Wivenhoe Wood

WIVENHOE WOOD 

– Part of the Colne Local Nature Reserve

Colchester Borough Council (CBC) owns most of Wivenhoe Wood with the balance owned by Wivenhoe Town Council.  The wood is part of the Colne Local Nature Reserve and as such its long term future is safeguarded and its wildlife value increased with opportunities for people to enjoy and learn about nature. 

In 1999, plans were agreed by CBC to create the Colne Local Nature Reserve to include Wivenhoe Wood, Lower Lodge Farm open space and Wivenhoe Ferry Marsh. This initiative is part of a strategic approach to developing and managing of an extensive network of Local Nature Reserves in Colchester.

The wood covers an area of approximately 16.5 ha (40.7 acres). It lies on the northern side of the River Colne on rising ground between Essex University and Wivenhoe, Colchester, and adjoins other Borough Council-owned open spaces and lies close to the Upper Colne Marshes Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

Wivenhoe Wood is designated a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation in the Council’s Deposit Draft Local Plan (2001). It lies within the Salary Brook and Lower Colne Valley Countryside Conservation Area due to its high landscape value. An area of salt marsh located to the north west is part of the aforementioned SSSI.

Whilst no public rights of way exist in the wood itself there are many well established paths running through the site. A right of way does run along the flood defense wall but is not used. The Wivenhoe Trail (a cycle route established by the Borough Council during the early 1990s) runs through the north western corner and is used in lieu of the right of way.

Most of the site lies on fluvial sand and gravels interleaved with clays. To the south end, several streams rise from springs and discharge into Wivenhoe Ferry Marsh to the west. At the north end a surface water drain discharges into a deep gulley through woodland and into the river through salt marsh. 

The central section of woodland is �ancient� and therefore an Essex and Colchester BAP priority habitat. It has probably been managed for its timber and wood for hundreds of years � possibly providing material for the local boat building industry. Other parts of the wood were, until relatively recently, open land used as grazing pasture.

Wivenhoe Wood and adjoining land comprise the largest accessible natural open space in the locality and the most important informal recreation area in Wivenhoe. Dog walking, jogging and play by children are the main uses. No formal visitor surveys have been carried out but it is known that approximately a hundred local people from a wide age range and socio-economic backgrounds visit and enjoy the site each day during the summer.  In addition, the Wivenhoe Trail is well used for recreational cycling and �commuting�. 

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Many paths criss-cross the woodland. One runs from the bottom of Elm Grove into the main coppice area. In addition, there is access to the site for visitors from King George V Playing Field, Rosabelle Avenue, Spring Lane and the Wivenhoe Trail. For management purposes the main access is from a public car park at the end of Rosabelle Avenue that leads to a surfaced vehicular track and a woodland glade. 

The car park, which has a 2.25m height barrier at its entrance, was originally designed to accommodate ten cars but in recent years the car park’s shingle surface has become overgrown especially at the edges and it might not be possible to now accommodate 10 cars . 

A hard surfaced pedestrian path runs from the same car park through a kissing gate with a chicane to the glade. It was installed to give access to visitors with disabilities but tends to become overgrown in the summer. In addition, the loose car park surface is not ideal for anyone trying to reach the path with a wheelchair or pushchair.

In 2000 the Maurice Britton trail was established through the wood and is waymarked by simple arrowed posts set at intervals along the route. The Wivenhoe Trail lies west of the railway line and is outside of the site except for a short section to the north west.

Recent Management

A great deal of positive habitat and estate management has been done by the Borough Council over many years. Coppicing in the main area, re-introduced in 1970s, has continued though not according to a strict rotation. A local tree and forestry contractor has done most of the woodland management work. Various paths have been surfaced and improved; culvert bridges, information panels, bins, seats and picnic benches installed; the visitor car park constructed and regular maintenance of some of the unsurfaced paths. Most of the original work and on-going maintenance has been carried out by contractors. The Council�s Highways and Engineering Services maintain the Wivenhoe Trail and the clear overhanging vegetation and shrubs.

The introduction of rangering to the Borough Council�s woodland and adjoining land in 1999 has proved a positive step. It has resulted in a programme of guided events, prompt resolution of some problems and misuse, and support for local people. At present the uniformed ranger patrols the site once per fortnight plus another 2 days per month spent on work associated with the wood and its visitors. Volunteer rangers supplement this input with patrols and practical tasks each month. There are approximately ten ranger-organised �educational� events each year for local children, families and groups. 

DETAILEDSURVEY

Wivenhoe Wood was surveyed over a year � April 2000 to July 2001 – with additional information being gained from records provided by the Colchester Natural History Society and Museums Resources Centre (Natural History).

Trees and Shrubs

The past management of the wood has given it an distinct character, with a large diversity of tree and shrub species and groupings. Much of it was originally managed as a coppice and, after a period of management neglect, rotational coppicing was re-introduced by the Council in 1977.

The tree and shrub species present include sweet chestnut, pedunculate oak, ash, sycamore, birch, hawthorn and hazel which are dominant in certain parts of the wood, with alder, elder, crack willow, cherry, holm oak, holly, larch and scots pine also present.

Whilst there are few well defined compartments within the older woodland it is possible to distinguish some zonation by species dominance. The main area of sweet chestnut coppice is in a 5 hectare block between the railway line to the west and housing to the east. The steep slope immediately above the railway line is a relatively pure stand but further east other species, predominantly sycamore with some oak and birch, are now widespread. Most of the smaller coppice stools above the railway line require some management as they are in a poor condition. Elsewhere the coppice is in reasonable condition due to recent management but it requires further management. In some areas there are not enough stools to give good coverage of regrowth. There is also a lack of old standard trees.

The eastern corner of the wood (at the back of Woodland Way) contains a 1 ha area of old sweet chestnut coppice mixed with sycamore, ash, willow and hazel. Some of the trees have died or been blown over making access within the area difficult.

Immediately to the north and south of the main coppice are areas of secondary woodland. Ash, oak, sweet chestnut, sycamore and occasional birch and cherry are present in both. The southern area owned by the Borough Council (3 ha) contains many tall ash and oaks over a hawthorn, holly and elder shrub layer. To the north the woodland lies in a shallow valley dominated by oak which grades into a more open area of dense and scattered scrub that hides the old hedge boundaries of former pastures. It supports elm, thorn, blackthorn, broom, banks of bramble and dog rose, and extends beyond the railway line to provide a transition with the high salt marsh. This is one of the very few sites in Essex where such a natural transition can be observed. The whole area is approximately 5ha.

The most southerly end of the wood (Town Council land) supports oak and ash with an understorey of even-aged hawthorn and elder. The hawthorn is spindly and has lost much of its former wildlife value. Several of the larger oaks predate the rest of this area and were presumably part of the former landscaped estate. Elm is abundant. Other occasional trees include sycamore, holly, horse chestnut, and goat and crack willow which grow in a relatively undisturbed wet area. A BMX track has been constructed from earth and building waste near to north-east edge. This area is approximately 2 ha in extent.

There is a great deal of wind-blown timber throughout the wood but much of it is �hung up� above the woodland floor. However, there are very few standing dead trees. The most serious problem in the wood, as a whole, is the large scale invasion of sycamore which appears to have spread from the coppice blocks. In certain areas sycamore is now dominant, suppressing the ground flora and regeneration of other species. This results in it forming pure stands in some parts. Some of the trees are quite mature but there are an enormous number of young trees growing very densely. The sycamore problem is one of the most important aspects of Wivenhoe Wood�s management.

Ground flora

The quality and quantity of ground flora in Wivenhoe Wood is extremely variable, with some large areas containing little or no cover whilst others are botanically interesting. The main reasons for poor ground cover and diversity are: dense tree canopies, associated with sycamore and hawthorn; dense leaf litter such as produced by sweet chestnut and sycamore; the young age of much of the woodland, and; at a more localised level, trampling.

The richest flora, not surprisingly, is found in the oldest woodland and associated with the streams and seepage lines elsewhere. Species such as bluebell, wood anemone, yellow archangel and wood speedwell are abundant on the higher western side of the coppice area. In the same area bracken and bramble are widespread, and yellow pimpernel, hairy woodrush and lesser spearwort, all scarce species in north east Essex, occasional.

Associated with the secondary woodland areas are common herbs and grasses. Ivy, ferns and garden escapes grow in the southern area. Large parts of the Town Council woodland are on heavily shaded bare ground. Species such as dogs mercury, enchanters nightshade and common twayblade are present elsewhere, the latter near to the railway line. The secondary woodland and scrub to the north supports fine and coarse grasses, ruderal species and nectar-rich herbs such as sheeps sorrel, wood sage, fox glove, knapweed and cat�s-ear. Localised patches of exposed sand and gravel support a heath flora that is gradually being lost to scrub. Dittander grows in abundance alongside the Wivenhoe Trail. The marshland below the trail is dominated by common saltmarsh-grass, sea couch and sea aster.

There is a species list of plants in Appendix 1 below.

Birds

The varied habitats and its relatively large size makes Wivenhoe Wood a locally important bird site. Breeding species include typical woodland birds such as great spotted woodpecker, black bird, mistle thrush, dunnock, wren, great tit and robin. The site is particularly rich in birdlife during the spring when migrant warblers visit. Willow warbler, chiffchaff, garden warbler, whitethroat, blackcap and nightingale are regularly seen in the dense scrubby or coppiced areas. Most are probably breeding species. 

Seven singing male nightingales were recorded around the scrubby valley and railway line during spring 2000. This makes the site of Borough-wide importance for this declining species. Song thrush, a County and Borough BAP priority bird species was recorded though there was no evidence of breeding. 

There is a complete list of birds from the site�s Common Bird Census (2000) in Appendix 2 below.

Other fauna

Grey squirrels are common throughout the older woodland. Rabbits were sighted in the heathy grassland. Common lizards have been recorded basking on fallen timber in sunlit openings. Casual records indicate that the heathy grassland and scrub support good populations of grasshoppers, common butterflies and bees. The 1996 Colchester stag beetle survey indicates that the species is abundant near to wood. Stag beetle is a County and Borough BAP priority invertebrate species. Other invertebrates are under-recorded.

No specific surveys have been carried out for mammals, reptiles and amphibians.

For more information about Wivenhoe Wood contact:   Paul Vickers CBC, PO Box 331, Town Hall, Colchester, CO1 1GL. Tel. (01206) 282963    E-mail – paul.vickers@colchester.gov.uk

Appendix 1 –WIVENHOE WOOD PLANT SPECIES LIST
Flowering Plants
Acer pseudoplatanus	sycamore
Achillea millefolium	yarrow
Adoxa moschatellina	moschatel
Aesculus hippocastanum	horse chestnut
Ajuga reptans	bugle
Alliaria petiolata	garlic mustard
Alnus glutinosa	alder
Anemone nemorosa	wood anemone
Anthriscus sylvestris	cow parsley
Apium nodiflorum	fool�s watercress
Artemisia vulgaris	mugwort
Artemisia maritima	sea wormwood
Arctium minus	lesser burdock
Arum maculatum	cuckoo pint
Aster tripolium	sea aster
Ballota nigra	black horehound
Bellis perennis	daisy
Betula pendula	silver birch
Betula pubescens	downy birch
Bryonia dioica	white bryony
Callitriche agg	water starwort
Capsella bursa-pastoris	shepherd�s purse
Cardamine flexuosa	wavy bittercress
Cardamine hirsuta	hairy bittercress
Carpinus betulus	hornbeam
Castanea sativa	sweet chestnut
Centaurea nigra	knapweed
Cerastium fontanum	common mouse-ear
Cerastium glomeratum	sticky mouse-ear
Chamerion angustifolium	rosebay willowherb
Circaea lutetiana	enchanter�s nightshade
Cirsium arvense	creeping thistle
Cirsium vulgare	spear thistle
Conopodium majus	pignut
Convolvulus arvensis	field bindweed
Conyza canadensis	canadian fleabane
Cornus sanguinea	dogwood
Corylus avellana	hazel
Crataegue monogyna	common hawthorn
Crepsis vesicaria	beaked hawksbeard
Cytisus scoparius	broom
Digitalis purpurea	foxglove
Dryopteris dilatata	broad buckler fern
Dryopteris filix-mas	male fern
Duchesnea indica	yellow-flowered strawberry
Epilobium ciliatum	american willowherb
Epilobium hirsutum	great hairy willowherb
Epilobium montanum	broad-leaved willowherb
Equisetum arvense	field horsetail
Erodium cicutarium	common storksbill
Euonymus europaeus	spindle
Euphorbia amygdaloides	wood spurge
Fallopia convolvulus	black bindweed
Fragaria vesca	wild strawberry
Fraxinus excelsior	ash
Fumaria capreolata	white ramping fumitory
Galeopsis tetrahit	common hemp nettle
Galium aparine	goosegrass
Geranium dissectum	cut-leaved cranesbill
Geranium robertianum	herb robert
Geranium molle	dovesfoot cranesbill
Geum urbanum	wood avens
Glechoma hederacea	ground ivy
Hedera helix	ivy
Heracleum sphondylium	hogweed
Humulus lupulus	hop
Hyacinthoides non-scripta	bluebell
Hypericum androsaemum	tutsan
Hypericum perforatum	common st john�s wort
Hypochaeris radicata	catsear
Ilex aquifolium	holly
Lamiastrum galeobdolon	yellow archangel
Lamium album	white dead nettle
Lamium purpureum	red dead nettle
Lapsana communis	nipplewort
Larix decidua	european larch
Leontodon autumnalis	autumn hawkbit
Leycesteria formosa	himalayan honeysuckle
Linaria vulgaris	common toadflax
Listera ovata	common twayblade
Lonicera periclymenum	honeysuckle
Lotus corniculatus	common birdsfoot trefoil
Lysimachia nemorum	yellow pimpernel
Malva sylvestris	common mallow
Matricaria discoidea	pineapple weed
Mercurialis perennis	dog�s mercury
Medicago arabica	spotted medick
Medicago lupulina	black medick
Moehringia trinervia	three-nerved sandwort
Ornithopus perpusillus	birdsfoot
Oxalis acetosella	wood sorrel
Pastinaca sativa	wild parsnip
Pentaglottis sempervirens	green alkenet
Picris sylvestris	bristly ox-tongue
Pinus sylvestris	scots pine
Plantago lanceolata	ribwort plantain
Plantage major	greater plantain
Plantage maritima	sea plantain
Polygonum aviculare	knotgrass
Polystichum setiferum	soft shield fern
Populus tremula	aspen
Potentilla argentea	hoary cinquefoil
Potentilla reptans	creeping cinquefoil
Potentilla sterilis	barren strawberry
Prunus avium	wild cherry
Prunus spinosa	blackthorn
Pteridium aquilinum	bracken
Quercus cerris	turkey oak
Quercus ilex	holm oak
Quercus robur	pedunculate oak
Ranunculus bulbosus	bulbous buttercup
Ranunculus ficaria	lesser celandine
Ranunculus flammula	lesser spearwort
Ranunculus repens	creeping buttercup
Ribes rubrum	red currant
Rosa arvensis	field rose
Rosa canina	dog rose
Rosa rugosa	japanese rose
Rubus fruticosus	bramble
Rubus idaeus	raspberry
Rumex acetosa	common sorrel
Rumex acetosella	sheep�s sorrel
Rumex crispus	curled dock
Rumex obtusifolius	broad-leaved dock
Salix caprea	goat willow
Salix cinerea	grey willow
Salix fragilis	crack willow
Salix purpurea	purple willow
Salix viminalis	osier
Sambucus nigra	elder
Scrophularia nodosa	common figwort
Scutellaria galericulata	common skullcap
Senecio jacobaea	ragwort
Senecio sylvaticus	heath groundsel
Senecio vulgaris	groundsel
Silene alba	white campion
Silene dioica	red campion
Sisymbrium officinale	hedge mustard
Solanum dulcamara	woody nightshade
Sonchus asper	prickly sow-thistle
Sonchus oleraceus	smooth sow-thistle
Sorbus aucuparia	rowan
Stachys sylvatica	hedge woundwort
Stellaria holostea	greater stitchwort
Stellaria media	common chickweed
Tamus communis	black bryony
Taraxacum agg	dandelion
Taxus baccata	yew
Teucrium scorodonia	wood sage
Tragopogon pratensis	goatsbeard
Trifolium dubium	lesser yellow trefoil
Trifolium pratense	red clover
Trifolium repens	white clover
Tussilago farfara	coltsfoot
Ulex europaeus	gorse
Ulmus agg	elm
Ulmus glabra	wych elm
Urtica dioica	stinging nettle
Veronica arvensis	wall speedwell
Veronica chamaedrys	germander speedwell
Veronica hererifolia	ivy-leaved speedwell
Veronica montana	wood speedwell
Veronica serpyllifolia	thyme-leaved speedwell
Viburnum opulus	geulder rose
Vicia hirsuta	hairy tare
Vicia sativa	common vetch
Viola riviniana	common dog violet
Grasses, Rushes and Sedges
Agrostis capillaris	common bent
Agrostis stolonifera	creeping bent
Aira praecox	early hair-grass
Alopecurus pratensis	meadow foxtail
Anthoxanthum odoratum	sweet vernal grass
Arrhenatherum elatius	false oat-grass
Brachypodium sylvaticum	false brome
Bromus hordeaceus	soft brome
Bromus sterilis	barren brome
Carex divulsa	grey sedge
Carex remota	remote sedge
Carex sylvatica	wood sedge
Cynosurus cristatus	crested dogstail
Dactylis glomerata	cocksfoot
Descampsia cespitosa	tufted hair-grass
Elymus pycnanthus	sea couch
Elytrigia repens	common couch
Holcus lanatus	yorkshire fog
Holcus mollis	creeping soft grass
Isolepis setacea	bristle clubrush
Juncus bufonius	toad rush
Juncus effusus	soft rush
Lolium perenne	perennial rye-grass
Luzula campestris	field woodrush
Luzula pilosa	hairy woodrush
Milium effusum	wood millet
Poa annua	annual meadow-grass
Poa nemoralis	wood meadow-grass
Poa pratensis	smooth meadow-grass
Poa trivialis	rough meadow-grass
Phragmites australis	common reed
Puccinellia maritima	common saltmarsh-grass
Scirpus maritimus	sea club-rush
Triglochin maritima	sea arrow-grass
Typha latifolia	greater bulrush
Vulpia bromoides	squirrel-tail fescue
Appendix 2  – WIVENHOE WOOD BIRD SPECIES LIST  (Species status � based on Common Bird Census 2000)
Song Thrush	Small numbers present throughout the year; singing males present in scrubby valley. No evidence of breeding.
Mistle Thrush	A breeding resident in the wood, 2-3 pairs.
Turtle Dove	A likely breeding resident in the scrubby valley; 3 singing males in April.