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Cherwell

South Oxfordshire

Vale of White Horse

West Oxfordshire

Districts - Landscape Types

Hardwick-with-Yelford

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.

Hardwick-with-Yelford 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

Lowland Village Farmlands

Site Code: 30S02

Area: 29.5 ha

This site is ancient woodland, which means it has been continuously wooded for at least 400 years. The trees in this good sized woodland are mainly planted hybrid poplars. These widely spaced trees were planted after the oaks were removed in the 1940’s. The shrub layer of hazel coppice* and the rich ground flora is typical of old woodland and remains largely unaffected by the planting of the poplars. Broadleaved ancient woodland is a national priority for nature conservation and the significant elements that remain here make this an important site.

The ground flora includes a good variety of woodland wildflowers. These include autumn crocus, greater butterfly orchid and early purple orchid. The uncommon herb Paris was recorded here twenty years ago.. Other wildflowers that can be seen include primrose, bugle, ragged robin and cowslip.

*Coppicing is a traditional management technique where the stools are cut to the ground on a regular basis to produce a harvest of thin branches. This opens up the woodland and is vary beneficial for wildflowers and insects such as some butterflies.

Site Code: 30T06

Area: 29.2ha

This site is one of a group of good sized ancient woodlands lying on the gentle western slopes of the Lower Windrush Valley. Ancient woodland is defined as sites that have been continuously wooded since 1600AD. Ancient woodland sites that are still composed mainly of native trees and shrubs are a national nature conservation priority.

The tree canopy is mainly ash and oak and in the shrub layer there is much hazel. There are many bluebells on the ground giving the Wood the typical appearance of bluebell woodland in spring. Streams bisect the woodland and here wet alder woodland is found. This is a rare habitat in Oxfordshire and is also a national nature conservation priority. The wood supports a good range of woodland wildflowers including the uncommon herb Paris, meadow saffron and stinking iris as well as early purple orchid.