Parkhurst Forest: Forest Design Plan - Forestry … · The reinstatement of regular coppice cycles would make avail ... Parkhurst Forest viewed from the south over Forest Road. Parkhurst

Page 154 Parkhurst Forest Design Plan

Contents

Contents ................................................................................................. 154

Survey and appraisal

Conservation

Implementation

Design Brief................................................................ ........................... 155

Location and Ownership ................................................................... 158

Site characteristics............................................................................. 160

Existing habitats ............................................................................. 162

Protected area designations for nature conservation ....................... 162

Open space within the woodland .................................................... 162

Recreation ................................ ......................................................... 164

Landscape ................................ ......................................................... 164

Heritage ............................................................................................ 164

Constraints and Opportunities Analysis .................................................. 165

Design Concept ................................................................ ...................... 168

Habitat restoration and felling ................................ ........................... 170

Habitat restoration and felling (SSSI) ................................................ 172

Future species................................ .................................................... 174

Objectives and actions................................................................ ....... 176

SSSI Citation..................................................................................... 178


Design brief

Parkhurst Forest as one of the oldest forests in the country, has had a varied history of

management, from a commoned Royal hunting forest in medieval times to the modern

multipurpose Forestry Commission mixed woodland. Its key features are:

x� The nationally rare remnant species associated with its pasture woodland and open

heath grassland history, particularly ancient woodland lichens on veteran trees.

x� The nationally rare species that have developed in the coppiced and clearfell/restock

landscape of the modern forest, particularly pearl-bordered fritillary butterflies.

x� The stands of Napoleonic (1800’s) oak plantation that amount to a large area of semi-

natural ancient woodland.

x� The formal recreation facilities that are seen as an important tourism asset for the Is

land particularly the Red Squirrel Trail and viewing hide.

x� Its close proximity to the residential areas of Newport, Parkhurst and Gunville for

informal car-free recreation access.

Initial consultation with stakeholders and local knowledge have identified the following as

issues that should be considered when developing the plan.

Social

x� The Red Squirrel Trail and viewing hide is a popular facility particularly for tourists

visiting the Island on holiday.

x� Access into the forest on foot or bicycle by members of the local community particu

larly Gunville, Camp Hill and Hunny Hill housing areas should be improved and en

couraged.

x� Recreation pressure on the SSSI should be minimised to avoid conflicts of interest

that threaten specialist wildlife habitats - management should aim to provide quiet

areas for wildlife, particularly amongst the veteran tree deadwood habitats.

x� Access to the northern end of the forest from Cowes and Gurnard has increased in

recent years causing parking and disturbance issues in this area.

x� The area of recreational open space near the car park is too small for the levels of use

and should be increased. The trees surrounding the car park are dense and allow few

views into the forest.

x� Horse riding is popular in this part of the Island despite the lack of bridleways, mean

ing the permitted horse route is highly valued by many riders and helps support local

livery businesses and private stable owners.

x� The large variety of exotic tree species, particularly groups and individual mature co

niferous trees has created a highly valued arboretum atmosphere.

x� The wood is popular with visiting school groups and there is plenty of scope for in

creasing education provision.

x� The Napoleonic oak plantations are seen by many as “near-natural” owing to the

high numbers of characteristically “veteran” trees and deadwood. Consultation has

shown local people feel operations must be sensitively timed to reduce ground dam

age and that veteran character trees should be retained.

x� The southeast corner of the forest suffers from typical urban fringe problems such as

waste dumping, fires and vandalism. However this area is still well used and valued

by the local community, particularly children for informal recreation.

x� The presence of a factory, Council waste plant and a waste derived fuel generator ad

joining the southwest of the forest causes visual, noise and smell pollution, and re

stricts recreational development potential in this part of the forest.

x� Overhanging trees and high hedges restrict views into the wood from Forest Road

and overhang the highway. They are also costly to manage due to the need for traffic

control.

Environmental

x� The SSSI is in unfavourable recovering condition. Full recovery is felt to be depend

ant on the delivery of a pre-enclosure landscape zone of pasture woodland and open

heath/grassland and the removal of non native species in the SSSI.

x� Rare, remnant pre-enclosure pasture woodland and open heath grassland species

have hung on in the post-enclosure high forest but are under threat from the un

checked growth of vegetation. A move to managing some areas with more constant,

less successional vegetation types may protect these species and allow them to ex

pand their present range.

x� There are few remaining mature veteran trees compared to other ancient pasture

woodland sites in southern England. They are spread thinly through the forest and

are surrounded by post enclosure plantations. They include pollard and mature cop

piced or bundle planted Beech trees and a few open grown oaks.

x� Most of the woodland is designated as an Ancient Woodland Site. These areas will

require appropriate management, either in grazed or ungrazed habitats.


x� The absence of deer on the Island has created a large herbivore-free area. This makes

Parkhurst particularly valuable for lowland woodland ecological research, especially

in furthering the knowledge of grazing pressure on ground flora and tree regeneration

when compared to the New Forest, as the sites have similar soils, historical manage

ment and habitats.

x� Red squirrel are present in the wood. Management should respect their requirements

and importance for the Island by maintaining a suitable proportion of coning pine.

Despite targeting ancient woodland thinning over hazel areas in recent years some

unthinned canopy trees still shade hazel coppice in the wood which reduces its poten

tial to produce viable hazelnuts.

x� Early successional species that have developed since enclosure of the forest, such as

pearl bordered fritillary and grizzled skipper butterflies, have been maintained in the

wood during the last twenty years as there has been good continuity of open space,

primarily from conifer clearfell and restocking. Creation of these larger scale rota

tional open space areas should be maintained.

x� There has been a culture of broadleaf coppicing in the past in key areas of both hazel

and sweet chestnut. The reinstatement of regular coppice cycles would make avail

able valuable early successional habitat.

Economic

x� Investment has been carried out over recent years, in the woodland’s gravel road net

work and timber loading bays, that will help facilitate the extraction and removal of

harvested timber.

x� To restructure the wood and minimise seeding of invasive non-native regeneration

where it is not wanted, removal of introduced species may need to be carried out be

fore they are at economic felling age.

x� Restocking in non-grazed PAWS areas will be through site native, natural regenera

tion wherever practicable. Control of invasive non-native regeneration may be

needed across all PAWS areas.

x� Replanting outside ancient woodland areas should aim to increase the timber quality

of future crops and be suited to soil type. Corsican/Scots pine have done particularly

well on the clay soils, however species with a high local value should also be consid

ered, including Douglas fir on the lighter gravel/clay soils and Monterey cypress on

clay soils.

x� Key areas of specialist timber species trees - western red cedar and Lawson cypress

outside ancient woodland areas, should be managed to encourage their natural regen

eration using lower impact silvicultural systems.

x� The areas with heavy soils favour summer operations.

Other

x� The more exposed and poorer gravel soils particularly on Signal Hill favour the rec

reation of open heath grassland habitats.



Location and Ownership

Reference: Location Map (on previous page) and Legal Status Map.

Parkhurst Forest is located approximately half a mile northwest of Newport off the A3054,

which is called Forest Road. The main gate is at grid reference SZ 474 896. It is freehold

woodland of 395 hectares, owned and managed by the Forestry Commission.

Three meadows of about 3 hectares are located in the centre of the forest. They are owned

by the Isle of Wight Council and managed by the Education Department. The Council has

access rights over the gravel road to Noke Gate.

The properties at Signal House, Bulls, Noke Gate and Hillisgates are privately owned and

the owners have access rights over the forest roads to the public highway.

Parkhurst Forest viewed from the south over Forest Road.

Page 157Parkhurst Forest Design Plan



Site Characteristics

Reference: Existing Species Map

Parkhurst Forest lies on the Hamstead Beds of the Oligocene, which are mainly neutral

clays. These are seasonally waterlogged, which makes them difficult for forest operations

during the wetter months. The high water table discourages deep rooting, which leads to

restrained tree growth and some instability in places.

Where the ground rises to around 60m above sea level there is a capping of plateau gravel,

giving rise to relatively acid conditions. The wood has level or gently sloping topography

between 30 and 83 meters above sea level.

Apart from post enclosure, Napoleonic (1800’s) planting, replanting has been carried out

regularly (almost every decade) since the early 1900’s. The key phases were:

x� The early 1900-1940’s, consisting of mostly Scots and Corsican pine.

x� During the 1950’s and 60’s, consisting of mostly western red cedar, western hemlock

and Lawson cypress. Planting in these areas has shaded out most of any regenerating

native ground flora.

x� During the 1970’s to the present day, consisting of mostly Corsican and Scots pine.

27%

P porary open

4%

Oak

32%

4%

9%

5%

6%

13%

Species composition at the start of the Forest Design Plan (Data from August 2005)

Corsican pine

ermanent & tem

space

Beec h

Other broadleaf species

Scots pine

Lawson cypress

Other conifer species

0

20

40

60

80

<10

years

10to

20ye

ars

21t o

30ye

ars

31t o

40years

41t o

50years

51t o

60years

61to

70ye

ars

71to

80ye

ars

81t o

90years

91to

100ye

ars

>10

0ye

ars

Tree age distribution at the start of the Forest Design Plan (Data from August 2005)

100

120

Woodland Age

Wo

od

lan

d A

r e

a (

ha

)



Conservation

Reference: Ancient Woodland Map

Existing habitats

Key pre-enclosure pasture woodland habitats based on veteran trees are still present in the

wood. Some of the largest oak and beech trees show signs of being open grown or pol

larded and may be representative of this time. There are also a number of mature beech

trees that may have been bundle planted or managed as large canopied mast trees in the

pasture woodland. Similarly, some beech trees, cut at the time of enclosure, have cop

piced back and are now also large multi stemmed trees.

The semi-natural ancient woodland is primarily made up from Napoleonic (1800’s) oak

plantations. These areas differ from many Napoleonic plantings in the New Forest, Forest

of Bere, and Alice Holt as they have received little management or thinning since they

were planted. The result is a larger number of “poor quality” (dead, bent, leaning, split

and wind damaged) trees, which would have been otherwise removed.

Wind damage from gales and storms, most notably the 1987 and 1990 gales, has damaged

the crowns of many of the plantation oaks by snapping off branches. They have hanging

dead wood features and have developed a more open form similar to pollarded trees.

These “plantation veteran trees” provide a selection of specialist habitats, similar to true

pre-enclosure veteran trees.

A lichen survey carried out by Dr. Francis Rose in the 1980’s highlighted a number of na

tionally important ancient woodland lichens on both pre-enclosure veteran trees and colo

nised plantation veteran trees. Dr. Rose advised management of understorey trees near

lichen trees to replicate grazed pasture woodland conditions.

Despite the lack of grazing since 1815, there are still areas that look similar to pasture

woodland. A poorly developed understorey and ground flora, dominated by holly and

beech has been maintained by the lack of canopy thinning in some areas since enclosure.

This is particularly evident on areas with poorer gravel soils.

The understorey of hazel is however well developed in other areas of the ancient wood

land, especially in previously coppiced areas where light levels have been increased due to

canopy thinning in recent years.

Almost half of the wood is designated as a Plantation on an Ancient Woodland Site. An

cient woodland areas outside the highlighted PAWS areas were likely to have been too

small to be picked up on early maps, as they were part of an extensive open heathland sys

tem that still probably included ancient trees. Non-native trees planted in PAWS areas in

clude shade tolerant species, such as western hemlock and sycamore, which are spreading

rapidly.

The watercourses in the forest are the headwaters of several important freshwater streams

and large estuary systems, including Gurnard Luck leading to Gurnard Marsh and Rodge

Brook leading to Newtown Estuary. Some of the ponds, along with the streams, are sea

sonal in nature.

2.3.2 Protected area designations for nature conservation

179 Hectares of the wood is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (see citation

at the end of the plan for further detail). The remainder is designated as a Site Important

for Nature Conservation (SINC).

2.3.3 Open space within the woodland

Approximately 4% of the wood is open space (at 2006). This figure includes both the

temporary open space created by periodic felling operations (usually every five years and

lasting for up to 5 years) and the permanent open space that exists alongside roads, tracks,

recreation facilities and ancient monuments.

The ride and road network supports the last remnant of permanent open space similar to

the pre-enclosure heath grassland areas, so constitutes a very valuable ecological habitat.

Regularly cleared temporary rotational open space on conifer clearfell and restocks has

helped maintain pre-enclosure open habitat species in the wood despite the lack of large-

scale permanent open space. It has also provided key early successional habitat for wood

land species, particularly the pearl bordered fritillary, which has disappeared from all

other woods on the Island.



Recreation

The 60 space car park is rarely full, other than on occasional days on popular weekends,

but the three table picnic area is too small to provide sufficient recreation open space, par

ticularly for family groups.

The recently improved waymarked-walking trail, “The Red Squirrel Trail” and red squir

rel viewing hide are in good condition with high quality interpretation boards. Dog bins

help to manage dog mess problems in the car park and on the waymarked-walking trail.

The waymarked permissive horse riding/pony and trap driving trail is important to local

livery stables as an accessible riding route, as there are few bridleways in the surrounding

countryside. New stables and liveries have developed in the area in response to changing

land use in the area and so further pressure on the forest from horse recreation can be ex-

pected. Permits need to be obtained to use the horse trail. However some riders do not

obtain permits and some ride off the route which damages grass rides leaving them muddy

and hard work for other able and less able users.

The forest provides many traffic free surfaced tracks for cycling. There are two published

cycling guides that promote routes through the forest. As the area is mainly flat, it is not a

popular venue for sports mountain biking compared to other areas on the Island. However

there is a small informal off-road cycling area. There is potential to create all weather sur

faced routes allowing easier access into and across the forest for cycles as part of a cycle

route towards Whitehouse Road and the West Wight.

There are a number of organisations which have carried out a variety of permit controlled

activities and events in the forest. These include orienteering, use of the wayfaring

course, mountain bike races, and similar.

The FC formerly provided an education service for visiting school groups. The education

program was popular with local schools and visiting mainland schools on study holidays.

Now schools obtain a permit to use the coach park/picnic area and groups are self-led. The

schools toilet block is not available for use but is still present on the site. There is consid

erable scope to re-awaken the education service both here and at other locations on the Is

land, but probably only in partnership with other bodies.

There is no formal car parking in the northern end of the forest however a substantial

number of users, mostly from Cowes, look to use the forest from this end. The parking

beside gateways near the communities of Marks Corner and Hillis Gate causes distur

bance to local householders, blocks gateways for forestry activities, horse riders and emer

gency vehicles and creates problems with dog mess around entrances. Access to the

northern half of the forest also potentially increases disturbance to the SSSI. Management

will need to address these issues.

The woodland near Standen Avenue is regularly used by children from the nearby housing

estate who leave litter, damage trees and have fires.

Local housing at Gunville and the housing states at Camp Hill and Hunny Hill have very

poor access links into the forest, as potential entrances and access tracks are overgrown

with shading trees and muddy in wet weather.

Landscape

External views of the wood are predominantly of native broadleaf field boundaries.

Internal views in the wood are of mixed stands, ranging from large oak to dense and un

derthinned stands of conifers, with few views out to the surrounding landscape. The wood

lies outside the IoW Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

Much of the 20th century tree planting effectively fragments the continuity of the pre-

enclosure or Napoleonic oak plantation landscape. However it does provide considerable

landscape and habitat diversity.

The semi-natural ancient woodland made up mostly from Napoleonic oak plantation is

one of the largest areas of this landscape type on the Isle of Wight.

Heritage

There are no Scheduled Ancient Monuments in the wood. There are a number of un

scheduled sites, mainly comprising old field boundary banks.

The forest’s varied management history has led to considerable heritage interest in the

vegetation types that have survived from each phase in the history of the area. The area

was once part of a much larger landscape level common land system, which spread from

between the Medina and Newtown Estuaries and from Newport to Cowes. The early for

est was managed to protect the lord’s deer and allow people communal gathering and

grazing rights over pasture woodland, grazed open heath/grassland, gorse, scrub and cop

pice areas.

Page 165Parkhurst Forest Design Plan


Survey and appraisal Heritage (continued)

Early 19th century enclosure of the forest meant removal of all communal rights in an area

approximate to the modern forest and the area was planted with trees. These were pre

dominantly sessile oak with some sweet chestnut and Scots pine and were intended to pro

vide timber as strategic reserves to build warships for the Royal Navy.

There are no clear records of regularly worked hazel coppice prior to enclosure of the for

est, however areas are likely to have been enclosed to restrict grazing, allowing the pro

duction of coppice materials.

Following enclosure however there is clear evidence (Marks Corner Past and Present) that

a regular managed harvest of hazel was carried out along the northern boundary of the for

est near Marks Corner and Hillisgate. The coppice was primarily used for fuelling cop

pers to support the laundry businesses in the area.

Hillisgate, Parkhurst Forest, viewed from the north west.

Marks Corner, Parkhurst Forest, viewed from the west.


Design Concept

Reference: The Design Concept Map

The map opposite shows a vision of the woods in 2037. It focuses on what the woodland

will look like and how the different land-uses will be managed. The concept is derived

from the brief, consultee feedback and from the constraints and opportunities analysis, and

is used to inform the habitat restoration and future species maps that follow.


Implementation

Habitat Restoration and Felling

Reference: Habitat Restoration and Felling Map

The habitat restoration and felling map shows:

x� How we will manage the woods to deliver the concept

x� When operations will take place


Implementation

Habitat Restoration and Felling

Reference: Habitat Restoration and Felling Map (SSSI Area)


Implementation

Future species

Reference: Future Species Map opposite and Species Composition/Age Class Structure Charts below.

The chart below illustrates the approximate species proportions and land use split at the

end of the plan period, if the plan is implemented effectively. This chart will be reviewed

at each revision.

7%

6%

9%

H pp pp

4%

pp

3%

pp pp

1%

2%

5%

9%

P

3%

Corsican & scots pine

Other conifer

Pasture woodland with mixed

native broadleaf species

24%

Native broadleaf high forest

27%

Native broadleaf high forest (red

squirrel reserve)

azel co ice and co ice with

standards

Sweet chestnut co ice with

standards Hazel co ice and co ice with

standards (red squirrel reserve)

Open:open space and feature

trees around recreation facilities

Open:heath grassland

Open: managed ride network

asture woodland with mixed

conifer & native broadleaf

spec ies (red squirrel reserve)

Species composition at the end of this Forest Design Plan, 2037


Implementation

Objectives and Actions

The table below shows the targets that the Forestry Commission will use for Parkhurst, to

determine whether the objectives have been met.

Forest Design Indicators of objective being met

Plan Objectives To promote sustainable x� A proportion of non-PAWS areas have been planted and

use of the woodland regenerated with productive conifer species to develop

high quality timber reserves outside the SSSI/PAWS areas.

To support and en

hance biological diver-

x� Temporary open space areas are being created through

conifer clearfelling and replanting, PAWS restoration fell

sity within the wood

lands

ing and reinstatement of regular coppice cycles to provide

a continuity of early succession habitats to support associ

ated species particularly pearl bordered fritillary.

x� The road and ride network has been maintained as a vari

ety of graduated edge habitats from open grassland to cop

pice edges. Some more shaded “tunnel” rides have been

maintained for woodland bats.

x� Veteran trees have been retained where present and future

veteran trees highlighted to be found within wider areas of

native broadleaf woodland.

x� Mature Corsican/Scots pine has been retained to biological

maturity in key locations across the wood, even in PAWS

areas, to support red squirrel conservation.

x� Pasture woodland areas are being managed as natural re

serves under limited intervention, following initial clear

ance of understorey, canopy thinning and removal of non

native trees.

To protect and enhance

special sites for con

servation within the

woodlands

x�

x�

The SSSI is in at least a recovering condition.

All PAWS areas are being gradually restored to native spe

cies and non-native regeneration is being controlled in

these areas.

x� An area of pasture woodland and open heath habitat has

been created and managed as a pre-enclosure zone follow

ing the introduction of grazing to support remaining pre-

enclosure species, if funds have been secured..

x� Lichen conservation areas have been enhanced and tagged

lichen trees protected.

x� Watercourses have been improved along with their poten

tial to support freshwater biodiversity, in particular great

crested newts.

To encourage people to

appreciate and enjoy

the woodland in a sus

tainable way

x� A larger area of recreation open space has been created be

side the present picnic area and the trees surrounding the

area and access road have been managed for recreational

benefit.

x� Permitted horse access has been maintained where appro

priate.

x� All weather, surfaced tracks and improved access points

have been investigated, for access from Gunville and

Camp Hill, and for potential cycle links through to the for-

est’s western boundary.

x� Potential access agreements have been investigated with

neighbouring landowners to spread recreation pressure

across a wider area.

x� The informal parking issues near Hillisgate and Marks

Corner have been addressed, perhaps with the creation of a

small formal parking area off the road between the two lo

cations and outside the SSSI.

x� Access in the SSSI has been controlled so that it is used

and enjoyed in a sustainable way.

To protect and con- x� Unscheduled archaeology has been surveyed and its future

serve archaeological secured.

interest within the

woodlands


To ensure that forestry

operations take place

at a scale and fre

quency that is in keep

ing with the surround

ing landscape

x�

x�

x�

x�

Forest design and operations have been sympathetic to the

surrounding landform.

Native habitats are developing and are more natural look

ing when viewed from the surrounding countryside.

Views into the wood from Forest Road and Standen Ave

nue have been improved.

In key areas individual and groups of conifers have been

retained as amenity trees.

To provide income

from the marketing of

timber products and

the provision of rec

reation facilities.

x�

x�

Management has taken place according to the plan.

Poor quality broadleaves are being replaced by more site-

suitable species and management has been improving tim

ber quality where appropriate.

To provide further op- x� Opportunities have been pursued to introduce grazing to

portunity for partner- the wood pasture reserve.

ship working.


SSSI Citation

County: Isle of Wight Site Name: Parkhurst Forest SSSI

Status: Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) notified under Section 28 of the Wildlife and Country

side Act, 1981

Local Planning Authority: Isle of Wight County Council, Medina Borough Council

National Grid Reference: SZ 473915

Ordnance Survey Sheet 1:50,000: 196 1:10,000: SZ 49 SE

Area: 183.46 (ha) 453.34 (ac)

Date Notified (Under 1949 Act):

Date Notified (Under 1981 Act): 1986

Other Information:

Most of the site is owned by the Forestry Commission.

Reasons for Notification:

The Parkhurst Forest Site of Special Scientific Interest covers gently undulating Hamstead Clay with lo

calised areas of superficial plateau gravel, capping the higher ground. The Site of Special Scientific Inter

est comprises extensive areas of acid sessile oak, beech and ash-hazel pedunculate oak woodland inter

spersed with conifer plantations and crossed by a network of wide grassy rides rich in heathland plants

and insects. The broad-leaved woodland retains a high forest structure with features characteristic of the

ancient royal hunting forest from which it derived. This woodland structure, the combination of acid ses

sile oak and beech woodland and the wide rides of heath and acid grassland, comprise the best example

of wood pasture derived habitats on the Isle of Wight and have many interesting parallels with the New

Forest. In 1850 the areas of broad-leaved woodland found within the Site of Special Scientific Interest

today were planted with oak. From the existing woodland structure of these areas it seems likely that the

oaks were planted into the well spaced trees of ancient wood pasture. Over much of the woodland the

canopy is now dominated by sessile oak Quercus petraea and beech Fagus sylvatica of varying age, with

pedunculate oak Quercus robur and sweet chestnut Castanea satula in varying amounts, probably de

rived from planting. Young silver birch Betula pendula and wych elm Ulmus glabra are also common

along ride sides. Many of the beech, especially to the north of the forest, are of considerable age and

probably originate from the 18th century. These show a pollard branch structure derived from cropping

the tree for wood at a height above the reach of grazing animals. This structure is characteristic of the

open parkland-like woodland used for hunting. These old trees support a rich epiphytic lichen flora and

contain many dead and decaying limbs which provide a valuable habitat for several rare deadwood in

sects such as empid Oedales apicalis, a rare species of fly. The shrub layer is sparse, being dominated by

holly Ilex aquifolium with hazel Corylus avellana and in places gorse Ulex europaeus and grey willow

Salix cinerea. The ground flora is also characteristic of old acid grazing woods and includes butcher’s-

broom Ruscus aculeatus, common cow-wheat Melampyrum pratense, slender St. Johns-wort Hypericum

pulchrum and a rich moss flora including fork moss Leucobryum glaucum. In the east of the Site of Spe

cial Scientific Interest the woodland covers less acid soils. This is reflected by the absence of beech, the

greater abundance of pedunculate oak and the presence of ash Fraxinus excelsior in the canopy. The

shrub layer is also more dense in this area, being dominated by hazel commonly with holly, spindle Euo

nymus europaeus and guelder rose Viburnum opulus. The ground flora is dominated by bramble Rubus

fruticosus and locally bracken Pteridium aquilinum with associated species including enchanters night

shade Circaea lutetiana, wood avens Geum urbanum, bluebells Hyacinthoides non-scripta and tutsan

Hypericum androsaemum. The broad-leaved woodland is rich in butterfly species such as purple hair

streak Quercusia quercus, silver washed fritillary Argynis paphia and white admiral Ladoga camilla and

the very rare white-letter hairstreak Strymonidia W-album whose larvae feed on wych-elm. Conifer plan

tations of varying age and species composition are scattered throughout the site. The youngest planta

tions are rich in heathland plants such as bell heather Erica cinerea, crossleaved heath Erica tetralix, pur

ple moor-grass Molinia caerulea and green-ribbed sedge Carex binervis. The heathland plants disappear

under the dense shade of the more mature plantations. Here, the interest is confined to the grassy rides

which are to be found throughout the site. These rides are rich in acid grassland and heathland plants and

insects, and include many woodland plants. Purple moor-grass and common bent-grass Agrostis capil

laris are the dominant species with bell heather, heather Calluna vulgaris, lousewort Pedicularis sylva

tica, devil’s-bit scabious Succisa pratensis, tormentil Potentilla erecta and carnation sedge Carex

panicea occurring commonly and locally bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus on more shaded banks. Woodland

species include the rare narrow-leaved lungwort Pulmonaria longifolia . Some rare heathland butterflies

have also been recorded from these rides such as the small pearl and pearl bordered fritillary Boloria se

lene and B. euphrosyne. In the centre of the forest is a small group of unimproved meadows. These are

rather species-poor being dominated by Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus and perennial rye-grass Lolium

perenne. The pond in these meadows, however, is rich in aquatic plants and insects including six species

of dragonfly while the thick hedges around these meadows are composed of wych-elm and support large

colonies of white-letter hairstreaks.

Documents

Parkhurst Forest: Forest Design Plan - Forestry … · The reinstatement of regular coppice cycles would make avail ... Parkhurst Forest viewed from the south over Forest Road. Parkhurst