixed, plantation 20 Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha Stepnell Spinney Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 1.4 Stoke Bruerne Brickpits Grassland: marshy, lowland 6.5 Swamp Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha Scrub Boundaries, hedge with trees Stoke Park Fishponds Scrub 2 Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha Stoke Park Pavilions Woodland: broadleaved 8.5 Woodland Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha Stoke Park Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural, coppice with standards 19.5 Stone Circle Boundaries, hedge with trees 3.6 Boundaries, permanently wet ditch Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds Stonegrove Spinney Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 1 Storefi eld Wood Corner Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 0.7 Boundaries, hedge with trees, species-rich Storefi eld Wood East Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 8 Woodland: mixed Storefi eld Wood Grassland Cynosurus cristatus-Centaurea nigra grassland 3.5 Cynosurus cristatus-Centaurea nigra grassland: Galium verum sub- community Alopecurus pratensis-Sanguisorba offi cinalis grassland Lolium perenne-Cynosurus cristatus grassland Storton’s Gravel Pits Open water: standing, eutrophic, large lakes >5ha 8 Stowe Old Hedges Boundaries, hedge with trees, species-rich 3 Stowe Spinney Woodland: broadleaved, plantation 2.7 Scrub Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds Woodland: mixed, plantation Stowe Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 2.5 Stubby Stiles Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 5 Sulby Reservoir Open water: reservoir 17 Sulgrave Disused Railway Scrub: scattered 11.5 Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Summer Leys Local Nature Cultivated/disturbed land 45 Reserve Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes >5ha Open water: mesotrophic running water Sunderland Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 9

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Wildlife Site Habitat Type/s Area (hectares) Swinawe Wood Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 36 Woodland: mixed, plantation Sybolds Spinney Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 2 Syresham Field Grassland: marshy, lowland 5 Open water: running water Sywell Bottom Open water: mesotrophic streams & rivers 1-3m wide 6 Woodland: broadleaved Scrub Sywell Reservoir and Country Open water: reservoir 61 Park Grassland: neutral, lowland Scrub Sywell Wood Woodland: mixed, plantation 95 Scrub Grassland: marsh/marshy grassland Sywell Wood Meadows Grassland: neutral, unimproved, upland 20 Boundaries, hedge with trees Tailby Meadow Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland 4.8 Boundaries, permanently wet ditch Boundaries, hedge with trees Cultivated/disturbed land Open water: eutrophic running water Tallyho Covert Woodland: broadleaved 7 Tansor Gravel Pits Open water: standing, eutrophic, large lakes >5ha 20.3 Open water: running water Tennis Court Field Lolium perenne-Cynosurus cristatus grassland 1 The Basin Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 2 The Blue Lagoon Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 2 The Canal Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 2.5 The Cedars Scrub 1.75 Swamp: single sp. dominant swamp The Cow Pasture Woodland: mixed, plantation 25 The Dale Lolium perenne-Alopecurus pratensis grassland 3.5 Festuca ovina-Pilosella offi cinarum-Thymus praecox/pulegioides grassland The Hen Roost Woodland: broadleaved 1.2 The Moors Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds 1.2 Woodland: broadleaved The Nook Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 1 The Oaks Wood Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 2.5 The Paddock Disused Railway Scrub/Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland 5 The Plens Scrub: dense/continuous 6 Grassland: neutral The Rookery Woodland: broadleaved 3 Scrub The Tin Pits Swamp 0.65 Scrub Thenford House Grounds Parkland/scattered trees 6.5 Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds Open water: eutrophic running water Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Thorny Coppice Woodland: mixed, plantation 3 Thorpe Malsor Reservoir Open water: reservoir 15

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Wildlife Site Habitat Type/s Area (hectares) Thorpe Mandeville Cutting Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland 4 Scrub Bare ground Thrapston Carr Scrub/Swamp: tall fen vegetation 4.7 Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Bare ground Thrapston Gravel Pit Open water: standing, eutrophic, large lakes >5ha 62 Scrub Grassland: marsh/marshy grassland Thrapston North Pits Scrub 28.5 Open water: standing, eutrophic, large lakes >5ha Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha Thrapston Willow Scrub Scrub 2.7 Thrupp Covert Woodland: broadleaved, plantation 2 Tiffi eld Disused Railway Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland 3 (North) Scrub Tiffi eld Disused Railway Scrub 6 (South) Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Tiffi eld Lake Scrub/Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 2.2 Tiffi eld Quarry Rock & waste: artifi cial exposure, quarry 1.5 Scrub Open water: standing, dystrophic, ponds etc. < 0.5ha Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Tiffi eld Verges Boundaries, intact hedge, species-poor 1.5 Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Tinwell Meadow Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland 2.1 Titchmarsh Disused Railway Scrub 2 Cutting Titchmarsh Local Nature Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 73 Reserve Open water: standing, eutrophic, large lakes >5ha Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Woodland: broadleaved, plantation Titchmarsh Wood Woodland: plantation 780 Grassland: neutral, lowland Tomlin Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 47 Top Lodge Verge Grassland: calcareous, lowland 0.4 Town Hill Plantation Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 4 Town Wood Woodland: coniferous, plantation 37 Trafford Bridge Marsh Grassland: marshy, lowland 0.5 Tresham Coppice Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 13 Triangular Field Alopecurus pratensis-Sanguisorba offi cinalis grassland 2.5 Agrostis stolonifera-Alopecurus geniculatus grassland Twywell Gullet Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha 32.7 Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland Scrub Woodland: mixed, plantation Twywell Hills and Holes Grassland: calcareous, lowland 6 Scrub Twywell Meadow Bromus erectus grassland 2 Upper Boddington Fields Grassland: marshy, lowland 4 Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland

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Wildlife Site Habitat Type/s Area (hectares) Upper Laundimer Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 52.3 Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Open water: running water Grassland: acidic, unimproved, lowland Upton Mill Dyke Open water: mesotrophic streams & rivers 1-3m wide 0.5 Upton Mill North Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 4 Upton Mill South Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 4 Upton Pasture Grassland: marshy, lowland 7 Viaduct Meadows Grassland: marshy, lowland 9 Grassland: neutral, lowland Victoria Park Brook Open water: eutrophic running water 0.4 Vivians Covert Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 4 Wadenhoe Great Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 33 Woodland: mixed, plantation Wadenhoe Little Wood Woodland: coniferous, plantation 9.6 Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha Wakerley Great Wood Woodland: coniferous, plantation 121 Wakerley Oaks Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 6.5 Wakerley Oaks Disused Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland 2.2 Railway Line Scrub Wakerley Railway Line Scrub/Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland 2.7 Rock & waste: artifi cial exposure, spoil heap Wakerley Spinney Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 10.7 Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland Woodland: mixed, plantation Wakerley Verge Grassland: calcareous, lowland 0.5 Wakerley Verges Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland 1.2 Wakerley Woods Woodland: coniferous, plantation 266 Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural Wallis’ Spinney Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 3 Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland: Hedera helix sub-community Walter Wood Woodland: plantation 7 Walton Grounds Scrub 0.3 Warden Grange Spinney Boundaries, hedge with trees 7 Woodland: broadleaved, plantation Ward’s Copse & Ashby Gorse Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural/Open water: standing, eutrophic, 8 ponds etc <0.5ha Recently felled woodland/Woodland: coniferous, plantation Ward’s Spinnies Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 3 Woodland: mixed, plantation Warkworth Hall Farm Lake Open water: standing water 1 Warkworth Hall Farm Pastures Grassland: neutral 4 Grassland: marsh/marshy grassland Warren Ponds Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha 1 Washbrook Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 1.4 Grassland: marshy, lowland Washbrook Spinney Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 2 Water Meadows Corner Grassland: marshy, lowland 2 Watford Lock Ponds Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha 2 Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland

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Wildlife Site Habitat Type/s Area (hectares) Watford Mire Grassland: marshy, lowland 1.1 Weedon Depot Canal Open water: canal 1.2 Boundaries, wall Weedon Marsh Grassland: marsh/marshy grassland 0.8 Boundaries, defunct hedge Weekley Hall Wood & Quarry Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 72 Scrub Rock & waste: artifi cial exposure, quarry Weekley Hall Wood Railway Grassland: calcareous, lowland 4 Cutting Rock & waste: artifi cial exposure, quarry Weldon Churchyard Arrhenatherum elatius grassland: Centaurea nigra sub-community 0.5 Weldon Little Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 6 Weldon Marsh Swamp 0.25 Weldon Mound Bromus erectus grassland: Typical sub-community 0.5 Weldon Old Workings Rock & waste: artifi cial exposure, mine 0.5 Rock & waste: artifi cial exposure, spoil heap Welford Marsh Grassland: neutral, lowland 4.2 Grassland: marshy, lowland Open water: mesotrophic running water Welford Reservoir Open water: reservoir 9 Well Coppice Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 2.2 Wellingborough Marsh Grassland: marshy, lowland 3.5 Swamp West Cutting Grassland: calcareous, unimproved 1 Grassland: neutral, unimproved Scrub: scattered/Bare ground West Lodge Quarry Rock & waste: artifi cial exposure, quarry 4 Westfi eld Spinney & Pond Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 3.1 Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha Weston Verge Holcus lanatus-Deschampsia cespitosa grassland 0.75 Holcus lanatus-Deschampsia cespitosa grassland: Arrhenatherum elatius sub- community Whilton Marsh Woodland: broadleaved 3 White Lodge Quarry Cynosurus cristatus-Centaurea nigra grassland 2.3 Open water: standing, eutrophic Scrub: scattered Whitewater Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 14.5 Swamp Woodland: mixed, plantation Whitfi eld Border Spinney Scrub 1.2 Open water: standing, eutrophic, small ponds Wicken Wood Woodland: coniferous, plantation 35 Wicksteed Park South Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 3 Wigsthorpe Cutting Scrub 1.5 Open water: running water Wilby Way Meadows & Brook Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland 5 Boundaries, hedge with trees Open water: eutrophic running water Wilbye Grange Orchard Woodland 1 Wild Wood Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 4 Wilson’s Meadow Lolium perenne-Alopecurus pratensis grassland 4

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Wildlife Site Habitat Type/s Area (hectares) Wilson’s Pits Open water: standing, eutrophic, large lakes >5ha 27 Wollaston Gravel Pit Open water: mesotrophic lakes 0.5-5ha 7.4 Wollaston Roman Road Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland 4 Boundaries, hedge with trees Wood Hollow Woodland: coniferous, plantation 42 Woodford Halse New Grassland: neutral, unimproved 5 Plantation Woodland: broadleaved Scrub Woodford Halse Railway Scrub/Open water: standing water 5.95 Cutting Grassland: calcareous, unimproved, lowland Woodford House Lake Open water: mesotrophic lakes 0.5-5ha 4 Open water: eutrophic running water Woodford Shrubbery Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 5 Woodhill Plantation Woodland: mixed, plantation 6 Woodland Woodland: broadleaved 2.2 Wootton Railway Grassland: acidic, lowland 2.5 Embankments Wothorpe Groves Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 26.5 Wydymore Lane Boundaries, hedge with trees 3 Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Yardley Brook Field Grassland: neutral, unimproved 2 Yardley Chase Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland 650 Cynosurus cristatus-Centaurea nigra grassland Grassland: neutral, unimproved, lowland Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha Scrub Yardley Gobion Ponds Open water: standing, eutrophic, ponds etc <0.5ha 0.8 Yarwell Gravel Pit Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 2.5 Yarwell Mill Lake Open water: standing, eutrophic, lakes 0.5-5ha 2 Yelvertoft Fieldside Covert Woodland: broadleaved, semi-natural 7

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 84 FIGURES

PLEASE REFER TO THE DOCUMENT ‘BCA APPENDICES  FIGURES 15’.

BIODIVERSITY CHARACTER ASSESSMENT APPENDICES 85