Districts:
Vale of White Horse Parishes
Wantage
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
Chalk Downland and Slopes
Site Code: 38W02
Area: 4.8ha
This site is ancient woodland which means the site has been continuously wooded since 1600AD. It is one of a group of ancient and long established woodland sites which together form a more extensive area of woodland.
The trees are mainly native broadleaved species including oak and hornbeam and there is hazel coppice in the shrub layer. This type of woodland with the typical composition of old woodland is a national nature conservation priority. Part of the wood has been planted with beech and larch. Woodland wildflowers found here include sanicle, patches of bluebells and moschatel which indicate it is quite damp in places. The rare lemon scented fern in also present. Woodland of this type is a national priority for nature conservation.
Site Code: 48B01
Area: 4.5ha
This site is one of a group of ancient and long established woods on the Berkshire Downs which together form a more extensive area of woodland. It is ancient woodland which means it has been continuously wooded since at least 1600AD.
The wood has the typical composition of old woodland with a canopy of oak with wild cherry, birch, hornbeam and field maple, a mixed shrub layer with hazel coppice* and carpets of bluebells on the ground. Such woodland is a national priority for nature conservation. Other woodland wildflowers found here include early purple orchid, wood sorrel and sanicle.
*Coppicing is a traditional form of management where small multi-stemmed trees and shrubs are cut down to the ground at regular intervals producing a harvest of small branches.
Site Code: 48B03
Area: 4.8ha
This site is one of a group of ancient and long established woods on the Berkshire Downs which together form a more extensive area of woodland. Black Bushes is ancient woodland which means that it has been continuously wooded for at least 400 years.
The wood has the typical composition of old woodland with a canopy of oak and ash trees, a mixed shrub layer and swathes of bluebells on the ground. Such woodland is a national priority for nature conservation. Other woodland wildflowers found here include moschatel, wood sorrel and barren strawberry. The uncommon lady fern is also present.