Districts:
South Oxfordshire Parishes
Long Wittenham
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
River Meadowlands
Site Code: 59L01
Area: 2.6ha
The site has areas of reedbed habitat, which is dominated by common reed, and wet willow woodland which are both national nature conservation priority habitats and both are rare in Oxfordshire.
The main importance of the site is the large population of Lodden lily which is found in these wet habitats. This rare plant is found mainly in wet sites along the Thames in Oxfordshire and Berkshire and the River Lodden in Berkshire, which gives the plant its name. Kingfishers nest in a bank on the site.
Site Code: 59M03
Area: 3.6ha
This wet meadow has escaped agricultural improvement through the use of herbicides and fertilizers or through ploughing and reseeding. It is managed as pasture or is cut for hay and because it is wet it has an abundance of rushes and small sedges as well as a good variety of wildflowers. Such meadows are a national priority for nature conservation.
Wildflowers that can be seen here include great burnet, ragged robin, sneezewort and abundance of the yellow flowered marsh marigold. Marsh orchids have been seen here. There is also a seasonal pond in the meadow. Skylark, which is a national priority for nature conservation due to the rapid decline in its UK population, can be seen here.