County Wildife Site Criteria for Cornwall Appendices

WET WOODLAND PHTGeneral DescriptionWet woodland occurs on poorly drained or seasonally wet soils, usually with alder, birch and willowsas the predominant tree species, but sometimes including ash, oak, pine and beech on the drierriparian areas. It is found on floodplains, as successional habitat on fens, mires and bogs, along streamsand hill-side flushes, and in peaty hollows.In terms of National Vegetation Classification (NVC) plant communities this habitat is characterisedby W1 woodland to W3 woodland, W4c woodland, and W5 woodland to W7 woodland.National ContextThere are no precise data on the total extent of wet woodland in the UK, but in the late 1980s theNature Conservancy Council estimated the total extent of this type in ancient semi-natural woodlandto be about 25 000–30 000 ha. The area of recent wet woodland may be at least as large again. Thusa crude estimate of the total wet woodland area in the UK is 50 000–70 000 ha.Area of PHT in Cornwall (ha): 21703.6% National TotalNumber of polygons: 611The habitat is: UncommonDistribution by Administrative DistrictDistrict P K CK R CN NC ΣNumber 58 156 106 137 44 110 611Area (ha) 260 410 380 720 120 280 2170Distribution by Natural AreaDistrict Pe Lz CKG BM Cu ΣNumber 35 99 423 13 41 611Area (ha) 180 180 1690 20 100 2170For this habitat the threshold area is 2.0 haAppendix 4 - Information Relating to Priority Habitat TypesCounty Wildlife Sites Criteria