Chaceley Meadow SSSI

Last updated
Chaceley Meadow
Site of Special Scientific Interest
Gloucestershire UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location within Gloucestershire
Location Gloucestershire
Grid reference SO857306
Coordinates 51°58′27″N2°12′32″W / 51.97413°N 2.20885°W / 51.97413; -2.20885 Coordinates: 51°58′27″N2°12′32″W / 51.97413°N 2.20885°W / 51.97413; -2.20885
Interestbiological
Area1.8 ha (4.4 acres)
Notification 1954
Natural England website

Chaceley Meadow (grid reference SO857306 ) is a 1.8-hectare (4.4-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1954 and renotified in 1993. [1] [2] It lies on the eastern edge of Chaceley village and is about half a mile west of the River Severn.

Contents

The site is listed in the ‘Tewkesbury Borough Local Plan to 2011’, adopted March 2006, Appendix 3 'Nature Conservation',' as a Key Wildlife Site (KWS). [3]

The site is owned (bought in 1994) and managed by the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust. It is one of the county's finest unimproved wet meadows. Though it is some distance from the River Severn the meadow may flood in winter. [4]

Plants

A colourful variety of flowers may be seen throughout spring and summer. These include cuckoo flower, marsh-marigold, great burnet, meadowsweet, common knapweed, meadow vetchling, marsh ragwort, meadow buttercup, sorrel, ragged-robin, reed canary-grass, sweet vernal-grass and meadow brome. The wet conditions encourage many sedges including brown sedge, oval sedge, yellow sedge and carnation sedge. The slender spike-rush (Eleocharis uniglumis) grows in this meadow which is rare in Gloucestershire. [4]

Surroundings

The meadow is surrounded by mature hawthorn and blackthorn hedge and includes old white willow pollards. This habitat supports many birds, including tawny owl and turtle dove. [4]

Conservation

The meadow is traditionally managed by a late summer hay cut, which allows wildflowers to set their seeds. There is then cattle grazing. The willow pollards are recut regularly to reduce the risk of splitting. [4] There are earlier cuts every 3 years to help to increase the frequency of rarer species found in the field which include common knapweed, yellow rattle, cuckoo flower, bird's foot trefoil and marsh bedstraw. This helps remove nutrients at the peak of the hay growing season. [5]

Publications

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coombe Hill Canal</span> Canal in the United Kingdom

Coombe Hill Canal lies in the Vale of Gloucester, south west England, north of Leigh and runs west 2.75 miles (4.43 km) from Coombe Hill Basin to the River Severn near Wainlode Hill. It opened in 1796 and closed 80 years later in 1876, after the only lock was damaged by flooding. The Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust purchased the Coombe Hill Canal nature reserve in 1985 and the area is managed by the trust. Adjacent to the Coombe Hill Canal is a large area of wet meadowland situated midway between Gloucester and Tewkesbury to the west of the A38, which was purchased by the trust in 1999. There is a north and a south meadow. This land and the Canal itself often flood in winter, which attracts hundreds of wildfowl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lower Woods</span>

Lower Woods is a 280.1-hectare (692-acre) biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest near the village of Wickwar, South Gloucestershire, notified in 1966 and renotified in 1985. The site area has increased at last revision in 1974 to a 284.1-hectare (702-acre) site. The site is a nature reserve managed by the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midger</span>

Midger is a 65.7-hectare (162-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest straddling the border of Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire, notified in 1966 and renotified in 1984. Since the last revision in 1974, the size has been reduced to a 56-hectare (140-acre) site. It lies east of Hillesley, Gloucestershire and north of Hawkesbury Upton, South Gloucestershire. It is at the head of the Kilcott Valley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Badgeworth SSSI, Gloucestershire</span>

Badgeworth SSSI is a 3.08-hectare (7.6-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire notified in 1954 and renotified in 1983. Part of this site is owned and managed by the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust as a nature reserve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strawberry Banks</span> Biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, England

Strawberry Banks is a 5.06-hectare (12.5-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashleworth Ham</span> Biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, England

Ashleworth Ham is a 104.73-hectare (258.8-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest. It is a large area of grassland on the Severn floodplain, north of Ashleworth in Gloucestershire, England. It is registered as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and was notified in 1974 and renotified in 1985. Ashleworth Ham received this designation because it is one of three sites in the Severn Vale where migratory waterfowl winter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brassey SSSI</span> Biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, England

Brassey is a 2.1-hectare (5.2-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1954 and renotified in 1983. It is situated on the north side of the Windrush Valley, midway between Naunton and Upper Slaughter. The reserve comprises sloping, unimproved limestone pasture. There is a fast-flowing stream. This site is one of the few freshwater marshes in Gloucestershire. The stream joins the River Windrush.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daneway Banks SSSI</span> Biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, England

Daneway Banks is a 17-hectare (42-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1954 and renotified in 1983. It lies half a mile west of Sapperton and is part of a group of wildlife sites in the Frome Valley that includes Siccaridge Wood and Sapperton Canal reserves. The site is in the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stenders Quarry</span> Biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, England

Stenders Quarry is a 2.8-hectare (6.9-acre) biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England, notified in 1966 and renotified in 1990. The site is designated as an SSSI for its important geological features, although there is also a diversity of plants and animals recorded.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Box Farm Meadows SSSI</span> Biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, England

Box Farm Meadows is a 8.3-hectare (21-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1985. This was formerly known as Balls Green Pastures. The reserve is situated at the southern edge of Box village and one mile east of Nailsworth.

Lower Wye Gorge is a 65-hectare (160-acre) biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1954 and renotified 1987. The site includes two Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust nature reserves being Ban-y-gor Wood and Lancaut. The Natural England citation states a revision for Lancaut inclusion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dymock Woods SSSI</span> Biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, England

Dymock Woods is a 53-hectare (130-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1990. The site is listed in the 'Forest of Dean Local Plan Review' as a Key Wildlife Site (KWS).

Clarke's Pool Meadow is a 1.8-hectare (4.4-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1997. It lies on the flat top of 'Old Hill' about half a mile south of Blakeney. The site consists of two fields which were purchased by the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust in 1997. The site was designated an SSSI in the same year and it is one of the finest surviving traditional hay meadows in Gloucestershire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swift's Hill SSSI</span> Geological site in England

Swift's Hill is a 9.15-hectare (22.6-acre) biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1966 and renotified in 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salmonsbury Meadows SSSI</span>

Salmonsbury Meadows is an 18-hectare (44-acre) biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1985. The site is listed in the 'Cotswold District' Local Plan 2001-2011 as a Key Wildlife Site (KWS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gwen and Vera's Fields</span> Nature reserve in Gloucestershire, England

Gwen and Vera's Fields is a 0.28-hectare (0.69-acre) nature reserve in Gloucestershire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wingmoor Farm Meadow</span>

Wingmoor Farm Meadow is a 3-hectare (7.4-acre) nature reserve in Gloucestershire. The site is listed in the ‘Tewkesbury Borough Local Plan to 2011’, adopted March 2006, Appendix 3 'Nature Conservation',' as a Key Wildlife Site (KWS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mythe Railway Nature Reserve</span>

Mythe Railway Nature Reserve is a 2.8-hectare (6.9-acre) nature reserve in Gloucestershire. The site is listed in the ‘Tewkesbury Borough Local Plan to 2011’, adopted March 2006, Appendix 3 'Nature Conservation',' as a Key Wildlife Site (KWS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Three Groves Wood</span> Nature reserve in Gloucestershire, England

Three Groves Wood is a 3.3-hectare (8.2-acre) nature reserve in Gloucestershire. The site is listed in the ‘Stroud District’ Local Plan, adopted November 2005, Appendix 6 as a Key Wildlife Site (KWS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sapperton Valley</span>

Sapperton Valley is a 3.7-hectare (9.1-acre) nature reserve near Chalford in the Stroud district of Gloucestershire, England. The site is managed by the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust under leasing arrangements with the Bathurst Estate, in place since 1964.

References

SSSI source