E Elm bank between old hockey field and bottom field

Topography
Steep bank

Aspect
A west facing slope shaded by trees

General Description
A decaying wood mostly composed of diseased elms which regenerate for a time then die with many mossy stumps; much bramble but Himalayan balsam is invading parts

Features
One footpath follows the top of the bank and is joined by another footpath which leads in the direction of the riverbank

Soil
Glacial sand and gravel

Grasses
Present

Ferns
Male fern (Dryopteris filix-mas)
Lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina)

Mosses
Abundant

Lichens
On the bark of some trees

Fungi
Coral spot fungus on dead tree trunk

Trees and Shrubs
•Oak (Quercus robur)
•Elm (Ulmus procera)
•Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus)
•Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)
•Elder (Sambucus nigra)
•Ash (Fraxinus excelsior)
•Holly (Ilex aquifolium)
•Ivy (Hedera helix)
•Bramble (Rubus fruticosus)
•Raspberry (Rubus idaeus)

Plants
•Bluebell (Endymion non-scriptus)
•Lesser celandine (Ranunculus ficaria)
•Wood avens (Geum urbanum)
•Dog’s mercury (Mercurialis perennis)
•Creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens)
•Red campion (Silene dioica)
•Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica)
•Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium)
•Broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius)
•Rosebay willowherb (Chamaerion angustifolium)
•Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera)
•Wild Garlic (Allium ursinum)
•Stickywich/goosegrass (Galium aparine)
•Herb robert (Geranium robertianum)
•White dead nettle (Lamium album)
•Lords and Ladies (Arum maculatum)
•Primrose (Primula vulgaris)
•Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare)
•Hedge woundwort (Stachys sylvatica)
•Jack-by-the-hedge (Alliaria petiolata)
•Hop (Humulus lupulus)
•Stinking hellebore (Helleborus foetidus)
•Hemp agrimony (Eupatorium cannibinum)

Invertebrates

Mammals
•Mole (Talpa europaea)
•Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Birds

How could the area be improved
The rubble tipped below Pine Apple House could be removed. An attempt could be made to control the Himalayan balsam. Trees could be planted on the bank to replace the elms.

The steep, slippery footpath on the northern side has been improved by FoPW by putting in substantial steps and surfacing the path as well as other paths.

 

Resurveyed on 7th June 2015 by Anne Quigley, Katie Self and Catherine Gough

Also present: bullfinch.

 

 

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