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EAST WHITWELL OPEN SPACE (OZ/ES03) Click here to see preliminary management plan for the site Click here to see species lists for this site
General InformationSK26879750 Ownership SCC (Leisure
Services) Size 1.57 hectares
(568m perimeter) Designation(s) Open Space
Area Access Yes - via
public right of way No 22A . There was formerly a
through route via this right of way eastwards
across the site to join Ralph Ellis Drive. Some
years ago an adjacent property owner bought the
land from the city council to add to his garden and
sealed off the exit as the route was attracting
youths to hang around. Classification C2 Importance Sizeable area
of acid grassland with bilberry stands and a copse
of broad-leaved trees including beech with a very
degraded ground flora consisting of a few
bluebells Date
Surveyed 28-02-00
1. 2. 3. 4. Survey informationThe site is
roughly squarish and located immediately south of
Spink Hall and Stocksbridge Junior
School. History Early ordnance
survey maps show this area to have been a quarry
(probably for sandstone) and under the ground there
may have been seams of coal or clay that were
worked. Topography The topography
has been influenced by past land use. In the
southeastern part of site there are a few
vegetation-covered deep hollows that may indicate
past mining adits or remains of quarrying faces
and/or are due to subsidence. The rest of the site
is gently undulating, with a slight slope to the
north, but more or less level. Recreation
and Use During the
survey dog walkers and a couple of young kids were
present on the site. Evidence of a possibly
fledgling bmx track in the form of some small ramps
of piled up soil along informal path. Garden
rubbish is frequently dumped on site from adjacent
properties on the south and west sides and there
was evidence of a small fire in the southern part.
A large number of informal paths occur in the
western part of the site with its boundary along
the Stocksbridge Junior School playing
field. Present
Management None. 5. 6. Main Plant CommunitiesCommunity General
Description Characteristic
Species Community
A Bramble
dominant tall herb Rubus
fruticosus agg. Community
B Rough
grassland Dactylis
glomerata Community
C Scrub Crataegus
monogyna, Sambucus nigra Community
D Acid
grassland Agrostis
capillaris, Deschampsia flexuosa Community
E Copse/mature
trees Fagus
sylvatica, Acer pseudoplatanus, Fraxinus excelsior,
Community
F Tall
herb Chamerion
angustifolium, Urtica dioica, Rubus idaeus,
Anthriscus sylvestris, Cirsium sp. Community
G Bilberry
heath Vaccinium
myrtillum, Galium saxatile, Rumex
acetosella
Ecological ValueThe site contains a variety of habitats and is important mainly for its open grassland areas. These consist mainly of large areas of rough grass with tall vigorous species such as cocksfoot being abundant. The area of acid grass is situated in the southeastern part. Within this habitat are areas of bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillum). Most bilberry areas are small and scattered but some one or two contain a high cover of reasonably mature plants. New areas adjacent to these are undergoing colonisation through the rhizomatous system of established plants. Moss cover is extensive both in rough and acidic grass areas. In some acidic grassland and areas in and around bilberry stands are frequently found the attractive moss Dicranum scoparium. Polytrichum moss (P. juniperum) is also found particularly in areas where grass cover is poor and usually in the vicinity of bilberry. As expected for a site surrounded on nearly all sides by the back gardens of adjacent properties a number of introduced species and cultivars occur. These include garden escapes such as silver-leaved yellow archangel (Lamiastrum galeobdolon argentatum), Crocosmia, Narcissus (daffodil), Spiraea sp., Rhododendron sp. a cypress tree (Cupressus sp.) and flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum) - all were recorded close to or near the boundaries of the site. Honeysuckle was noted along one boundary and likely to be of garden origin. Of interest is the copse that extends as a finger of woodland from the northern boundary of the site. This area has a small number of bluebells and shows that in spite of artificial planting (of beeches and possibly conifers at one time) this small area was possibly always wooded. Tall herb and rough grassland carry the usual array of vigorous and coarse species that limit biodiversity. However, the site is likely to be rich in invertebrates and worth further study on this basis. Biodiversity could be enhanced if some water could be retained on site. There is a the remains of a damaged culvert containing standing water close to the surface on the east side of the site, but whether water could be drawn from here to form small pools is uncertain. Any work to do this would depend on the quality of the water. The grassland areas and shrubs provide good hunting grounds for avian predators and during the survey Sparrowhawk was recorded. Botanical Survey - to see List of species found on this site click here
Stocksbridge SRB5 Greenspace Audit undertaken by Jim Flanagan for Sheffield Wildlife Trust - see their Community Action Handbook - full of good ideas for your local site |
Inner Zone Outer Zone Countryside Zone Industrial Zone
I nner Zone Outer Zone Countryside Zone Industrial Zone
I nner Zone Outer Zone Countryside Zone Industrial Zone
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Text and Photographs (unless stated otherwise) ©The Steel Valley Project Companies House Registration Number 4394953 Charities Registration Number 1095510 |
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latest update 3/03/11 |
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