County Wildife Site Criteria for Cornwall Appendices

UPLAND MIXED ASHWOODS PHTGeneral DescriptionThe term upland mixed ashwoods is used for woods on base-rich soils in the north and west, in mostof which ash is a major species, although locally oak, birch, elm, small-leaved lime and even hazel maybe the most abundant species. Upland in the name reflects the abundance of this type of woodlandon base-rich soils in upland Britain rather than to the altitude at which individual sites occur. Mostupland mixed ashwoods are probably ancient.Mixed ashwoods are amongst the richest habitats for wildlife in the uplands, notable for bright displaysof flowers such as bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta, primrose Primula vulgaris, wood cranesbillGeranium sylvaticum and wild garlic Allium ursinum.National ContextThey are found throughout upland Britain and in Northern Ireland, though they are limited in thenorth-west Highlands.There are no precise data on the total extent of upland ashwoods in the UK, but in the late 1980s theNature Conservancy Council estimated the total extent of ancient semi-natural woodland of this typeto be 40 000–50 000 ha. It has declined in area by clearance, overgrazing and replanting with nonnativespecies, by about 30-40% over the last 50 years. A crude estimate places the total area ofupland ashwood at 67 500 ha.Area of PHT in Cornwall (ha): 17402.6% National TotalNumber of polygons: 446The habitat is: UncommonDistribution by Administrative DistrictDistrict P K CK R CN NC ΣNumber 17 35 63 31 130 170 446Area (ha) 30 130 270 120 530 660 1740Distribution by Natural AreaDistrict Pe Lz CKG BM Cu ΣNumber 15 19 319 31 62 446Area (ha) 25 60 1215 110 330 1740For this habitat the threshold area is 1.5 haAppendix 4 - Information Relating to Priority Habitat TypesCounty Wildlife Sites Criteria