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Wooded Estate Downland

Wooded Estate Downland

Landscape Character Type and Key habitats

  • Extensive broad leaved woodland including areas of ancient woodland
  • Yew woodland
  • Lowland calcareous grassland
  • Network of hedgerows

Actions for nature

  • Seek to plant broadleaved woodland with suitable species and to replace conifers where appropriate when felling takes place
  • Manage and protect the rare yew woodlands
  • Manage woodland to achieve good condition, age and species diversity
  • Manage chalk grassland areas and seek to expand and connect
  • Manage hedgerows and plant to complete the network

Nature-friendly actions

  • Buffer strips along hedgerows and woodland edges
  • Restore and create ponds
  • Increase species diversity of semi improved grasslands
  • Create arable margins and pollinator species corridors
  • Maintain winter cover, feed crops or stubbles

Key sensitivities

  • Large areas of ancient woodland
  • Ancient yew forests
  • Chalk grassland with scrub including nationally scarce juniper
  • Intact hedgerow network

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"The Downs...too much for one pair of eyes, enough to float a whole population in happiness."