Districts:
Cherwell Parishes
Godington
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 (owls@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
Clay Vale
Site Code: 62H02
Area: 6.1 ha
This site is an area of planted oak woodland. Being of recent origin it lacks the variety of species associated with long established and ancient woodlands. The woodland is not the reason for its inclusion as a County Wildlife Site. The sandy soils are acidic support remnants of rare acid habitats which before planting would have been much more widespread across the site.
On the tracks there are some rich areas of acid grassland where wildflowers such as tormentil, heath bedstraw and sheep’s sorrel are found. Acid grassland is a national priority for nature conservation and is very rare in Oxfordshire. Along the south western edge there is an abundance of gorse and broom both indicative of the acid conditions. A common lizard was seen during the last survey. Three species of nationally scare insect have been recorded at this site.