Howe Park Wood
SITE of SPECIAL SCIENTIFIC INTEREST (SSSI) due to its wildlife value.
As well as being home to a wide variety of wildlife, Howe Park Wood boasts more than 200 plant species, some so rare that English Nature has designated it a Site of Special Scientific Interest for its wildlife value.
Records of the existence of Howe Park Wood date back to the 13th centruy and possibly the 11th century. For much of its history it has evidently been m Edit anaged as a coppice-with-standards woodland, although, as its name suggests, it is possible that in the early medieval period it was part of a medieval park. A number of surviving large ancient oaks Quercus robur and one ancient crab apple Malus sylvestris reflect the wood's past as a deer park. The wood is situated on heavy poorly drained calcareous boulder clays. The range of soils and drainage and the long history and low intensity of past management has led to Howe Park Wood retaining a wide range of woodland trees and shrubs.
As well as being home to a wide variety of wildlife, Howe Park Wood boasts more than 200 plant species, some so rare that English Nature has designated it a Site of Special Scientific Interest for its wildlife value.
Records of the existence of Howe Park Wood date back to the 13th centruy and possibly the 11th century. For much of its history it has evidently been m Edit anaged as a coppice-with-standards woodland, although, as its name suggests, it is possible that in the early medieval period it was part of a medieval park. A number of surviving large ancient oaks Quercus robur and one ancient crab apple Malus sylvestris reflect the wood's past as a deer park. The wood is situated on heavy poorly drained calcareous boulder clays. The range of soils and drainage and the long history and low intensity of past management has led to Howe Park Wood retaining a wide range of woodland trees and shrubs.
On the more calcareous clays the wood consists of ash/maple/dog's mercury woodland while on the freer-draining and more acidic areas there are stands of oak/bracken/bramble woodland. Small stands of apparently native hornbeam Carpinus betulus coppice occur in the wood far to the north-west of its accepted native range. Hazel coppice is frequent and both species of hawthorn Crataegus monogyna and C. laevigataare common. Patches of blackthorn are also found, both within the wood and along its margins. The drier soils support woodland vegetation of bramble Rubus fruticosus with hairy-woodrush Luzula pilosa, wood sageTeucrium scorodonia and honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum, and extensive patches of bluebell Hyacinthoides nonscriptaand wood anemone Anemone nemorosa. The wood is known to support a rich diversity of moths with almost 300 species recorded including the buff footman Eilima dephana, the slender brindle Apanema scolopacina, the sycamore Apatelesaceris and the pinion streaked snoutSchrankia costaestrigalis. The wood also contains white admiral Limenitis camilla, purple hairstreak Thecla quercus and the nationally scarce wood white Leptidea sinapsis, while the dense blackthorn thickets support colonies of the nationally rare black hairstreak butterfly Strymonidia pruni.
The main dragonfly interest comes from the three ponds on the northwest flank of the wood. These ponds were dug in about 1990 and have rapidly become colonised by a wide range of dragonflies. A good site to see Emperor Dragonfly, Broad-bodied Chaser, Black-tailed Skimmer and Emerald Damselfly. Late in the season large numbers of Common and Ruddy Darters can be seen mating and ovipositing. (english-nature.org.uk)
The main dragonfly interest comes from the three ponds on the northwest flank of the wood. These ponds were dug in about 1990 and have rapidly become colonised by a wide range of dragonflies. A good site to see Emperor Dragonfly, Broad-bodied Chaser, Black-tailed Skimmer and Emerald Damselfly. Late in the season large numbers of Common and Ruddy Darters can be seen mating and ovipositing. (english-nature.org.uk)
