Poor's Allotment
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
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Poor's Allotment with grazing cattle
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 Location within Gloucestershire
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| Area of Search | Gloucestershire |
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| Grid reference | ST560990 |
| Coordinates | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. |
| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 28.57 hectare |
| Notification | 1954 |
| Natural England website | |
Poor's Allotment (grid reference ST560990) is a 28.57-hectare (70.6-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1954.[1][2] The site is listed in the 'Forest of Dean Local Plan Review' as a Key Wildlife Site (KWS).[3]
The site is now part of a larger nature reserve of 60 hectares (The Park & Poor's Allotment (grid reference ST558992)) managed by the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust. The Park was formerly managed by the Forestry Commission, and Poor’s Allotment, held by trustees from the parish of Tidenham.[4]
Location and history
The site partly overlies carboniferous rocks of the Forest of Dean. Some of the site is heath vegetation which is over Drybrook sandstone, and some is vegetation which grows on the calcareous soils on Drybrook limestone. This nature of this site is, therefore, of significant regional importance because of this complexity of habitats.[1]
The land (as its name would indicate) was historically allocated under an Enclosure Award (1814) and was to be managed for the benefit of the poor. The parishes involved were Lancaut and Tidenham. It remains rough grazing land and it is a local viewpoint.[1]
Habitat and flora
This is acidic grassland and lowland heath with areas of dense bracken. In the south-east the limestone soils support calcareous grassland and broad-leaved woodland.[1]
Heathland species include Common bent, Sheep's Fescue and Creeping Fescue. There are extensive areas of Western Gorse and Ling. Also recorded are Bell Heather, Cross-leaved Heath, Bilberry, Sheep's Sorrel and Heath Bed-straw. The calcareous limestone grassland includes a range of fescue species and herbs such as Rock Rose, Thyme, Stemless Thistle, Salad Burnet and Bird's-foot Trefoil. The wooded areas include Oak, Holly, Yew, Field Maple and Whitebeam. Ground flora includes Dog's Mercury and Bluebell[1]
There is a spring which feeds a pond towards the centre of the site. This area supports invertebrates. Wetland plants flourish along the edges.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Natural England SSSI information on the citation
- ↑ Forest of Dean District Local Plan Review, adopted November 2005, Appendix D 'Nature Conservation Site Designations Within the Forest of Dean District', Sites of Special Scientific Interest
- ↑ Forest of Dean District Local Plan Review, adopted November 2005, Appendix D 'Nature Conservation Site Designations Within the Forest of Dean District', Key Wildlife Sites
- ↑ The Park & Poor's Allotment description
SSSI Source
- Natural England SSSI information on the citation
- Natural England SSSI information on the Poor's Allotment units
External links
- Natural England (SSSI information)
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A Stile into Poor's Allotment - geograph.org.uk - 522132.jpg
A stile into Poor's Allotment
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Poor's Allotment, Tidenham - geograph.org.uk - 221649.jpg
Poor's Allotment
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Spring and pond on Poor's Allotment - geograph.org.uk - 1601873.jpg
Spring and pond on Poor's Allotment
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A footpath on Poor's Allotment - geograph.org.uk - 522010.jpg
Footpath on Poor's Allotment
