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Wet Woodland

Habitat Description

Wet woodlands occur on poorly drained or seasonally wet soils, usually with alder, birch and willows as the predominant tree species. It is found on floodplains, as successional habitat on fens and bogs, around water bodies and along stream and hillside flushes. Boundaries with dry land woodland may be sharp or gradual and can change over time though natural succession or as a result of human influence.

 

There are 7 NVC wet woodland communities: W1 Grey sallow marsh bedstraw woodland W2 Grey sallow Downy birch reed woodland W3 Bay willow bottle sedge woodland W4 Downy birch purple moor grass woodland W5 Alder tussock sedge woodland W6 Alder nettle woodland W7 Alder ash yellow pimpernel woodland

Wet woodland has a canopy usually dominated by willow (Salix sp.), alder(Alnus glutinosa) or birch (Betula sp.) but stands vary considerably in their overall appearance. Riverside trees are also included, and are individuals that line the riverbanks throughout the county. These are important landscape features as well as supporting a wide range of invertebrates and other species.

Current UK Status and Trends

Total UK extent is approximated at 52,850 ha.

Wet woodlands are a scarce and easily damaged habitat.

Estimated Current Northants Resource

A number of wet flushes are present in ancient semi-natural woodland, but total extent is unknown.

Progress Towards BAP Targets 2002-2007

Unknown

Lead Partner

The Wildlife Trust

Main Issues and Threats

• Very little remaining in Northamptonshire. Much is isolated in small fragments, dangerously reducing species' population sizes and making it impossible for individuals to move between them.
• Alteration of hydrology: Flood prevention measures and lowering of water tables through drainage or abstraction lead to succession away from wet woodland; dredging of ponds and streams; groundwater abstraction.
• Damage from mechanical operations, which have a detrimental effect on ground flora.
• Over-tidiness resulting in the removal of dead trees and fallen dead wood.
• Diseases such as Phytophthora, a root disease of alder.

General Strategy

• Detailed survey to identify wet woodland sites and those that could support wet woodland.
• Sympathetic management and restoration of existing sites, funded primarily through the Countryside Stewardship Scheme (Advice can be provided by The Wildlife Trust, RNRP or FWAG).
• Maintain as a successional stage between open wetland areas and drier woodland. Particularly important within wet woodlands is a mosaic of habitats including lichen and moss covered trees, areas of higher ground, bare mud, stands of mature trees, clearings and rides, transitional edge habitat, fallen, submerged and standing dead wood and water bodies.
• This habitat may occur across the entire county but specific target areas are the Nene Valley and Pitsford Reservoir.

Associated National Priority Species

Lesser redpoll Lesser-spotted woodpecker Marsh tit Minor shoulder-knot (moth) Oblique carpet (moth) Otter see species action plan

Powdered quaker (moth) Small square-spot (moth) Song thrush The crescent (moth) Willow tit

Specific Management Required for Associated Species

Species	Northamptonshire Status	Management Prescriptions	Key Sites
Willow tit	Breeding	Maintain standing deadwood, particularly rotting stumps of willow, birch, and alder. Scrub required nearby.	Kings Wood Local Nature Reserve.

Targets

Target Code	Target Type	Target Description	Target Units	Northants Baseline Resource	Target	By	Unit Cost £	Total Cost £
NOR_WWO_T1	Maintain Extent	Maintain the current extent of at least LWS-standard wet woodland.	Hectares	33	33	2015	75/ha/yr	2,475/yr
NOR_WWO_T2	Achieving Condition	Achieve LWS standard of 5 ha of currently non-LWS wet woodland by 2015.	Hectares	33	38	2015	75/ha/yr	375/yr
NOR_WWO_T3	Expansion	Establish 10 ha of LWS-standard wet woodland on non-wooded or plantation sites by 2015.	Hectares	0	6	2015	1,500/ha + 200/ha/yr for 10 yrs	9,000 initial + 1,200/yr

Actions

Action Code	Action Description	Lead Partner	Support Partner(s)	Related Target
NOR_WWO_HS_A1	Ensure that existing wet woodland within designated sites is maintained in good condition through the control of water levels.	The Wildlife Trust , Natural England, Northamptonshire Biodiversity Partnership	Anglian Water, Severn Trent Water, Environment Agency	NOR_WWO_T1
NOR_WWO_SU_A2	Identify the location of all wet woodland outside of designated sites by 2012.	The Wildlife Trust	NBRC	NOR_WWO_T2
NOR_WWO_HS_A3	Provide management advice and incentives (through agri-environment schemes) to owners of wet woodland outside of designated sites in order that 5 ha achieves LWS condition by 2015.	Natural England	Northamptonshire Biodiversity Partnership	NOR_WWO_T2
NOR_WWO_HC_A4	Create 2 ha of wet woodland at Pitsford Reservoir and other nature reserves by 2012.	The Wildlife Trust	Anglian Water	NOR_WWO_T3
NOR_WWO_HC_A5	Create 2 ha of wet woodland through succession from open water bodies in the Nene Valley by 2015.	Natural England	The Wildlife Trust	NOR_WWO_T3
NOR_WWO_HC_A6	Create 2 ha of wet woodland through conditions on planning applications by 2015.	Developers, Local Authorities, WNDC, NNDC	The Wildlife Trust	NOR_WWO_T3

© 2007 Biodiversity Partnership

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