Lockington Marshes SSSI - Planning Inspectorate...Lockington Marshes Views About Management, Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, Schedule 11(6) Version date: 22/08/05 Page 2 of

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Lockington Marshes SSSI

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LegendLocal Nature Reserves (England)National Nature Reserves(England)Ramsar Sites (England)Sites of Special Scientific Interest(England)Special Areas of Conservation(England)Special Protection Areas(England)Ancient and Semi-NaturalWoodlandAncient Replanted Woodland

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Map produced by MAGIC on 27 April, 2014.

(c) Crown Copyright and database rights 2014. Ordnance Survey 100022861.

COUNTY: LEICESTERSHIRE SITE NAME: LOCKINGTON MARSHES

DISTRICT: NORTH WEST LEICESTERSHIRE

Status: Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) notified under Section 28 of the Wildlifeand Countryside Act 1981.

Local Planning Authority: North West Leicestershire District Council

National Grid Reference: SK 486304 Area: 10.98 (ha.) 27.13 (ac.)

Ordnance Survey Sheet 1:50,000: 129 1:10,000: SK 42 NE, SK 43 SE

Date Notified (Under 1949 Act): 1981 Date of Last Revision: –

Date Notified (Under 1981 Act): 1983 Date of Last Revision: 1993

Other Information:

Reasons for Notification:The site comprises one of the largest remaining areas of willow carr woodland inLeicestershire and a diverse complex of wetland habitat supporting an importantinvertebrate fauna with many nationally scarce species.

Biology:Lockington Marshes includes willow carr woodland, inundation meadow and pools lyingin the floodplains of the Rivers Soar and Trent.

The majority of the site is dominated by willow can composed of a range of Salix species,including crack willow S. fragilis, sallow S. cinerea and osier S. viminalis. Beneath thewillows is a characteristic ground flora of this community dominated by nettles Urticadioica. Elsewhere the ground flora is composed of abundant water mint Mentha aquatica,marsh woundwort Stachys palustris and purple loosestrife Lythrum salicaria, and by theoccurrence locally of creeping Jenny Lysimachia nummularia and marsh marigold Calthapalustris.

The site supports an important invertebrate fauna, including nationally scarce beetles andflies and other invertebrate species which are rare in Leicestershire. There are a number ofnotable assemblages including deadwood beetles, such as the weevil Anthribus fasciatus;species of wet woodland like the predatory ground beetle Agonum livens and invertebratesassociated with marshy places: the water beetle Noterus crassicornis and the rove beetleTachyusa coarctata. Lockington Marshes is the only known site in Leicestershire forseveral of these species. The diversity of habitat found at Lockington Marshes contributesto the range of invertebrate species, many of which are closely associated with particularaspects of wetland at this sites.

In the southern part of the site lies an area of species-rich marshy meadow characterised bythe presence of Caltha palustris, meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria, tubular dropwortOenanthe fistulosa, lady’s smock Cardamine pratensis and meadow rue Thalictrum flavum.In the extreme south-west this community is replaced by marsh dominated by reed sweet-grass Glyceria maxima. This marsh encloses a shallow pool with areas of swamp,including stands of grey club rush Scirpus tabernaemontani, common spike rush Eleocharispalustris and pink water speedwell Veronica catenata.

In contrast the north-western part of the site supports wet grassland swards, oftencharacterised by tussocks of tufted hair grass Deschampsia caespitosa and in these swardsmarsh stitchwort Stellaria palustris is recorded. The shallow waters of a pool adjacent tothis grassland have developed fringing stands of common reed Phragmites australis, reed

mace Typha latifolia and, locally, water dock Rumex hydrolapathum, while much of thepool bed is dominated by rigid hornwort Ceratophyllum demersum and Canadianwaterweed Elodea nuttallii.

Additional interest is provided by the numbers of wintering waterfowl which utilise thesite, including teal, mallard and snipe.

27/4/2014 SSSI condition summary

http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/special/sssi/reportAction.cfm?report=sdrt18&category=S&reference=1000882 1/1

SSSI condition summary

Compiled: 01 Apr 2014

See the SSSI glossary for an explanation of terms.

SSSI name: Lockington Marshes

% Area

meeting PSA

target

% Area

favourable

% Area

unfavourable

recovering

% Area

unfavourable no

change

% Area

unfavourable

declining

% Area destroyed

/ part destroyed

100.00% 100.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Report completed.

http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/special/sssi/glossary.cfm

27/4/2014 Condition of SSSI units


Condition of SSSI units



Team - Lincs, Leics And Northants - SSSI name - Lockington Marshes - Staff member responsible for site - Sadie Hobson

Region County District Main habitat Staff member

responsible for

unit

Unit

number

Unit ID Unit

area

(ha)

Latest

assessment

date

Assessment

description

Condition assessment comment Reason for adverse

condition

East

Midlands

Leicestershire North West

Leicestershire

Broadleaved,

mixed and

yew

woodland -

lowland

Sadie Hobson 1 1000670 3.61 15 Jun 2009 Favourable site remains wet and in good condition - inaccessible

most of the year apart from in prolonged dry weather.

East

Midlands


Leicestershire

Standing

open water

and canals

Sadie Hobson 2 1000662 0.54 15 Jun 2009 Favourable much of this unit is being affected by Typha

encroachment but there are still stands of open water

and marsh. Management must be introduced soon to

prevent the unit becoming unfavourable. I am currently

negotiating an HLS agreement.

East

Midlands


Leicestershire

Broadleaved,

mixed and

yew

woodland -

lowland

Sadie Hobson 3 1000671 3.91 15 Jun 2009 Favourable the carr is openly being grazed and has no

regeneration and is impacting on the ground flora. The

carr must be fenced off to allow selective spring and

autumn grazing. I have assess this unit as favourable

but if the measures meantioned above are not

introduced the unit will quickly fall into unfavourable

condition. I am currently negotiating an HLS only

agreement on the site

East

Midlands


Leicestershire

Neutral

grassland -

lowland

Sadie Hobson 4 1000672 2.91 15 Jun 2009 Favourable This area is not currently being grazed - unless grazing

is reintroduced the unit's condition will decline. The

marsh area is looking good and has good community

compostion.

East

Midlands


Leicestershire

Standing

open water

and canals

Sadie Hobson 5 1023739 0.32 15 Jun 2009 Favourable open water habitat maintained

Report completed.


Views About Management A statement of English Nature’s views about the management of Lockington Marshes Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This statement represents English Nature’s views about the management of the SSSI for nature conservation. This statement sets out, in principle, our views on how the site’s special conservation interest can be conserved and enhanced. English Nature has a duty to notify the owners and occupiers of the SSSI of its views about the management of the land. Not all of the management principles will be equally appropriate to all parts of the SSSI. Also, there may be other management activities, additional to our current views, which can be beneficial to the conservation and enhancement of the features of interest. The management views set out below do not constitute consent for any operation. English Nature’s written consent is still required before carrying out any operation likely to damage the features of special interest (see your SSSI notification papers for a list of these operations). English Nature welcomes consultation with owners, occupiers and users of the SSSI to ensure that the management of this site conserves and enhances the features of interest, and to ensure that all necessary prior consents are obtained. Management Principles Floodplain Fen Floodplain fens develop on flat areas that have historically been flooded by waters from rivers and streams that meander across the plains. Floodplain vegetation may also be dependent on water seepage from subterranean aquifers or from seepage down or at the base of the constraining slopes. Floodplain fen is commonly composed of tall grasses and herbs, such as reed, willowherb, milk parsley, meadowsweet, angelica and nettles. If left unmanaged the sward becomes dominated by tall, vigorous grasses and rushes which, together with an associated build up of dead plant matter and the encroachment of scrub, suppress less vigorous species, thus lowering the botanical richness of the sward. Rotational cutting or intermittent grazing is usually required. Cattle are often the preferred stock, being relatively tolerant of wet conditions and able to control tall grasses and rank vegetation. Cattle also tend to produce a rather uneven, structurally diverse sward. However, ponies, or even hill sheep, can be used if necessary. Grazing usually takes place at times between late spring and early autumn, but the precise timing and intensity will depend on local conditions and requirements, such as the need to avoid trampling ground-nesting birds. Heavy poaching should be avoided but light

Lockington Marshes Views About Management, Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, Schedule 11(6) Version date: 22/08/05 Page 1 of 3


trampling can be beneficial in breaking down leaf litter and providing areas for seed germination. Rivers are dynamic and can cause erosion on some parts of the floodplain and deposit of silt in others. Management should not necessarily aim to maintain each component of the floodplain fen in exactly the same place, but should ensure that the full range of niches remain available for use by plants and animals over the course of time. River water quality is important for floodplain fen and management should ensure it remains within acceptable limits. It is normal for the lower reaches of rivers to contain more plant nutrients than at source, and most floodplain fens depend on an adequate supply of nutrients being maintained. However, excessive nutrient enrichment may result in the replacement of the characteristic floodplain fen communities with very species-poor vegetation, composed of little but a tall dominant grass such as reed or reed sweet grass with nettles. Winter flooding is an important factor in the management of some floodplain habitats and management should ensure the frequency and extent of flooding is appropriate for maintaining the nature conservation interest of the site where this is the case. For example, river engineering has in many cases reduced the frequency and extent of flooding. Changes in agriculture and the use of floodplains for built development have also often resulted in smaller floodplains and the requirements of floodplain habitats should be considered in the design of such schemes in the future. The balance between groundwater and floodwater influence on the floodplain should be identified and maintained when designing the extent and frequency of controlled flood events. Lowland wet woodland Wet woodland includes a range of different woodland types but usually is dominated by ash, alder and willow species. It often supports important invertebrate species and assemblages. Areas usually benefit from minimum intervention and are often best left undisturbed to limit damage to their fragile soils. This allows the development of old stands where individual trees reach maturity and die naturally to create gaps in the canopy, leading to a diverse woodland structure. However, works to remove dangerous trees in areas of public access may be necessary. Where particularly important light-demanding or glade species interests are present, including where the woodland is spreading on to valuable open wetland habitat, it may be necessary to periodically clear areas of vegetation. In some woods a more active programme of management by coppice or pollards may be appropriate, where this has been the historical management and the conditions are such that it will not lead to heavy ground disturbance. All habitats The habitats within this site are highly sensitive to inorganic fertilisers and pesticides, applications of which should be avoided both within the site itself and in adjacent surrounding areas. Herbicides may be useful in targeting certain invasive species, but


should be used with extreme care. Access to this site, and any recreational activities within, may also need to be managed.


Lount Meadows SSSI

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COUNTY: LEICESTERSHIRE SITE NAME: LOUNT MEADOWS

DISTRICT: NORTH-WEST LEICESTERSHIRE

Status: Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) notified under Section 28 of theWildlife and Countryside Act, 1981.

Local Planning Authority: NORTH-WEST LEICESTERSHIRE DISTRICTCOUNCIL

National Grid Reference: (Area 1) SK 376189 Area: 9.8 (ha.) 24.2 (ac.)(Area 2) SK 385191(Area 3) SK 394192

Ordnance Survey Sheet 1:50,000: 128 1:10,000: SK 31 NE

Date Notified (Under 1949 Act): 1981 Date of Last Revision: –


Other Information:The revision in 1990 led to an extension of Area No. 1 and reductions to Areas 1and 3.

Description and Reasons for Notification:The site includes some of the best examples of slightly acidic neutral grassland inLeicestershire and is representative of such grasslands in the English Midlands.

BiologyA very fine series of meadows and pasture land developed on somewhat acidicneutral soils derived from shales of the Carboniferous Coal Measures. Area 1 is anarrow hay meadow lying on both sides of a central watercourse. The sward ischaracterised by the dominance of common bent Agrostis capillaris, sweet vernal-grass Anthoxanthum odoratum and heathgrass Danthonia decumbens, and containssuch typical herb species as great burnet Sanguisorba officinalis, devil’s bitscabious Succisa pratensis, betony Betonica officinalis and lady’s-mantleAlchemilla filicaulis. Area 2 comprises species-rich rough pasture and scrub whichshows a range of grassland types characteristic of acid-loam soils including swardsof permanently wet soils. The drier grassland areas are similar in type to those ofArea 1 but the wetter areas are characterised by the presence of ragged robinLychnis flos-cuculi, valerian Valeriana officinalis and spotted orchid Dactylorhizafuchsii. Active ant hills are a feature of this grassland and have been colonised bysuch plants as bird’s-foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus, self heal Prunella vulgaris andgermander speedwell Veronica chamaedrys. Area 3 is a fine hay meadow having asward characterised by the dominance of red fescue Festuca rubra, meadow fescueF. pratensis, crested dog’s-tail Cynosurus cristatus and Agrostis capillaris. Thesward is particularly notable for its diversity of grass species and also for its rangeof other herbs which includes a strong colony of Adder’s tongue fernOphioglossum vulgatum. There is also an area of marsh dominated by plicate sweetgrass Glyceria plicata and water horsetail Equisetum fluviatile.

Date Notified: 13 December 1983






SSSI name: Lount Meadows

% Area

meeting PSA

target

% Area

favourable

% Area

unfavourable

recovering

% Area

unfavourable no

change

% Area

unfavourable

declining

% Area destroyed

/ part destroyed

100.00% 0.00% 100.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Report completed.







Team - Lincs, Leics And Northants - SSSI name - Lount Meadows - Staff member responsible for site - Sadie Hobson

Region County District Main

habitat

Staff member

responsible for

unit

Unit

number

Unit ID Unit

area

(ha)

Latest

assessment

date

Assessment

description


condition

East

Midlands


Leicestershire

Neutral

grassland -

lowland

Sadie Hobson 1 1000785 2.42 18 Jun 2009 Unfavourable

recovering

East

Midlands


Leicestershire

Neutral

grassland -

lowland

Sadie Hobson 2 1000786 3.29 29 Nov 2012 Unfavourable

recovering

under appropriate management including scrub

clearance and grazing

East

Midlands


Leicestershire

Neutral

grassland -

lowland

Sadie Hobson 3 1000787 1.01 29 Nov 2012 Unfavourable

recovering

under appropriate management including grazing and

scrub clearance

East

Midlands


Leicestershire

Neutral

grassland -

lowland

Sadie Hobson 4 1000788 1.84 27 Aug 2010 Unfavourable

recovering

Report completed.


Views About Management A statement of English Nature’s views about the management of Lount Meadows Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This statement represents English Nature’s views about the management of the SSSI for nature conservation. This statement sets out, in principle, our views on how the site’s special conservation interest can be conserved and enhanced. English Nature has a duty to notify the owners and occupiers of SSSI of its views about the management of the land. Not all of the management principles will be equally appropriate to all parts of the SSSI. Also, there may be other management activities, additional to our current views, which can be beneficial to the conservation and enhancement of the features of interest. The management views set out below do not constitute consent for any operation. English Nature’s written consent is still required before carrying out any operation likely to damage the features of special interest (see your SSSI notification papers for a list of these operations). English Nature welcomes consultation with owners, occupiers and users of the SSSI to ensure that the management of this site conserves and enhances the features of interest, and to ensure that all necessary prior consents are obtained. Management Principles Neutral hay meadows require active management if they are to retain their conservation interest. In order to maintain a species-rich sward, each year’s growth of vegetation must be removed. Otherwise the sward becomes progressively dominated by tall and vigorous grasses which, together with an associated build up of dead plant matter, suppress less vigorous species and reduce the botanical diversity of the site. In neutral hay meadows, the above objective is traditionally achieved by closing the fields to stock in the autumn and cutting the resultant growth as hay, usually in mid-July. The precise timing of the cut depends on local factors, including past management and current weather conditions, but should be after ground-nesting birds have fledged their young and any short-lived, characteristic plants have set seed. The aftermath is then grazed in late summer/autumn. Aftermath grazing is important for maintaining a species-rich sward, both through controlling competitive grasses and through hoof-prints providing suitable sites for seedlings to establish. Heavy poaching must be avoided, however. Any surrounding, well managed hedgerows may considerably add to the habitat in providing shelter for invertebrates. The application of pesticides including herbicides or fertilizers would be damaging but periodic dressings of well-rotted farmyard manure may be acceptable if the sward does not receive regular input of nutrients from flooding. Occasional dressings of lime may be acceptable. Lount Meadows Views About Management, Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, Schedule 11(6) Version date: 28/01/03 Page 1 of 2

Lount Meadows Views About Management, Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, Schedule 11(6) Version date: 28/01/03 Page 2 of 2

For the damper meadows, regular and careful maintenance of surface drainage including ditches and drains can be necessary to prevent adverse changes in the plant species composition of the sward. Deepening of surface drainage should be avoided.


Oakley Wood SSSI

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File ref:

County: Leicestershire Site name: Oakley Wood

District: North-West Leicestershire

Status: Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) notified under Section 28 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

Local Planning Authority: North-West Leicestershire District Council

National Grid Reference: SK 485217 Area: 48.99 (ha) 121.05 (ac)

Ordnance Survey Sheet 1: 50 000: 129 1: 25 000: SK 42 SE


Date Notified (Under 1981 Act): 1985 Date of Last Revision: -

Other Information:

Reasons for Notification:

The site represents a unique example in Leicestershire of the transition from mixed oakwood,developed on free-draining acid soil, to ash-hazel woodland characteristic of the heavy clays ofEastern Central England.

Biology:

Developed primarily from boulder clays of glacial origin, the soils of the site are more water retentivethan those derived from the Keuper Marl which underlies much of Charnwood and gives rise to acidicfree-draining soils characteristic of the area.

Oakley Wood is most probably of ancient origin although its former composition may have beendifferent to that which exists today. At the northern and southern extremities, the site supportsexcellent examples of lowland mixed oakwood. In these areas pedunculate oak Quercus roburdominates a canopy which also includes sessile oak Q. petraea, ash Fraxinus excelsior and silverbirch Betula pendula. The shrub layer is characterised by an abundance of hazel Corylus avellana,whilst bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta dominates the ground flora.

Ash-hazel woodland occurs in the wetter central areas of the site, the less shaded conditions givingrise to more diverse ground flora which includes wood anemone Anemone nemorosa, wood sorrelOxalis acetosella, lords and ladies Arum maculatum and yellow archangel Lamiastrumgaleobdolon.

Rides provide additional floristic diversity within the wood, supporting characteristic woodlandspecies such as lily-of-the-valley Convallaria majalis and bugle Ajuga reptans.






SSSI name: Oakley Wood

% Area

meeting PSA

target

% Area

favourable

% Area

unfavourable

recovering

% Area

unfavourable no

change

% Area

unfavourable

declining

% Area destroyed

/ part destroyed

100.00% 100.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Report completed.







Team - Lincs, Leics And Northants - SSSI name - Oakley Wood - Staff member responsible for site - Ian Evans

Region County District Main habitat Staff member

responsible for

unit

Unit

number

Unit ID Unit

area

(ha)

Latest

assessment

date

Assessment

description


condition

East

Midlands


Leicestershire

Broadleaved,

mixed and

yew

woodland -

lowland

Ian Evans 8 1028258 48.15 11 Oct 2011 Favourable

Report completed.


Views About Management A statement of English Nature’s views about the management of Oakley Wood Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This statement represents English Nature’s views about the management of the SSSI for nature conservation. This statement sets out, in principle, our views on how the site’s special conservation interest can be conserved and enhanced. English Nature has a duty to notify the owners and occupiers of SSSI of its views about the management of the land. Not all of the management principles will be equally appropriate to all parts of the SSSI. Also, there may be other management activities, additional to our current views, which can be beneficial to the conservation and enhancement of the features of interest. The management views set out below do not constitute consent for any operation. English Nature’s written consent is still required before carrying out any operation likely to damage the features of special interest (see your SSSI notification papers for a list of these operations). English Nature welcomes consultation with owners, occupiers and users of the SSSI to ensure that the management of this site conserves and enhances the features of interest, and to ensure that all necessary prior consents are obtained. Management Principles There may be several different ways in which the wood can be managed to best conserve its value for wildlife - by promoting an appropriate woodland structure, by ensuring regeneration and by looking after the things that make this wood special. The attached notes give broad views on a range of regimes that may be appropriate on your site. A diverse woodland structure with some open space, some areas of dense understorey, and an overstorey of more mature trees (which may be the standard trees under a coppice-with-standards regime) is important. A range of ages and species within and between stands is desirable. Some dead and decaying wood such as fallen logs, old hollow trees or old coppice stools is essential for providing habitats for fungi and dead wood invertebrates. Work may, however, be needed to make safe dangerous trees where they occur in areas of high public access.

Oakley Wood Views About Management, Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, Schedule 11(6) Version date: 29/01/03 Page 1 of 2

Oakley Wood Views About Management, Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, Schedule 11(6) Version date: 29/01/03 Page 2 of 2

Open spaces, either temporary gaps created by felling or coppicing or more permanent areas such as rides and glades, benefit other groups of invertebrates such as butterflies. They should be of sufficient size to ensure that sunny conditions prevail for most of the day. Rides and glades may require cutting to keep them open. Felling, thinning or coppicing may be used to create or maintain variations in the structure of the wood, and non-native trees and shrubs can be removed at this time. To avoid disturbance to breeding birds the work is normally best done between the beginning of August and the end of February. Work should be avoided when the ground is soft, to prevent disturbing the soil and ground flora. Wet woodland by streams and other waterbodies is often best left undisturbed. Normally, successive felling, thinning or coppicing operations should be spread through the wood to avoid too much disturbance in one area. However, where there is open space interest (e.g. rich butterfly populations) adjacent plots may be worked to encourage the spread of species that are only weakly mobile. Natural regeneration from seed or stump regrowth (as in coppice) is preferred to planting because it helps maintain the local patterns of species and the inherent genetic character of the site. Deer management and protection from rabbits or livestock are often necessary. Whilst light or intermittent grazing may increase woodland diversity, heavy browsing can damage the ground flora and prevent successful regeneration. Parts of the wood should be left unmanaged to benefit species that do best under low disturbance. In addition, lack of management allows for the operation of natural processes such as windblow. Within these areas some trees will eventually die naturally and dead wood accumulate. Where they are a threat to the interest of the wood, invasive introductions such as Rhododendron ponticum or Himalayan balsam should, where practical, be controlled.

Documents

Lockington Marshes SSSI - Planning Inspectorate...Lockington Marshes Views About Management, Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, Schedule 11(6) Version date: 22/08/05 Page 2 of