Lindow Common - Cheshire East Council

Lindow Common
Council
Site of Special Scientific Interest
& Local Nature Reserve
www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/rangers
Cheshire East
Wilmslow Town Council
www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/rangers
Cheshire East
Council
Lindow Common
A precious relic of a prehistoric landscape
When the last Ice Age came to an end, around 12,000 years ago,
melting ice sheets deposited glacial sands over many parts of
Cheshire. As the climate warmed, woodlands developed on
the sandy soils and the area provided rich hunting for early
man.
Neolithic and later Bronze and Iron Age people including the
Celts felled the forests to create grazing for animals. These early
farming methods created heathland. A 2,000 year old body,
known as Lindow Man was discovered preserved by the peat
deposits at nearby Lindow Moss.
For at least 5,000 years the heathland on Lindow Common has
survived because of animal grazing and vegetation control
including deliberate and accidental burning.
Today, Lindow Common covers 17 hectares / 43 acres but it
was once part of a much larger heath and mossland stretching
between Wilmslow and the River Bollin.
Lowland heath - rarer than tropical rainforest!
Lindow Common is one of only a few small areas of lowland
heath in Cheshire and consequently it is an extremely rare and
important habitat. The habitat
supports a variety of flora and
fauna including some rare
and endangered species.
Plants include heather,
cross-leaved heath,
cranberry, cotton grass
and round-leaved
sundew.
Site of Special Scientific Interest
Very special and protected by law
Lindow Common was designated a
SSSI in 1963. It is also a Local Nature
Reserve.
The Wildlife and Countryside Act of
1981 protects habitats such as
Lindow Common by ensuring that
the best management practices
take place and activities that
damage habitat are prevented.
Heather cutting to
regenerate heather
Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) are the very
best national examples of specific habitats that contain
rare and endangered plants and animals.
Over the last 150 years there has been a significant loss of
lowland heathland in the British landscape. Until the 19th
century heathland was important to local economies by
providing grazing areas for livestock. When this traditional
practice ceased, trees quickly became established on the open
heaths.
Today, the greatest threat to heathland habitat is neglect.
Without active management, to keep the heathland free from
trees and shading, the ancient heathland can be lost within a
few years. However in England, much work has been carried
out over the past 30 years to save
these precious habitats. Government
bodies and Councils working with
local people are very involved in this
process.
Lindow Common is a good example
of this type of joint working to
protect and improve lowland
heathland.
Surviving since the Ice Age
Heathland vegetation is unusual in
a lowland setting. Carpets of
common heather and gorse are
easily recognised but hidden
within these plants are far rarer
species. Bogbean, cross-leaved
heath, bog asphodel, bog
Common heather
rosemary and cranberry can be
found at Lindow Common. The
carnivorous round-leaved sundew is particularly rare.
The special plant community in turn supports specialised
creatures. Lindow Common is a Cheshire breeding location
for common lizards. Voracious green tiger beetles can be
seen on the sandier areas, as well as different types of sand
bees and wasps. There are interesting butterfly species on the
heath, including green hairstreaks and small heath.
Lindow Common has the largest area of wet heathland in
Cheshire East and attracts dragonflies such as black darter,
broad bodied chaser, black tailed
skimmer and the emperor
dragonfly.
Black Lake is regionally important
for vast number of frogs and toads
which use it for breeding. On the
banks of Black Lake a small colony
of water voles survives. Look out
for these animals in early spring
before the grass grows up making
them difficult to spot.
Sedge warbler
Bird life is more restricted because of visitor pressure but
includes reed bunting, whitethroat, green woodpecker,
bullfinch, sedge and willow warbler.
Managing Lindow Common
The wet heathlands and mire systems
The most important areas are the wet heathlands and mires,
as they hold the rarest and most precious of all the species.
Cranberry
Round - leaved
sundew
Bog asphodel
Managing Lindow Common
Without continual management, the heathlands that were
originally created centuries ago,
through felling, fire and grazing, would
rapidly become woodland again.
Today, the main priority is to maintain
and increase the area of heathland.
Since 1986, management work has
included felling trees, turf stripping to
create additional heathland, rotational
cutting to create heather of different
ages and the eradication of tree
seedlings and scrub on the heathland areas.
Once light is let in to formerly
shaded areas, seeds of heather
which have been dormant for
many years germinate and
create heathland habitat. Ground
and aerial photographs illustrate
the loss of heathland since 1897.
Work is continuing to redress the
balance and preserve the rare
flora and fauna of Lindow
Common.
Lindow Common
Site of Special Scientific Interest
& Local Nature Reserve
Please enjoy your visit
Respect and consideration for other users, wildlife and the heathland habitat are all that is required to enjoy a perfect visit to
this very special place.
Please keep to the paths marked on the map in this leaflet. By
doing this you willhelp protect the heathland and improve
the survival chances of nesting birds and
other wildlife.
•Please keep to the marked paths.
•Keep your dog under close control or on a lead.
•Always clean up after your dog.
•Damage caused to Lindow Common
Site of Special Scientific Interest
can result in fines of up to £20,000.
Map Key
Wet heath and mire (marsh)
Dry heath
Woodland
Rough grassland
Public footpath
Concessionary path
100m
To Newgate
Nature Reserve
This map is based upon Ordnance Survey material
with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf
of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery O ce
© Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction
infringes Crown copyright and may lead to
prosecution or civil proceedings.
Cheshire East Council 100049045 2013
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Location address:
Cheshire
East Council, Countryside Ranger Service,
Cheshire East Council, Countryside Ranger Service,
Lindow Common SSSI,
Lindow Common SSSI,
Racecourse
Road,
Racecourse
Road,
Wilmslow,
Wilmslow,
Cheshire,
SK9SK9
5NQ.
Cheshire,
5NQ.
Grid
reference:
SJ834814
Grid reference: SJ834814
Phone:
01625
383700
Phone:
01625
383700
Email:
[email protected]
Email: [email protected]
www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/rangers
ThisThis
leaflet
has
been
leaflet
has
beenfunded
fundedby
by
Wilmslow
TownCouncil
Council
Wilmslow
Town