Districts:

West Oxfordshire Parishes

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Districts - Parishes

Cherwell

South Oxfordshire

Vale of White Horse

West Oxfordshire

Districts - Landscape Types

Bruern

This map highlights the landscape types within the parish you selected, and its associated local character areas. You can click on any area of the map for a description of its landscape character and biodiversity. Please note that local character areas can cover large areas of the countryside, and may include several parishes, so the description may not be specific to this parish. If there are any wildlife habitats within the parish their descriptions can be found by scrolling to the bottom of this page.

The following wildlife habitats fall within this parish. They are listed according to their associated landscape type or local character area.

If you want more information about any of the sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) listed below, take a look at English Nature's Nature on the Map website. It may also be possible to find out a bit more about the unnamed wildlife habitats in the parish by contacting the Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre (gavin.bird@oxfordshire.gov.uk) and quoting the site code next to the habitat description.

The majority of these wildlife habitats are on private land and access to them is not possible without permission of the landowner, unless there is a statutory right of way. However, many wildlife habitats in the county are open to the public. More information on these can be obtained from the Oxfordshire Nature Conservation Forum.

Wildlife Habitats

Wooded Farmland

Site Code: 21U01

Area: 34.4ha

This site is ancient woodland, which means it has been continuously wooded since 1600AD. It has areas with the typical composition of old woodland with native trees and shrubs including hazel, maple and ash coppice* and oak. The large multi-stemmed trees found here are the result of leaving coppiced trees uncut.

Carpets of bluebells are found in these areas in the spring giving the appearance of a typical bluebell wood. Other woodland wildflowers that can be seen include the uncommon meadow saffron as well as pignut and wood spurge. The distinctive large pendulous sedge is also present. Other parts of the wood have been modified by the planting of beech, cherry and areas of conifers.

* Coppicing is a traditional management method where multi-stemmed shrubs or small trees are cut down to the ground on a regular basis producing a harvest of thin branches. This opens up the woodland and is very beneficial to woodland wildflowers and insects such as butterflies.

Wooded Pasture Valleys and Slopes

Site Code: 21I02

Area : 28.1ha

This site is an extensive area of rich ancient woodland. Sites that have been continuously wooded since 1600AD are classed as ancient. Broadleaved ancient woodland is a national nature conservation priority.

The majority of the site has mature oak trees with varying amounts of ash and field maple. The shrubs are mainly hazel coppice* and some of the ash was managed as coppice in the past which is indicated which is indicated by the presence of many stemmed trees. The woodland floor has a good variety of woodland wildflowers. Dog’s mercury is the most abundant species and there are some patches with many bluebells. Primrose and the uncommon green hellebore can also be seen. There are numerous springs in the wood and also flushes, formed by the water seeping out and spreading over the surface. These areas support wetland wildflowers and areas of fen. Meadowsweet, wild angelica, bugle and yellow flag iris can be seen in these areas.

*Coppicing is a traditional management method where multi-stemmed shrubs or small trees are cut down to the ground on a regular basis producing a harvest of thin branches. This opens up the woodland and is very beneficial to woodland wildflowers and insects such as butterflies.