WOOD ROYD - Steel Valley Project

WOOD ROYD (OZ/ES04)
General Information
Grid Reference
Ownership
Size
Designation(s)
Access
SK28309790
Elliot (?)
0.95 hectares (perimeter 648 metres)
Open Space Area
Full public access. Public right of way No 31 runs through the site from the
southern entrance at Carr Road to the northern end exiting out at a lorry
park and onto Manchester Road.
Classification
D3
Importance
A small parcel of woodland that, in spite of all the past industrial activity,
has managed to retain a remnant of ancient woodland indicator plants such
as bluebell and opposite-leaved golden saxifrage.
Date Surveyed
11 & 12-03-00
Note: the code numbers of the photographs below relate to the locations shown on the map near the bottom of the page - they
are not in sequence
1.
2.
3.
4.
8.
7.
9.
Survey information
Introduction
History
A unique site that has suffered from neglect and misuse for many years.
The woodland shows signs of being an ancient semi-natural one.
The OS Map of 1854 shows the site as an open area with a footpath
running more or less the same route as it does today and a dike that was
then a continuation of the stream running through Fox Glen. On the
eastern part of the site is marked a coal pit. The remains of this pit are
indicated by a bowl-shaped depression in this part of the woodland. At
some time in the latter half of the nineteenth century a tramway connection
was built through the western part of the site. This was to link Haywood
junction (and a line to Henholmes brickworks) on the north side of
Manchester Road with Gannister and brickworks just south west of the site.
Spoil from this works probably contributed to the steepness of the
southwest part of the woodland (woodland with birch, willow and ash). The
tramway is shown on the OS map of 1931 and probably not long after this
Topography
Recreation and Use
Present Management
year was dismantled. Just to the north of the site the map describes
today's lorry park as a 'hive yard'.
Generally situated in a north facing valley and slopes down to the north.
Steep sided on the western side as one emerges from the footpath (and
housing area on the eastern side) into the wood. A polluted stream
emanates from a wall to follow a course parallel with the path until the path
veers east to cross the stream via a metal rail footbridge. The path
continues to wind round resuming a northerly course again parallel with the
stream and out into a lorry park. The stream cuts a deeper course in its
northern part. North of the footbridge another stream flows from a culvert (a
continuation of the stream running through Fox Glen) to join the main
stream to disappear down a culvert that takes the stream to the Little Don.
The south and southeastern part of the wood lies in a bowl-shaped
depression (where a mine was located) and is bounded by housing (with
the lorry park to the north).
The site is taking on the likes of a tip with much rubbish accumulating on
the steeper western slopes (adjacent to an industrial area). A rope swing
from a tree indicates informal play by kids. The public footpath is used as a
shortcut to the main road through Deepcar & Stocksbridge.
None, except vegetation clearance for footpath.
10.
14.
Main Plant Communities
Community
Community A
Community B
General Description
Ash-dominated woodland
Mixed deciduous woodland
Community C
Streamside community
Community D
Tall herb
Characteristic Species
Fraxinus excelsior
Hyacinthoides non-scriptus, Coryllus
avellana, Holcus mollis, Hedera helix,
Pteridium aquilinum
Pelia epiphylla, Marchantia sp.
(liverworts), Cardamine sp. (bittercress),
Chrysosplenium oppositifolium
Rubus fruticosus agg., Urtica dioica,
Galium aparine, Chamerion
Community E
Community F
Mono-dominant stands of bistort
Willow and birch scrub
angustifolium, Eurynchium praelongum
Persicaria sp.
Salix caprea, Betula sp.
5.
6.
Ecological Interest
This woodland has been much modified and shaped by past industrial (and present) activity. The route of the old tramway is
difficult to trace within the site. However, if one identifies areas where bluebell and other ancient woodland indicators occur (on
the west and northwest part of the site) the sharply defined boundary that emerges between these and the areas that have an
obvious history of disturbance correlate quite well with the map evidence.
Much of the ecological value is in the least disturbed areas. The northwestern part has a range of trees and shrubs and ground
flora such as oak and hazel, bluebell, ferns, inlcuding a small area of bracken (along the northwest boundary wall) and has been
identified as Compartment B.
The southern part of the site is a linear feature that runs parallel with a footpath starting from Carr Road. As a result of its
proximity to housing this feature (situated on the western side of the path) contains a range of garden 'throwaways' or ones
deliberately planted. These include mock orange (Philadelphus), Hebe, lilac, London pride and Columbine (Aquilegia). Away
from this boundary is a strip of willow, birch scrub that further to the north merges into a steep sided pioneer woodland with
much ash.
Opposite this area is a stream course that emerges from a culvert at the back of a house adjacent to footpath. The water is fairly
well polluted, possibly from damaged sewage outflows with scum accumulation on the water surface and a characteristic odour.
A stream side community has identified with moss and liverwort cover abundant. Unfortunately, Japanese knotweed has
colonised the eastern side of the stream below the footbridge (taking the public footpath across to the eastern side of the stream
to emerge out into a lorry park).
Another introduction present on the site is the garden variety of yellow archangel that has silvery leaves, concentrated in a small
area, along a wall, parallel to the stream south of the footbridge. Some plants, especially later on in the season, appear to loose
the silveriness of leaves and look almost identical to the woodland type.
There are areas of bluebell that are sporadically distributed along the stream north of the footbridge where another stream joins
this from the northwest of the site (and is a continuation of the one flowing through Fox Glen). The stream, bounded on either
side by some large ash and sycamore trees, flows down a culvert at the top end of the site. The eastern part of the site contains
tall herb, much of it dominated by bramble and scattered areas of bluebell, with creeping soft grass and mono-dominant stands
of bistort.
Wood Royd is currently not recognised as a site containing ecological interest within the Sheffield UDP. In view of the interest it
clearly has (and the potential to enhance this), it is suggested that the next review of the UDP should designate this as an Area
of Natural History Interest.
11.
12.
13.
15.
WOOD ROYD (OZ/ES04) - Management Plan
Aims and Objectives
Ecological
•
•
•
•
•
Thinning or coppicing of trees in woodland areas
Glade creation in the eastern portion of site
Bramble control to encourage ground flora such as bluebell
Japanese knotweed control along part of the stream (north of the footbridge)
Construct and place bird and bat boxes in woodland
Recreational
•
Maintenance of main footpath and footbridge across stream
Community and educational
•
Removal of rubbish along streams and in wooded slope on the western part of site.
Management Prescription
AIM
Tree thinning
CODE
TT1
Bracken and bramble BBC1
control
Japanese knotweed JKC1
METHOD
Removal of some ash and sycamore and glade
creation in the eastern part of site. Monitor condition
of a ring-barked ash by footpath.
Cut back bracken and bramble in areas where it
excludes most other plants.
Through non-chemical means by pulling stems from
REASON
Let in more light to floor and
encourage development of ground
flora.
Encourage spread of bluebell
areas.
For the control of invasive alien
control
Removal of rubbish
from stream and
western slopes of
woodland
RR1
Bird nest box
BNB1
construction
Bird nest box
BNB2
maintenance
Bat box construction BB1
Footpath
maintenance
FP1
the base when stems mature during June/July, or
cutting/mowing once every two weeks during
growing season for up to 10 years.
Hire of skip and wheel barrows, bin bags, gloves,
litter pickers, rakes, etc.
plant and to enhance native
species.
Limit potential pollution from
disintegrating plastics, etc.
To improve visual appearance of
wood and stream.
Encourage more birds into wood.
Locally produced nest boxes.
Clean out once a year in winter.
Remove parasites and encourage
continued use.
Make wood attractive to bats.
Locally produced (involve schools/community
groups).
Ensure vegetation cut back from path and footbridge For access.
in usable and safe condition.
Management Description
SEASON
CODE
YEAR
1
2
3
TT1
a
a
BBC1
a
a
a
JKC1
RR1
a
a
a
a
a
BNB1
5
a
6
7
8
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
9
10
Winter
Winter
a
a
a
a
a
BNB2
BB1
4
Winter
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
Phase II Botanical Survey Species List
Community A - Ash-dominated
woodland
Mosses and ferns
Broad buckler fern
O
Hogweed
Lesser celandine
London Pride
Dandelion
O
O
L/A
O
Sycamore
Ash
Elder
O
D
O
Hart's tongue fern
Broad buckler fern
Bracken
R (on wall parallel to stream)
R
L/D
Creeping soft grass
L/A
Flowering plants
Heracleum sphondylium
Ranunculus ficaria
Saxifraga spathularis x umbrosa
Taraxacum officinale agg.
Trees and shrubs
Acer pseudoplatanus
Fraxinus excelsior
Sambucus nigra
Community B - Mixed
deciduous woodland
Mosses and ferns
Asplenium scolopendrium
Dryopteris dilatata
Pteridium aquilinum
Grasses, sedges and rushes
Holcus mollis
Winter
Any
WOOD ROYD (OZ/ES04)
Dryopteris dilatata
Summer
Winter
Flowering plants
Anthriscus sylvestris
Cardamine sp.
Epilobium sp.
Lamiastrum galeobdolon
argentatum
Geranium robertianum
Heracleum sphondylium
Hyacinthoides non-scriptus
Reynoutria japonica
Ribes rubrum
Rubus fruticosus agg.
Rubus idaeus
Stachys sylvatica
Taraxacum officinale agg.
Cow parsley
Bittercress
Willowherb
Garden or silver-leaved yellow
archangel
Herb-Robert
Hogweed
Bluebell
Japanese knotweed
Redcurrant
Bramble
Rasberry
Hedge woundwort
Dandelion
O-F
F
F
L/F
Sycamore
Hazel
Ash
Ivy
Holly
Honeysuckle
Cherry(?)
Pedunculate oak
Elder
O-F
F
F
L/D
O
O
R
O
O
Liverwort
Liverwort
R
A
Bittercress
Opposite-leaved golden saxifrage
Lesser celandine
Japanese Knotweed
F
L/A
O
O
Moss
A
Creeping soft grass
F
Cow parsley
Columbine (cultivar)
Rosebay willowherb
Crocosmia
Willowherb species
Cleavers
Hedge veronica ('Midsummer
beauty')
Bluebell
Mock orange
Creeping buttercup
Bramble
Common nettle
F
R
O-F
R
F
F
R
L/F
R
F
A
A
Alder (planted)
Ash
Rose
Lilac
R
R
R
R
Bistort
L/D
L/F
O-F
L/A
L/A
L/F (July 2000)
F
L/F
O
O-F
Trees and shrubs and climbers
Acer pseudoplatanus
Coryllus avellana
Fraxinus excelsior
Hedera helix
Ilex aquifolium
Lonicera periclymenium
Prunus sp.
Quercus petraea
Sambucus nigra
Community C - Streamside zone
Mosses, liverworts and ferns
Marchantia sp
Pelia epiphylla
Flowering plants
Cardamine sp.
Chrysosplenium oppostifolium
Ranunculus ficaria
Fallopia japonica
Community D - Tall herb
Mosses and ferns
Eurynchium praelongum
Grasses, sedges and rushes
Holcus mollis
Flowering plants
Anthriscus sylvestris
Aquilegia x
Chamerion angustifolium
Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora
Epilobium sp.
Galium aparine
Hebe x franciscana
Hyacinthoides non-scriptus
Philadelphus coronarius
Ranunculus repens
Rubus fruticosus agg.
Urtica dioica
Trees and shrubs
Alnus sp.
Fraxinus excelsior
Rosa sp.
Syringa vulgaris
Community E - Mono-dominant
stands of amphibious bistort
(terrestrial form)
Persicaria sp.
Community F - Willow and birch
scrub
Flowering plants
Anthriscus sylvestris
Galium aparine
Rubus fruticosus agg.
Taraxacum officinale agg.
Cow parsley
Cleavers
Bramble
Dandelion
O
O
F
F
Birch
Willow
F
A
Certhia familiaris
Corvus monedula
Treecreeper
Jackdaw
20-04-00
Erithacus rubecula
Robin
Fringilla coelebs
Chaffinch
Regulus regulus
Troglodytes troglodytes
Goldcrest
Wren
Turdus merulla
Blackbird
Trees and shrubs
Betula sp.
Salix sp.
Fauna
2