2004 - 2008
WORKING FOR WILDLIFE IN DORSET
LOCAL NATURE RESERVES
Local Nature Reserves
are for both people and wildlife, and provide opportunities for people to enjoy
wildlife at first hand. Radipole
Community Woodland has been proposed as a Local Nature Reserve for its special value
for wildlife, local people and schools.
The site has the
potential to be significantly enhanced for both wildlife and public enjoyment
through appropriate management. It
provides an opportunity for the local people to get involved in looking after
their nature reserve through the careful management of its important features,
recording wildlife, enhancing habitats and improving access for the benefit of
people today and future generations.
This Management Plan
aims to explain clearly to anyone involved in the local nature reserve what is
already important on the site. It also
establishes the potential for how it can be maintained or enhanced and sets out
what can be realistically achieved, when and by who and the cost involved. Finally, it is a document to be used and
modified in response to monitoring and further knowledge about site.
Dorset County Council
January 2004
Vision
for the future
Radipole Community Woodland should be allowed to
develop as a haven for local wildlife with management aiming to maximise
structural diversity in the woodland and increase overall biodiversity. Light
will penetrate the woodland canopy to the ground flora below and open meadow areas
and margins of regularly coppiced smaller trees species and shrubs will be rich
in plants and invertebrates.
To the south of the old field boundary, where
the trees are more established and the site narrows, trees such as oak, birch
and ash should be allowed to develop into a woodland canopy. Allowing light in by coppicing the hazel,
thorns and field maple will help to create an interesting woodland flora or
field layer. Some planting of
additional appropriate species, may be required as it can take a long time for
some woodland plants to colonise new woodlands, particularly in urban
locations.
To the north of the old boundary the area should
have a wider range of habitats with a combination of coppice with standards,
regularly cut scrub and open grassland habitats, particularly on the sunnier
eastern side of the site. A small pond
may be considered in the future to increase the diversity further.
The old field boundary will be retained as a
feature with the valuable mature trees and ivy.
The visitor will have the opportunity to walk
through areas of scrub and small trees alive with warblers in the spring, enjoy
open meadow areas teeming with butterflies, insects and flowers in the summer
and admire the beauty of maturing trees with open crowns. They will then be able to walk into a more
enclosed woodland canopy with an interesting woodland flora. The boundary
hedges will help to create a sense of ‘being away from it for a while’.
Local schools will use the site on a regular
basis getting involved in the monitoring and recording of species and perhaps
adopting trees. Practical tasks will
involve the children further in managing the reserve such as creating log piles
and involvement in a tree nursery on site. Interpretation at the access points
will serve to educate and inform about the reserve and the activities. The Friends Group will continue to recruit
new members from the local community and become part of a network of groups
across the county helping to manage and monitor Local Nature Reserves.
1.1
Location
Site Name: Radipole
Community Woodland
Area: 1.3 ha (Plan A)
Grid Ref: SY 668 814 OS maps 1:1,50,000 Sheet 194 (Dorchester and Weymouth)
1:1,25,000 Sheet 15 (Purbeck and South Dorset)
Geological Survey, sheets 341-2
Soil Survey of England and Wales, Sheet 5.
Local Planning
Authorities: Dorset County Council, Weymouth and Portland Borough Council
1.2 Tenure
Freehold, Dorset County Council
1.3
Obligations
Under health & safety regulations there is a
duty of care afforded to users of the site and reasonable measures must be in
place to proactively manage risks to everyone that visits or works on the site.
This relates especially to paths and trees.
Risk assessments are a requirement under the
management of health & safety regulations for all operations and for site
condition.
The Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (as
amended) places responsibility upon the managers of the site to ensure disturbance
of protected nesting birds is avoided.
1.4 Access The site has free, open access
throughout. The main access points are
shown on Plan B.
1.5.1
Description
1.5.2
Biological
and Physical
Dorset County Council acquired Radipole Wood in
1974, as surplus land from the town centre relief road. The land was then grazed by horses until it
was planted as predominantly native woodland in 1994 and 1995 to celebrate the
Weymouth Civic Society’s 50th anniversary. A variety of tree and shrub species were planted including oak,
ash, wayfaring, field maple, dogwood and hawthorn. The majority of the trees
planted are doing well. Species are
mixed across the site with some small group plantings. The site is situated on Oxford Clay and in
natural circumstances would develop into damp oak woodland. This was taken into account when the species
of trees and shrubs were chosen.
Temporary mown paths were created between the
trees and these have now become permanent informal paths as shown on Plan
B. In places the paths widen to form
glades within the planted areas for example, around a newly erected seat. Currently the area of trees and shrubs is
approximately 80% and the area of grassland glades and widened paths is about
20%.
One main woodland glade or open, seasonally wet
grassland area exists at the northern eastern edge of the site, (Compartment 1,
Plan B). A botanical survey of the
grassland was undertaken in May 2003 and shows a relatively rich ground flora
including several Dorset notables; black knapweed, greater and common bird’s
foot trefoil and corky-fruited water dropwort. Bee orchid another Dorset notable has also been recorded in the
southern part the site. The ground flora is relatively diverse and there is significant
potential for increasing the botanical diversity through appropriate
management. Increasing the size and
number of glade areas and woodland/scrub and meadow margins would benefit a
wealth of wildlife including small mammals, butterflies such as speckled wood
and common blue previously recorded on the site, and other invertebrates such
as the nationally scarce long–winged conehead. Appendix 1. gives a full list of
tree species recorded on the site.
The old field boundary dividing the site is an
interesting feature with mainly ivy covered mature hawthorns and ash. The western boundary is an open fence line
but will be planted with a native hedge.
Two veteran oaks can be found at the northern
end of the site, near the eastern boundary.
A number of other veteran oaks can also be found along the opposite
roadside on the western side of the site.
The site is still developing as the young trees
grow. This will have a bearing on what happens over the next 10 years and some
reactive management will be necessary depending on the speed at which growth
occurs and affects other aspects.
1.5.3
Cultural
The area is a very valuable amenity for local
residents walking dogs or just enjoying the open space and natural
wildlife. It is also used by some
school children to walk to school.
Enthusiastic local residents with the help of the Local Nature Reserves
Project and Dorset County Council Conservation Rangers have set up a ‘Friends
of Radipole Community Woodland’. They
meet regularly to work on the site and have set up their own web site.
2. EVALUATION AND OBJECTIVES
2.1.1
Evaluation
of features
2.1.2
Biological
Size: A small area of only 1.3 hectares
Diversity:
Young woodland and grassland with the potential for increasing the
structural and habitat diversity of the site through appropriate management.
Fragility: In the absence of management the site
may develop into a woodland with limited structural and species diversity,
without the development of open crown woodland trees or diverse ground flora
associated with meadows and glades and a more open canopy.
Position in the ecological unit: The woodland is on the urban fringe,
adjoining farmland and close to valuable wetland habitats. The woodland is an
important natural area within Radipole, particularly since the building of
Weymouth Way. Situated between the
Radipole Lake Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) to the south and
Lorton Meadows SSSI and 2-Mile Coppice SSSI to the north east it is a valuable
wildlife habitat between the sites. It
is also situated near to the Radipole School Lane Local Nature Reserve to the
west of Radipole Lane, a rich varied wildlife habitat which will complement the
proposed Local Nature Reserve.
Potential value: There is significant potential
for enhancement by creating structural diversity within the woodland and
opening up the canopy to create a more species rich ground flora. Some
introduction of native species could be considered. Creating open grassland areas and glades, and low scrub areas
will increase the biodiversity of the area further.
2.1.3
Community
and Access
There is potential for more members of the local
community to become involved in the Friends group and for local schools to use
the site. Two Local Nature Reserves
within close proximity provide a significant local educational resource, with
an opportunity to compare sites and see how the woodland site develops and how
the wildlife responds. Located on the
urban fringe it is a valuable amenity for local people and with interpretation
and management the site could provide a more pleasurable experience for all the
community.
2.2 Ideal
Management Objectives
The overall management
objectives:
1.
To manage the
developing woodland to create a mixed open to closed canopy woodland with
structural diversity and interesting ground flora.
3.
To maintain and
enhance the habitats for the key Dorset notable species and undertake
appropriate monitoring.
4.
To maintain and
enhance where appropriate external boundaries and maintain the internal
boundary as an important feature.
5.
To improve
accessibility of the site for all ages and abilities, where practicably
possible.
6.
To maintain the
reserve as a valued local community amenity encouraging the involvement of the
wider community through the Friends Group, local schools and the provision of
good interpretation.
7.
To adhere to
necessary legal health and safety requirements.
2.3
Factors influencing management
2.3.1
Natural trends
The young woodland is developing and it is difficult to predict how it
will develop. Some species will
naturally do better than others and it may be necessary to consider felling and
thinning those species which appear not to be doing so well, focusing on a more
limited number of species or planting alternative species such as sallow and
guelder rose on the wetter flushes.
Management will need to be adjusted as appropriate.
2.3.2
Management
Constraints
The local Friends Group will help manage the community woodland with
advice from Dorset County Council Field Conservation Team and the Local Nature
Reserve Officer. The Civic Society will
also be consulted and their Landscape Architect will also be able to offer
advice. Dorset County Council
Countryside Team and others will give members of the group the necessary
training and support, however, due to a review of the service it is difficult
to state how many days they will be able to offer in the future. The Friends
Group is very committed and members have a range of expertise to offer. They plan to involve outside
specialists/conservation groups where possible.
Achievement of the
objectives will depend on the time members of the group are able to spend on
the site, how independent the group is able to become, and how successful they
are in securing funds from the various sources of external funding.
3. MANAGEMENT
OPERATIONS AND OUTLINE PRESCRIPTIONS
Objective 1: To manage
the developing woodland to create a mixed open to closed canopy woodland with
structural diversity and an interesting ground flora.
In 10 years time the
trees in Compartments 2 and 3 may need thinning by up to 25 to 30%,
(approximately 3-5 metres a part), if the woodland is to develop with open
crowns rather than thin poles more akin to a forestry plantation. Leaving piles of deadwood will create
important wildlife habitats. Ash and
field maple are common on the site and could be targeted for thinning. Additional trees to be removed may be
Scot’s pine as they are not native in this area and are perhaps not so suited
to the broad leaved woodland landscape.
Horse chestnut trees tend to grow very large, have limited wildlife
value and unless retained on the boundaries for conker fun may need to be
removed. Wild flowering cherries are
non-native in this area but are very attractive within the woodland setting.
1. Maintain
the woodland areas in Compartment 2. by cutting/coppicing path edges and glades
and bays, rotational cutting of scrub, pruning overhanging branches, thinning
and selecting specimen trees and pollarding a small number of trees such as oak
near the boundaries.
2.
Maintain the
woodland in Compartment 3. by a combination of non-intervention and thinning.
3.
Coppice the
smaller trees and shrubs such as hazel, field maple and hawthorn on
approximately a 7-year rotation in both Compartments 1 and 2. This will create a woodland with a more
diverse and interesting structure.
Some areas could be coppiced earlier and some later to create a range of
age stands across site.
4. Consider the introduction of native
species into the woodland flora such as wood anemone.
Appendix 2. includes a
number of extracts from ‘Creating New Native Woodlands’ J. Rodwell and G. Patterson (1994) which may help in both picturing the desired and
most appropriate woodland type, (W8 Lowland mixed broadleaved woodland with
dog’s mercury), and ways to achieve a more diverse woodland flora.
5. Cut back areas of dense bramble and
thorn to regenerate new growth and prevent areas becoming too leggy.