Speech House Oaks
Notification 1972 | | |
Natural England website |
Speech House Oaks (
The site is listed in the 'Forest of Dean Local Plan Review' as a Key Wildlife Site (KWS).[3]
Location and habitat
The Speech House Oaks are located in the
The planting and careful management of the vast woodland of the Forest of Dean has been carried out for hundreds of years. This has resulted in a mosaic of different types of tree. The central area of the forest is on the Coal Measures and this supports oak. Such woodland has limited ground flora as this area is acid. Limestone and Old Red Sandstone rocks surround this central area. The soils in the surroundings are richer, and support a variety of tree types and a more abundant ground flora.[1]
Flora
The site is significant for epiphytic flora and supports a range of uncommon lichens and bryophytes. There is considered to be a low level of atmospheric pollution in this area, and, together with the ancient trees, this has encouraged a significant diversity of ephyitic flora (numbers are recorded and particular species listed).[1]
The oaks and
Fauna
Old trees develop holes where they shed branches, and these are recorded nesting sites for particular birds such as the common redstart.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e Natural England SSSI information on the citation
- ^ Forest of Dean District Local Plan Review, adopted November 2005, Appendix D 'Nature Conservation Site Designations Within the Forest of Dean District', Sites of Special Scientific Interest
- ^ Forest of Dean District Local Plan Review, adopted November 2005, Appendix D 'Nature Conservation Site Designations Within the Forest of Dean District', Key Wildlife Sites
- ^ a b Forestry Commission information on the Speech House woodland
- ^ "Speech House Oaks" (PDF). Natural England. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
SSSI Source
- Natural England SSSI information on the citation
- Natural England SSSI information on the Speech House Oaks units
External links
- Natural England (SSSI information)
- Forestry Commission
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Speech House Road
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Royal Oaks opposite Speech House
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Speech House