Districts:
South Oxfordshire Parishes
Stanton St. John
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
Wooded Estatelands
Site Code: 50Z01
Area: 57.5ha
Stanton Great Wood SSSI
Stanton Great Wood is ancient woodland. This means it has been continuously wooded for at least 400 years although this site is mentioned in the Doomsday Book so has been wooded for considerably longer than that. The wood has a canopy of oak, ash and field maple with a shrub layer with hazel coppice*. There are good numbers of wild service tree which is uncommon and found mainly in ancient woodland. Such woodland is a national priority for nature conservation.
On the ground bluebells are abundant. Other woodland wildflowers found here include ransoms (wild garlic), yellow archangel, wood anemone and primrose. The blackthorn scrub at the edge supports the uncommon brown hairstreak butterfly. A number of other uncommon insects have been recorded here.
*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.
Wooded Farmland
Site Code: 51V01
Area: 22.4ha
Holly Wood SSSI
Holly Wood is one of a number of ancient woodlands lying to north east of Oxford which are remnants of the Royal Forest of Shotover. It is ancient woodland because it has been wooded since at least 1600AD. It retains the typical composition of old woodland with native trees and shrubs. There is a canopy of oak trees along with field maple and hazel coppice* aand a mixed shrub layer. Such woodland is a national priority for nature conservation.
On the ground dog’s mercury and ransoms (wild garlic) dominate which is typical for many ancient woodlands. Amongst the other woodland wildflowers found here are early purple orchids. Butterflies seen here include the uncommon black hairstreak and purple emperor.
*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.