HARROWBOG, COLLEGE VALLEY ADDITIONAL VEGETATION SURVEY. July 2005

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1 HARROWBOG, COLLEGE VALLEY ADDITIONAL VEGETATION SURVEY July 2005 JANE YOUNG BSc (Sp Hons) PhD MIEEM Report No. BC299.HarrowbogSpr YOUNG NATURE Ecological Consultancy Liddisdale, Millfield Road, Riding Mill, Northumberland NE44 6DL Tel/Fax (01434)

2 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 BACKGROUND 1 METHODOLOGY 2 PHOTOGRAPHS 2 DESCRIPTION AND NVC ANALYSES OF QUADRATS 3 OTHER OBSERVATIONS IN COMPARTMENT D 4 INCIDENTAL SIGHTINGS 4 DISCUSSION 4 SUMMARY 5 REFERENCES 5 APPENDIX 1 SPECIES LISTS APPENDIX 2 DATA FROM QUADRATS APPENDIX 3 PHOTOGRAPHS APPENDIX 4 MAP TO SHOW LOCATION OF QUADRATS IN COMPARTMENT D

3 HARROWBOG, COLLEGE VALLEY ADDITIONAL VEGETATION SURVEY INTRODUCTION Felix Karthaus, Border Consultants (Forestry) Ltd, commissioned the YOUNG NATURE Ecological Consultancy to carry out an additional vegetation survey in woodland, known as Harrowbog Woodland, in the College Valley, Northumberland. The purpose of the survey was to complement information obtained in September The survey involved fieldwork with the analysis of sample quadrat data for National Vegetation Classification (NVC). The fieldwork, analysis of quadrat data and the report were all done by Dr Jane Young, Principal Ecologist for YOUNG NATURE Ecological Consultancy. BACKGROUND A desk survey had been carried out in Year 2000 prior to a field survey in July 2000 for National Vegetation Classification (NVC) communities of part of the woodland on behalf of Northumberland National Park. Eight quadrats were recorded and analysed on this occasion. The results of this survey can be found in a report submitted to Northumberland National Park (Young and McCutcheon 2000). I In September 2004 a more comprehensive field survey throughout all of the Harrowbog Woodland was commissioned by Border Consultants Ltd. The aim of this survey was to establish a baseline assessment of the woodland vegetation prior to planting as well as fencing to protect the young trees and allow natural regeneration. The results of this survey are recorded in a report (Young 2004). Unfortunately, as mentioned in the 2004 report, July and September are not the optimum months to survey woodland habitat because some early spring flowering species would have died down. In addition, in September 2004, the only means of access into Compartment D was by climbing over the very high gate of the deer fence. This was done and two quadrats at the eastern end of this compartment were recorded. It was then found that progress further into this Compartment was hampered, indeed prevented, by very dense and very high bracken making an overview of the trees and shrubs impossible. For this reason a return visit was made in late spring 2005 and the results are reported here.

4 METHODOLOGY Baseline maps were obtained from Felix Karthaus. The Harrowbog Woodlands were visited on 18 th May and 7 th June A walkover survey was done to identify any earlier flowering species that had not been recorded in the limited survey in July 2000 or the more comprehensive survey in September Compartment D was again accessed over the deer fence gate in the south western corner and on this occasion quadrats were established throughout this compartment. Quadrats were chosen as being representative of different vegetation stands. The position of each quadrat was recorded using GPS system and a coloured peg used to mark the south west corner of each quadrat. Field layer quadrats measured 2m x 2m although larger quadrats were used to record shrub and canopy species. All of the species present within each quadrat were identified and their cover values assessed using DOMIN values. For larger quadrats the tree and shrub numbers were counted and the total percentage area of the canopy/shrub layer assessed. The cover values for individual tree/shrub species was determined from these results. Quadrats in September 2005 had been numbered Quadrat 1 to Quadrat 34. Quadrats recorded for this survey have been numbered consecutively from 35 onwards. All species outside the quadrats were also noted if they had not been recorded during 2000 or These have been added to the species lists compiled during these earlier surveys and form Appendix 1. Incidental sightings or signs of fauna were also noted. Representative photographs were taken for each quadrat in Compartment D and these form Appendix 3. The quadrat data were analysed using TABLEFIT computer software. Ecological judgement as well as coefficient data were used to determine NVC types. A short report was then written. The site and habitat descriptions, geology and soils are described in Young References are repeated in the reference section of this report. PHOTOGRAPHS Photographs in Appendix 3 that illustrate the quadrat areas and other features of Compartment D are: 1. Quadrat Quadrat 36 and area of Quadrat Quadrat Quadrat 38 and area of Quadrat Stand of bird cherry in Compartment D 6. Large ash tree in Compartment D

5 DESCRIPTION AND NVC ANALYSES OF QUADRATS GPS positions, altitude and DOMIN values for each species found in each of the quadrats are shown in Appendix 2. Photographs of each quadrat are shown in Appendix 3. A map showing the location of the quadrats in Compartment D forms Appendix 4. As found in 2004, using TABLEFIT software all analyses showed a very poor closeness-of-fit with their resulting NVC communities. This probably reflects the transitional state of the habitat and past management practices. The equivalent CORINE type of habitat classification has also been shown. This is the classification used in most of Europe (Devillers et al 1991). Compositional satisfaction records how well the sample composition fits the vegetation type, with 100 being recorded if more than the expected numbers are present. Quadrat 35 with 36 W7c Alnus glutinosa Fraxinus excelsior Lysimachia nemorum woodland, subcommunity Deschampsia cespitosa. The goodness-of-fit is 16 (very poor) and the compositional satisfaction is only poor (58). This NVC category corresponds to the CORINE type C44.31 Wet Ash Alder Woodland. Quadrat 37 with 39 W10e Quercus robur Pteridium aquilinum Rubus fruticosus agg. woodland, subcommunity Acer pseudoplatanus Oxalis acetosella. The goodness-of-fit is 26 (very poor) and the compositional satisfaction is fair (64). This NVC category corresponds to the CORINE type Atlantic Oakwood + bluebells C Or W11a Quercus petraea Betula pubescens Oxalis acetosella woodland, subcommunity Dryopteris dilatata. The goodness-of-fit is 24 (very poor) but the compositional satisfaction is very good (85). This NVC category corresponds to the CORINE type British Sessile Oakwood C These results show that the woodland in Compartment D comprises NVC communities W7c (Alnus glutinosa Fraxinus excelsior Lysimachia nemorum woodland, subcommunity Deschampsia cespitosa) in wetter areas and W10e (Quercus robur Pteridium aquilinum Rubus fruticosus agg. woodland, subcommunity Acer pseudoplatanus Oxalis acetosella) in drier areas. These results are very similar to those found in Compartments A, B, C and E in 2000 and 2004.

6 OTHER OBSERVATIONS IN COMPARTMENT D Although most trees within Compartment D are alder (Alnus glutinosa), coppiced hazel (Corylus avellana) and downy birch (Betula pubescens), there are other mature trees, some of which have attained quite a large size. These include several ash trees (Fraxinus excelsior) and a large oak tree located at NT , at an altitude of 628 ft. This single oak tree is probably a hybrid because it does not appear to have all the features expected of either sessile oak Quercus petraea or pedunculate oak Quercus robur. It would be interesting to know a description of its acorns in the autumn. There is also a large stand of several bird cherry trees (Prunus padus) at an altitude of 611 ft at NT It is not clear what the origin of this stand could be unless it marks a frequent bird perching site from previous years, or a site of frequently used badger latrines. Bluebells are most commonly found in hazel-only areas and sometimes in areas that would be become dominated by bracken later in the summer. Wood anemones (Anemone nemorosa) and primroses (Primula vulgaris) are locally frequent near the deer fence along the eastern boundary. Foxgloves are found only in the south east corner of this compartment. INCIDENTAL SIGHTINGS No incidental sightings were recorded in Compartment D. Elsewhere a brown hare was seen near the river west of Compartment C. DISCUSSION In the 2004 survey it was found that the wooded areas corresponded most closely with NVC categories pedunculate oak woodland W10e or alder woodland W7. Although some quadrats were analysed to be NVC subcommunities W7a, W7c, W9a, W10a or W11d, a compositional satisfaction was only found to be good or very good in quadrats analysed to be W10e or W7. Some of the steeper slopes that are more difficult to access showed a very good compositional satisfaction. This could reflect less management in the past or less grazing in these areas and therefore a better correspondence of species composition with the species composition that would be expected with the natural woodland for W10e and W7. The quadrats analysed in Compartment D also show a similarity with NVC communities W7c and W10e, although the drier woodland quadrat did show a very good compositional agreement with NVC community sessile oak woodland W11a. Unfortunately the species of oak tree found within Compartment D could not be ascertained because it may be a hybrid. Although pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) is characteristic of lowland Britain and sessile oak (Quercus petraea) is more commonly found on higher ground and in the

7 north and west of Britain, many oak trees have been planted in the past for, for example, ship building. Therefore a single oak tree at Compartment D at Harrowbog does not help to determine the original forest community found here: an oak tree may be a descendant of the original wildwood or it may have been planted, possibly on a previously oak-wooded site. SUMMARY The drier woodland in Compartment D corresponds most closely with the NVC oak woodland community W10e (Quercus robur Pteridium aquilinum Rubus fruticosus agg., subcommunity Acer pseudoplatanus Oxalis acetosella), although the sample also has very good compositional satisfaction with NVC oak woodland community W11a (Quercus petraea Betula pubescens Oxalis acetosella, subcommunity Dryopteris dilatata). The wetter woodland in compartment D corresponds most closely with the NVC ash-alder woodland community W7c (Alnus glutinosa Fraxinus excelsior Lysimachia nemorum, subcommunity Deschampsia cespitosa). These results are similar to the analyses of quadrats in wooded areas of other compartments. REFERENCES CARRUTHERS, R. G., BURNETT, G. A. and ANDERSON, W The Geology of the Cheviot Hills. Memoir of the Geological Survey of Great Britain. DEVILLERS, P., DEVILLERS-TERSCHUREN, J & LEDANT, J. P Habitats of the European Community (CORINE biotopes manual. Data specifications part 2). Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities. ISBN HILL, M. O Tablefit version 1.0 Huntingdon: Institute of Terrestrial Ecology JARVIS, R. A., BENDELOW, V. C., BRADLEY, R. I., CARROLL, D. M., FURNESS, R. R., KILGOUR, I. N. L., KING, S. J Soils and their Use in Northern England. Soil Survey of England and Wales Bulletin No. 10. Harpenden RODWELL, J. S. (ed) 1991 British Plant Communities Volume 1. Woodlands and Scrub. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. RODWELL, J. S. (ed) 1992 British Plant Communities Volume 3. Grasslands and Montane Communities. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. YOUNG, J. and McCUTCHEON, D College Valley: Woodland Vegetation Survey. Report for Northumberland National Park.

8 APPENDIX 1 SPECIES LISTS FROM SURVEYS IN 2000, 2004 AND 2005 Trees and Shrubs Alnus glutinosa Betula pubescens Corylus avellana Crataegous monogyna Fraxinus excelsior Prunus padus Quercus sp Rosa canina Salix caprea Ulex europaeus Ulmus glabra Herbaceous Flowering Plants (Forbs) Achillea millefolium Ajuga reptans Allium ursinum Anemone nemorosa Calluna vulgaris Campanula rotundifolia Cardamine amara Cardamine pratensis Chrysosplenium oppositifolium Cirsium arvense Cirsium palustre Conopodium majus Cruciata laevipes Digitalis purpurea Epilobium montanum Filipendula ulmaria Galium odoratum Gallium palustre Galium saxatile Galium uliginosum Geranium robertianum Geum rivale Geum urbanum Hyacinthoides non-scripta Hypochoeris radicata Lapsana communis Lathyrus linifolius Lathyrus pratensis Lonicera periclymenum Lysimachia nemorum Mentha aquatica Mercurialis perennis Oxalis acetosella Alder Downy birch Hazel Hawthorn Ash Bird cherry Oak Dog rose Goat willow Gorse Wych elm Yarrow Bugle Wild garlic Wood anemone Ling heather Harebell Large bittercress Lady s smock Opposite-leaved golden saxifrage Creeping thistle Marsh thistle Pignut Crosswort Foxglove Broad-leaved willowherb Meadowsweet Sweet woodruff Marsh bedstraw Heath bedstraw Fen bedstraw Herb robert Water avens Wood avens Bluebell Common cat sear Nipplewort Bitter vetch Yellow vetchling Honeysuckle Yellow pimpernel Water mint Dog s mercury Wood sorrel

9 Pilosella officinarum Polygala serpyllifolia Potentilla erecta Potentilla sterilis Primula vulgaris Ranunculus acris Ranunculs ficaria Ranunculus repens Rubus fruticosus agg Rumex acetosa Rumex acetosella Stellaria alsine Stellaria graminea Stellaria holostea Stellaria palustris Taraxacum officinale agg Teucrium scorodonia Thymus drucei Trifolium repens Urtica dioica Vaccinium myrtillus Valeriana dioica Vicia sepium Viola riviniana Grasses, Sedges and Rushes Agrostis capillaris Anthoxanthum odoratum Bromus ramosus Carex flacca Carex pendula Carex remota Cynosurus cristatus Dactylis glomerata Deschampsia cespitosa Deschampsia flexuosa Festuca ovina Festuca rubra Holcus lanatus Holcus mollis Juncus effusus Melica uniflora Nardus stricta Poa trivialis Ferns Athryium filix-femina Dryopteris dilatata Gymnocarpium dryopteris Oreopteris limbosperma Pteridium aquilinum Mouse-ear hawkweed Heath milkwort Common tormentil Barren strawberry Primrose Meadow buttercup Lesser celandine Creeping buttercup Bramble Common sorrel Sheep s sorrel Bog stitchwort Lesser stitchwort Greater stitchwort Marsh stitchwort Dandelion Woodsage Wild thyme White clover Stinging nettle Bilberry Marsh valerian Bush vetch Common dog violet Common bent Sweet vernal grass Hairy brome Glaucous sedge Pendulous sedge Remote sedge Crested dog stail Cock sfoot grass Tufted hairgrass Wavy hairgrass Sheep s fescue Red fescue Yorkshire fog Creeping soft grass Soft rush Wood melick Wiry mat grass Rough meadow grass Lady fern Broad buckler fern Oak fern Lemon-scented fern Bracken

10 Mosses, Liverworts and Lichens Brachythecium rutabulum Cephaloziella divaricata Chiloscyphus pallescens Cirriphyllum proliferum Cladonia sp Dicranum scoparium Eurynchium praelongum Eurynchium striatum Fissidens taxifolius Hylacomnium splendens Hypnum cupressiforme Isothecium myosuroides Lophocolea bidentata Mnium hornum Pellia epiphylla Plagiothecium undulatum Pleurozium schreberi Polytrichum formosum Polytrichum juniperinum Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus Rhizomnium punctatum Sclerepodium purum Thuidium tamariscinum Mammals Apodemus sylvaticus Capra aegagrus hircus Lepus europaeus Meles meles Wood mouse Feral goat Brown hare Badger

11 APPENDIX 2 DATA FROM QUADRATS (DOMIN values where 10 = % cover, 9 = 75 91% cover, 8 = 51 75% cover, 7 = 34 50% cover, 6 = 26 33% cover, 5 = 11 25% cover, 4 = 4 10% cover, 3 = <4% but many individuals, 2 = <4% but several individuals, 1 = <4% but a few individuals)

12 APPENDIX 2 DATA FROM QUADRATS Compartment D Quadrat 35 2m x 2m Peg in SW corner Grid Ref: NT Altitude: 594 ft Moderate west facing slope Moderately wet ground Deschampsia cespitosa 7 Ajuga reptans 8 Oxalis acetosella 3 Hypnum cupressiforme 2 Eurynchium praelongum 2 Juncus effusus 4 Galium uliginosa 3 Carex flacca 4 Valeriana dioica 1 Quadrat 36 10m x 10m Alnus glutinosa 6no. (DOMIN 7) Corylus avellana 8no. (DOMIN 7) Betula pubescens 1no. (DOMIN 1) Quadrat 37 2m x 2m Peg in SW corner Grid Ref: NT Altitude: 622 ft Very slight west facing slope Moderately dry ground Deschampsia cespitosa 5 Hyacinthoides non-scripta 2 Oxalis acetosella 5 Stellaria graminea 2 Polytrichum formosum 1 Hypnum cupressiforme 2 Pteridium aquilinum 1 Viola riviniana 1 Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus 1 Corylus avellana seedling 1 Leaf litter 5 Quadrat 38 10m x 10m Corylus avellana 14no. (DOMIN 9)

13 APPENDIX 3 PHOTOGRAPHS