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Vale of White Horse Parishes

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Cherwell

South Oxfordshire

Vale of White Horse

West Oxfordshire

Districts - Landscape Types

Sparsholt

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.

Sparsholt Image Map

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: 38G02

Area: 2.7ha

This is an area of mature beech plantation on the Berkshire Downs. The site is notable for the presence of the uncommon narrow-lipped helleborine. Broad-leaved helleborine is also present. There are also records of white helleborine and the unusual and uncommon yellow bird’s-nest orchid. There is also a strip of chalk grassland, which is a national priority habitat for nature conservation, where wildflowers such as kidney vetch and wild thyme can be seen.

Site Code: 38H02

Area: 0.8ha

Wixen Bush

Wixen Bush is an area of chalk grassland along the Ridgeway, the ancient track that follows the top of the escarpment of the Berkshire Downs. Chalk grassland is a national priority for nature conservation.

At Wixen Bush there are small banks of chalk grassland and hawthorn scrub crossed by two tracks. Chalk grassland wildflowers present here include kidney vetch, harebell, yellow-wort and common spotted orchid. Fragrant and pyramidal orchids have also been seen here in the past. The site has a number of insects with a restricted distribution including the dingy skipper and small blue butterflies. Yellowhammer, a bird whose population has declined markedly, is also present.