Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council - Written Statement Appendix 6 (Cont'd)

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Priority Species Identified by the Hampshire Biodiversity Partnership

The list is reproduced here in its complete form. Inclusion on this list does not imply occurence within the plan area

Priority Species Identified by the Hampshire Biodiversity Partnership

Algae	Lamprothamnium papulosum	foxtail stonewort

Amphibians	Bufo calamita	natterjack toad
Amphibians	Triturus cristatus	great crested newt

Annelids	Alkmaria romijni	tentacled lagoon-worm
Annelids	Hirudo medicinalis	medicinal leech

Ants	Anergates atratulus	dark guest ant
Ants	Formica candida	black bog ant
Ants	Formica rufa	southern wood ant

Bees	Bombus humilis	brown-banded carder bee
Bees	Bombus ruderatus	large garden bumble bee
Bees	Bombus sylvarum	shrill carder bee
Bees	Psithyrus rupestris	hill cuckoo bee

Beetles	Agabus brunneus	a water beetle
Beetles	Ampedus quercicola	a click beetle
Beetles	Anisodactylus nemorivagus	a ground beetle
Beetles	Aphodius niger	a scarab beetle

Beetles	Bidessus unistriatus	a water beetle
Beetles	Cicindela sylvatica	heath tiger beetle
Beetles	Cryptocephalus sexpunctatusa	leaf beetle
Beetles	Donacia bicolora	a reed beetle
Beetles	Gnorimus nobilis	noble chafer
Beetles	Graphoderus zonatus	water beetle
Beetles	Harpalus cordatus	a ground beetle
Beetles	Helophorus laticollis	a water beetle
Beetles	Hydrophilus piceus	great silver water beetle
Beetles	Hylis olexai	a click beetle
Beetles	Lucanus cervus	stag beetle
Beetles	Malachius aeneus	scarlet malachite beetle
Beetles	Meotica anglica	a rove beetle
Beetles	Pachytychius haematocephalua	weevil
Beetles	Paedurus caligatus	a rove beetle
Beetles	Prionus coriarius	a sawyer beetle
Beetles	Pterostichus kugelanni	a ground beetle
Beetles	Sphinginus lobatus	a false soldier beetle
Beetles	Tachys micros	a ground beetle
Beetles	Tomoxia bucephala	a tumbling flower beetle

Birds	Acrocephalus paludicola	aquatic warbler
Birds	Acrocephalus palustris	marsh warbler
Birds	Acrocephalus scirpaceus	reed warbler
Birds	Alauda arvensis	skylark
Birds	Anas strepera	gadwall
Birds	Anser albifrons	white-fronted goose
Birds	Arenaria interpres	turnstone
Birds	Aythya ferina	pochard
Birds	Botaurus stellaris	bittern
Birds	Branta bernicla bernicla	dark-bellied brent goose
Birds	Burhinus oedicnemus	stone curlew
Birds	Calidris alba	sanderling
Birds	Calidris alpina	dunlin
Birds	Calidris canutus	knot
Birds	Caprimulgus europaeus	nightjar
Birds	Carduelis cannabina	linnet
Birds	Cettia cetti	Cetti’s warbler
Birds	Circus cyaneus	hen harrier
Birds	Circus pygargus	Montagu’s harrier
Birds	Coccothraustes coccothraust	hawfinch
Birds	Coturnix coturnix	quail
Birds	Cygnus columbianus	Bewick’s swan
Birds	Dendrocops	minor lesser spotted woodpecker
Birds	Egretta garzetta	little egret
Birds	Emberiza schoeniclus	reed bunting
Birds	Falco columbarius	merlin
Birds	Falco subbuteo	hobby
Birds	Gallinago gallinago	snipe
Birds	Larus melanocephalus	Mediterranean gull
Birds	Limosa lapponica	bar-tailed godwit
Birds	Limosa limosa	black-tailed godwit
Birds	Locustella naevia	grasshopper warbler
Birds	Lullula	arborea woodlark
Birds	Luscinia megarhynchos	nightingale
Birds	Melanitta nigra	common scoter
Birds	Mergus merganser	goosander
Birds	Mergus serrator	red-breasted merganser
Birds	Milaria calandra	corn bunting
Birds	Milvus milvus	red kite
Birds	Motacilla flava	yellow wagtail
Birds	Muscicapa striata	spotted flycatcher
Birds	Panurus biarmicus	bearded tit
Birds	Passer montanus	tree sparrow
Birds	Perdix perdix	grey partridge
Birds	Pernis apivorus	honey buzzard
Birds	Pluvialis apricaria	golden plover
Birds	Pluvialis squatarola	grey plover
Birds	Podiceps auritus	Slavonian grebe
Birds	Podiceps nigricollis	black-necked grebe
Birds	Pyrrhula pyrrhula	bullfinch
Birds	Regulus ignicapillus	firecrest
Birds	Saxicola rubetra	whinchat
Birds	Sterna albifrons	little tern
Birds	Sterna dougallii	roseate tern
Birds	Streptopelia turtur	turtle dove
Birds	Sylvia undata	Dartford warbler
Birds	Tringa totanus	redshank
Birds	Turdus philomelos	song thrush
Birds	Vanellus vanellus	lapwing

Bryophytes	Campylostelium saxicola	a moss
Bryophytes	Ctenidium molluscum	a moss
Bryophytes	Ephemerum stellatum	a moss
Bryophytes	Hamatocaulis (Drepanocladus) vernicosus	green feather-moss
Bryophytes	Lejeunea lamacerina	a liverwort
Bryophytes	Lophozia herzogiana	a liverwort
Bryophytes	Orthotrichum sprucei	a moss
Bryophytes	Pallavicinia lyellii	veilwort
Bryophytes	Seligeria calycina (paucifolia)	moss

Bryophytes	Targiona hypophylla	a liverwort
Bryophytes	Weissia sterilis	a moss
Bryophytes	Weissia tortilis	a moss
Bryophytes	Zygodon forsteri	knothole moss

Butterflies	Apatura iris	purple emperor
Butterflies	Argynnis paphia	silver-washed fritillary
Butterflies	Boloria euphrosyne	pearl-bordered fritillary
Butterflies	Boloria selene	small pearl-bordered fritillary
Butterflies	Cupido minimus	small blue
Butterflies	Eurodryas aurinia	marsh fritillary
Butterflies	Hamearis lucina	Duke of Burgundy
Butterflies	Hesperia comma	silver-spotted skipper
Butterflies	Lysandra bellargus	adonis blue
Butterflies	Lysandra coridon	chalkhill blue
Butterflies	Plebejus argus	silver-studded blue
Butterflies	Satyrium w-album	white-letter hairstreak
Butterflies	Thecla betulae	brown hairstreak

Caddisflies	Ithytrichia clavata	a caddisfly

Crickets	Chorthippus vagans	heath grasshopper
Crickets	Gomphocerripus rufus	a grasshopper
Crickets	Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa	mole cricket
Crickets	Stethophyma grossum	large marsh grasshopper

Crustacean	Austropotamobius pallipes	white-clawed crayfish
Crustacean	Chirocephalus diaphanus	fairy shrimp
Crustacean	Corophium lacustre	a brackish water
Crustacean	Gammarus insensibilis	lagoon sand shrimp
Crustacean	Triops cancriformis	tadpole shrimp

Dragonflies	Ceriagrion tenellum	small red damselfly
Dragonflies	Coenagrion mercuriale	southern damselfly
Dragonflies	Cordulia aenea	Downy emerald
Dragonflies	Ischnura scarce pumilio	blue-tailed damselfly
Dragonflies	Libellula fulva	scarce chaser
Dragonflies	Orthetrum coerulescens	keeled skimmer
Dragonflies	Platycnemis pennipes	white-legged damselfly
Dragonflies	Somatochlora metallica	brilliant emerald

Ferns	Dryopteris aemula	hay-scented buckler-fern
Ferns	Equisetum hyemale	Rough horsetail
Ferns	Lycopodiella inundata	marsh clubmoss
Ferns	Lycopodium clavatum	stags-horn clubmoss
Ferns	Pilularia globulifera	pillwort

Fishes	Cottus gobio	bullhead
Fishes	Galeorhinus galeus	tope
Fishes	Lampetra planeri	brook lamprey
Fishes	Petromyzon marinus	sea lamprey
Fishes	Salmo salar	Atlantic salmon
Fishes	Thymallus thymallus	grayling

Flies	Asilus crabroniformis	hornet robberfly
Flies	Atrichops crassipes	an aquatic snipe fly
Flies	Atylotus latistriatus	a horsefly
Flies	Atylotus rusticus	a horsefly
Flies	Bombylius canescens	a beefly
Flies	Bombylius discolor	a beefly
Flies	Bombylius minor	a beefly
Flies	Brachyopa bicolor	a hoverfly
Flies	Caliprobola speciosa	a hoverfly
Flies	Cheilosia nigripes	a hoverfly
Flies	Cheilosia semifasciata	a hoverfly
Flies	Chrysops sepulcralis	a horsefly
Flies	Chrysotoxum octomaculatum	a hoverfly
Flies	Ctenophora flaveolata	a cranefly
Flies	Dioctria cothurnata	a robber fly
Flies	Doros profuges (conopseus)	a hoverfly
Flies	Dorycera graminum	a large otitid
Flies	Eumerus ornata	a hoverfly
Flies	Haematopota grandis	a horsefly
Flies	Hybomitra expollicata	a horse fly
Flies	Lipsothrix nervosa	a cranefly
Flies	Machimus rusticus	a robber fly
Flies	Microdon devius	a hoverfly
Flies	Odontomyia argentata	a soldier fly
Flies	Oxycera analis	a soldier fly
Flies	Paragus albifrons	a hoverfly
Flies	Pelecocera tricincta	a hoverfly
Flies	Physocephala nigra	a conopid fly
Flies	Pocota personata	a hoverfly
Flies	Psilota anthracina	a hoverfly
Flies	Stratiomys longicornis	a soldier fly
Flies	Syneches muscarius	a fly
Flies	Tabanus glaucopis	a horse fly
Flies	Thyridanthrax fenestratus	a bee fly
Flies	Urophora quadrifasciata	a tephritid fly
Flies	Xylomyia maculata	a fly
Flies	Zodion notatum	a conopid fly

Flw Plants	Aceras anthropophorum	man orchid
Flw Plants	Adonis annua	pheasant’s eye
Flw Plants	Ajuga chamaepitys	ground pine
Flw Plants	Alopecurus bulbosus	bulbous foxtail
Flw Plants	Althaea hirsuta	rough marsh mallow
Flw Plants	Althaea officinalis	marsh-mallow
Flw Plants	Arabis glabra	tower mustard
Flw Plants	Arum italicum spp.neglectum	Italian Lords and Ladies
Flw Plants	Briza minor	lesser quaking grass
Flw Plants	Bupleurum tenuissimum	slender hare’s ear
Flw Plants	Carex divisa	divided sedge
Flw Plants	Carex humilis	dwarf sedge
Flw Plants	Carex montana	soft-leaved sedge
Flw Plants	Carex punctata	dotted sedge
Flw Plants	Carum verticillatum	whorled caraway
Flw Plants	Centaurea cyanus	cornflower
Flw Plants	Cephalanthera longifolia	sword-leaved helleborine
Flw Plants	Cephalanthera rubra	red helleborine
Flw Plants	Cerastium pumilum	dwarf mouse-ear
Flw Plants	Chamaemelum nobile	chamomile
Flw Plants	Cicendia filiformis	yellow centaury
Flw Plants	Crassula tillaea	mossy stonecrop
Flw Plants	Cyperus fuscus	brown galingale
Flw Plants	Dactylorhiza traunsteineri	narrow-leaved marshorchid
Flw Plants	Deschampsia setacea	bog hair grass
Flw Plants	Dianthus armeria	Deptford pink
Flw Plants	Elatine hexandra	six-stamened waterwort
Flw Plants	Eleocharis parvula	dwarf spike-rush
Flw Plants	Epipactis leptochila	narrow-lipped helleborine
Flw Plants	Epipactis phyllanthes	green flowered helleborine
Flw Plants	Eriophorum gracile	slender cottongrass
Flw Plants	Euphorbia platyphyllos	broad-leaved spurge
Flw Plants	Euphorbia portlandica	portland spurge
Flw Plants	Euphrasia pseudokerneri	chalk eyebright
Flw Plants	Festuca arenaria	rush-leaved fescue
Flw Plants	Filago lutescens	red-tipped cudweed
Flw Plants	Galeopsis angustifolia	red hemp-nettle
Flw Plants	Galium constrictum	slender marsh bedstraw
Flw Plants	Galium parisiense	wall bedstraw
Flw Plants	Galium pumilum	slender bedstraw
Flw Plants	Gentiana pneumonanthe	marsh gentian
Flw Plants	Gentianella anglica	early gentian
Flw Plants	Gentianella germanica	chiltern gentian
Flw Plants	Geranium purpureum spp. forsteri	little robin
Flw Plants	Gladiolus illyricus	wild gladiolus
Flw Plants	Gnaphalium sylvaticum	heath cudweed
Flw Plants	Hammarbya paludosa	bog orchid
Flw Plants	Helleborus foetidus	stinking hellebore
Flw Plants	Herminium monorchis	musk orchid
Flw Plants	Hordelymus europaeus	wood barley
Flw Plants	Hordeum marinum	sea barley
Flw Plants	Hypochaeris glabra	smooth cat’s-ear
Flw Plants	Iberis amara	wild candytuft
Flw Plants	Illecebrum verticillatum	coral necklace
Flw Plants	Inula crithmoides	golden samphire
Flw Plants	Juniperus communis	juniper
Flw Plants	Lathryrus aphaca	yellow vetchling
Flw Plants	Lathyrus japonicus	sea pea
Flw Plants	Leersia oryzoides	cut-grass
Flw Plants	Leucojum aestivum	summer snowflake (Loddon lily)
Flw Plants	Lithospermum arvense	corn gromwell
Flw Plants	Lobelia urens	heath lobelia
Flw Plants	Lotus angustissimus	slender bird’s-foot trefoil
Flw Plants	Ludwigia palustris	Hampshire purslane
Flw Plants	Melittis melissophyllum	bastard balm
Flw Plants	Mentha pulegium	pennyroyal
Flw Plants	Minuartia hybrida	fine-leaved sandwort
Flw Plants	Oenanthe fluviatilis	river water-dropwort
Flw Plants	Orchis morio	green-winged orchid
Flw Plants	Orobanche purpurea	yarrow broomrape
Flw Plants	Orobanche rapum-genistae	greater broomrape
Flw Plants	Paropholis incurva	curved hard grass
Flw Plants	Persicaria mitis	tasteless water-pepper
Flw Plants	Petrorhagia nanteuilii	Childing pink
Flw Plants	Poa bulbosa	bulbous meadow grass
Flw Plants	Polypogon monspeliensis	annual beard grass
Flw Plants	Potamogeton trichoides	hair-like pondweed
Flw Plants	Puccinellia fasciculata	borrer’s saltmarsh grass
Flw Plants	Puccinellia rupestris	stiff saltmarsh grass
Flw Plants	Pulicaria vulgaris	small fleabane
Flw Plants	Pulmonaria longifolia	narrow leaved lungwort
Flw Plants	Ranunculus arvensis	corn buttercup
Flw Plants	Ranunculus penicillatus	stream water-crowfoot
Flw Plants	Ranunculus tripartitus	three-lobed crowfoot
Flw Plants	Rhynchospora fusca	brown-beak sedge
Flw Plants	Ruppia cirrhosa	spiral tasselweed
Flw Plants	Salicornia pusilla	one-flowered glasswort
Flw Plants	Scandix pecten-veneris	shepherd’s-needle
Flw Plants	Silene gallica	small-flowered catchfly
Flw Plants	Silene nutans	Nottingham catchfly
Flw Plants	Sonchus palustris	marsh sow thistle
Flw Plants	Sparganium angustifolium	floating bur-reed
Flw Plants	Teucrium botrys	cut-leaved germander
Flw Plants	Thesium humifusum	bastard toadflax
Flw Plants	Torilis arvensis	spreading hedge-parsley
Flw Plants	Trifolium squamosum	sea clover
Flw Plants	Trifolium suffocatum	suffocated clover
Flw Plants	Ulmus minor ssp. angustifolia	Goodyer’s elm
Flw Plants	Utricularia intermedia	intermediate bladderwort
Flw Plants	Valerianella rimosa	broad-fruited corn salad
Flw Plants	Viola lactea	pale dog violet
Flw Plants	Vulpia ciliata ssp.ambigua	bearded fescue
Flw Plants	Vulpia fasciculata	dune fescue
Flw Plants	Vulpia unilateralis	mat-grass fescue
Flw Plants	Zostera angustifolia	narrow leaved eelgrass
Flw Plants	Zostera marina	eelgrass
Flw Plants	Zostera noltii	dwarf eelgrass

Fungi	Boletus regius	royal bolete
Fungi	Boletus satanas	Devil’s bolete
Fungi	Hericium coralloides	coral fungus
Fungi	Hericium erinaceus	hedgehog fungus
Fungi	Hydnellum concrescens	a tooth fungus
Fungi	Hydnellum scrobiculatum	a tooth fungus
Fungi	Hydnellum spongiosipes	a tooth fungus
Fungi	Hygrocybe calyptraeformis	a fungus
Fungi	Microglossum olivaceum	an earth tongue
Fungi	Phellodon confluens	a tooth fungus
Fungi	Phellodon melaleucus	a tooth fungus
Fungi	Phellodon niger	a tooth fungus
Fungi	Poronia punctata	nail fungus
Fungi	Sarcodon scabrosus	a tooth fungus
Fungi	Sarcodon squamosus (imbricatus)	tooth fungus

Lichens	Agonimia allobata	a lichen
Lichens	Agonimia octospora	a lichen
Lichens	Bacidia incompta	a lichen
Lichens	Bactrospora corticola	a lichen
Lichens	Catillaria laureri	Laurer’s catillaria
Lichens	Enterographa elaborata	New Forest beech lichen
Lichens	Enterographa sorediata	a lichen
Lichens	Lobaria virens	a lichen
Lichens	Opegrapha fumosa	a lichen
Lichens	Parmelia minarum	New Forest parmelia
Lichens	Phyllopsora rosei	a lichen
Lichens	Rinodina isidioides	a lichen
Lichens	Strigula stigmatella	a lichen
Lichens	Zamenhofia rosei	Francis’ blue-green lichen

Mammals	Apodemus flavicollis	yellow-necked mouse
Mammals	Arvicola terrestris	water vole
Mammals	Barbastellus barbastellus	barbastelle bat
Mammals	Eptesicus serotinus	Serotine bat
Mammals	Lepus europaeus	brown hare
Mammals	Lutra lutra	otter
Mammals	Micromys minutus	harvest mouse
Mammals	Muscardinus avellanarius	dormouse
Mammals	Myotis bechsteinii	Bechstein’s bat
Mammals	Neomys fodiens	water shrew
Mammals	Phoena phocoena	harbour porpoise
Mammals	Pipistrellus pipistrellus	pipistrelle bat
Mammals	Plecotus austriacus	grey long-eared bat
Mammals	Rhinolophus ferrumequinum	greater horseshoe bat

Millipedes	Chordeuma proximum	a millipede
Millipedes	Melagona scutullare	a millipede
Millipedes	Nanogona polydesmoides	a millipede
Millipedes	Polydesmus coriaceus (inconstans)	a millipede

Molluscs	Ashfordia granulata	a snail
Molluscs	Ena montana	mountain bulin snail
Molluscs	Heleobia stagnorum	a marine snail
Molluscs	Helicella itala	heath snail
Molluscs	Helicodonta obvoluta	cheese snail
Molluscs	Hydrobia ventrosa	spire snail
Molluscs	Lymnaea glabra	glutinous snail
Molluscs	Monacha carthusiana	carthusian snail
Molluscs	Ostrea edulis	European oyster
Molluscs	Pisidium tenuilineatum	Fine-lined pea mussel
Molluscs	Pseudanodonta complanata	depressed river mussel
Molluscs	Truncatella subcylindrica	looping snail
Molluscs	Valvata macrostoma	Large mouthed valve snail
Molluscs	Vertigo moulinsiana	Desmoulin’s whorl snail

Moths	Acosmetia caliginosa	reddish buff
Moths	Adscita geryon	cistus forester
Moths	Adscita statices	forester moth
Moths	Agrochola haematidea	southern chestnut
Moths	Agrotis cinerea	light feathered rustic
Moths	Apoda limacodes	festoon
Moths	Catocala promissa	light crimson underwing
Moths	Catocala sponsa	dark crimson underwing
Moths	Chlorissa viridata	small grass emerald
Moths	Cleora cinctaria	ringed carpet
Moths	Coscinia cribaria bivittata	speckled footman moth
Moths	Cosmia diffinis	white spotted pinion
Moths	Cossus cossus	goat moth
Moths	Cuculia asteris	starwort
Moths	Cucullia lychnitis	striped lychnis
Moths	Cyclophora pendularia	dingy mocha
Moths	Dicycla oo	heart moth
Moths	Dyscia fagaria	Grey scalloped bar
Moths	Eilema sororcula	orange footman
Moths	Eriogaster lanestris	small eggar moth
Moths	Hadena albimacula	white spot moth
Moths	Heliophobus reticulata	bordered gothic
Moths	Heliothis maritima warnecke	shouder-striped clover
Moths	Heliothis viriplaca	marbled clover
Moths	Hemaris fuciformis	broad-bordered bee hawk
Moths	Hemaris tityus	narrow-bordered bee hawk
Moths	Heterogenea asella	triangle moth
Moths	Hypena rostralis	buttoned snout
Moths	Jodia croceago	orange upperwing moth
Moths	Lasiocampa trifolii	grass eggar
Moths	Mecyna flavalis	a pyralid moth
Moths	Meganola strigula	small black arches
Moths	Microthrix similella	a pyralid moth
Moths	Minoa murinata	drab looper
Moths	Moma alpium	scarce merveille du jour
Moths	Mythimna favicolor	Matthew’s wainscot
Moths	Mythimna turca	double line
Moths	Noctua orbona	lunar yellow underwing
Moths	Oncocera genistella	a pyralid moth
Moths	Oria musculosa	Brighton wainscot moth
Moths	Paracolax tristalis (derivalis)	clay fan foot
Moths	Pareulype berberata	barberry carpet
Moths	Pechipogo strigilata	common fan foot
Moths	Polia bombycina	pale shining brown
Moths	Rheumaptera hastata	argent and sable
Moths	Schrankia taenialis	white-line snout
Moths	Scotopteryx bipunctaria	chalk carpet
Moths	Spilosoma urticae	water ermine
Moths	Trichopteryx polycommata	barred tooth-striped
Moths	Tyta luctuosa	four-spotted
Moths	Xanthorhoe biriviata	balsam carpet

Reptiles	Coronella austriaca	smooth snake
Reptiles	Lacerta agilis	sand lizard

Sea-anemone	Nematostella vectensis starlet	sea-anemone

Spiders	Centromerus albidus	a spider
Spiders	Hyptiotes paradoxus	a spider
Spiders	Uloborus walckenaerius	a spider

True Bugs	Cicadetta montana	New Forest cicada
True Bugs	Orthotylus rubidus	a capsid bug

Wasps	Chrysis fulgida	a ruby-tailed wasp
Wasps	Crossocerus vagabundus	a wasp
Wasps	Homonotus sanguinolentus	a spider wasp

Key Habitat Descriptions

Ancient Semi-natural Woodland

Semi-natural woodlands are those that have arisen from natural colonisation by tree seedlings, as opposed to plantation woodlands grown as a timber crop. Those semi-natural woodlands that have been continuously wooded since 1600 (a date before which plantations were very uncommon) are known as ancient. The great age of ancient semi-natural woodlands means that, typically, they have been colonised by a far greater range of species than recent secondary woodland. The native trees on some ancient woodland sites have been replaced by conifers, originally planted for commercial timber production. These sites, known as plantations on ancient woodland sites (PAWS) are still of significant potential for restoration and, thererore, it is important that they are safeguarded within the planning system.

Lowland Pasture Woodland/Parkland

These habitats are the relicts of a traditional practice of managing land for grazing and woodland products. Trees were managed by pollarding— a process of removing the crown of the tree, at a height above the reach of browsing animals, and allowing new shoots to develop for several years to provide small-diameter wood products. Cutting was repeated every few years to maintain the supply. This practice, which occurred both on wooded commons and in private deer parks, has given rise to grass dominated landscapes dotted with mature trees. Now that the practice has mostly been abandoned, the trees provide a niche for fungi which, in turn, create cavities providing a habitat for invertebrates, roost sites for bats and nest holes for birds. Such ‘veteran’ trees can also host rare lichens and bryophytes. In addition to their habitat value, veteran trees that are relicts of traditional pollard management are an important part of the borough’s cultural and historic heritage.

Ancient and/or Species Rich Hedgerows

Hedgerows form a network over much of the borough creating distinctive field patterns and providing an important refuge for wildlife. They are a primary habitat for nine of the Hampshire Priority Species and a secondary habitat for a further twenty eight. Ancient hedgerows, which are defined as those that pre-date those planted during the enclosures of the 18th and 19th Centuries, can be particularly biodiverse. However, more recent hedges can also be very important and those that contain five, or more, woody species per thirty-metre section or have a particularly diverse range of non-woody plants at their base are deemed to be species rich, in relation to policy E7.

Unimproved neutral grassland/fen

These types of grassland include both dry and wet ‘fen’ types associated with floodplains and springs. The unimproved aspect relates to the fact that they have not been subjected to herbicide treatment or nutrient enrichment through the addition of artificial fertilisers. As a consequence, plant diversity is much greater than in improved grassland where relatively few species tend to dominate.

Calcareous grassland

This is the typical chalk grassland of less intensively farmed parts of the North Wessex Downs and is a historical product of sheep farming, which reached its peak in the 16th Century. The combination of soil chemistry and selective grazing by sheep and rabbits results in a rich flora and a close-fitting land cover that reveals the subtleties of the downland terrain. Chalk grassland is of particular importance for a number of butterfly species. Juniper, blackthorn and yew scrub is a natural component of this habitat, which adds to its diversity, but blackthorn and yew needs careful management to ensure it does not dominate. Chalk grassland has been drastically reduced in extent over recent decades and now only a few fragments remain in the borough.

Floodplain grazing marsh

Grassland situated in river floodplains and periodically inundated has become a scarce habitat due to drainage and, in some cases, conversion to arable farmland. Where they remain, these areas are important for wading birds and wintering wildfowl.

Lowland heath/bog/acid grassland

Characterised by purple-flowering heather with occasional yellow splashes of flowering gorse, lowland heath is an internationally important habitat type that is a remnant of historical grazing practices. This habitat is particularly important for rare birds including nightjar and Dartford warbler, and silver-studded blue and grayling butterflies, both of which are declining nationally. Diversity is added by bogs, which occur in valleys with impeded drainage giving rise to sphagnum moss dominated plant communities. This habitat occurs on acid soils and was once widespread across the north of the borough. Now it is restricted to a few fragments including Tadley and Silchester Commons. Closely associated acid grassland also occurs in the north of the borough including nationally important examples at the Ashford Hill Meadows National Nature Reserve.

Fen/carr/marsh/swamp/reedbed

These habitats tend to occur together forming mosaics, the different patches representing different stages of succession from open water to species-poor fen— the latter commonly grading into alder and willow woodland (carr). Because of the decline in traditional management, at some sites these different stages are deliberately held in check through conservation management in order to maintain habitat diversity. These habitats are important for a range of plants, birds and invertebrates. Examples in the borough include Mapledurwell Fen and Basing Fen.

Standing open water

Numerous ponds and lakes occur across the borough, many of which have been deliberately created for utilitarian or ornamental purposes. Collectively, these provide an important habitat for freshwater plants and animals. In particular, they play a vital role in the life cycles of amphibians, including the European protected Great Crested Newt.

Chalk rivers

Chalk rivers are fed from ground water aquifers and the resulting water chemistry, combined with relatively stable flows and cool temperature regimes results in a rich plant and invertebrate diversity. These rivers are also important for game fish such as Atlantic salmon and brown trout and provide suitable habitat for otters, water vole and white-clawed crayfish, all of which are UK and Hampshire Priority Species. Chalk rivers in the borough include the Test and the upper reaches of the Loddon and Lyde.

Basingstoke Canal

Canal habitats, in contrast to rivers, provide stable aquatic environments giving rise to particular combinations of plants, both in the main channel and at the margins. Adjacent bank habitats play an important role in the life cycle of many canal species, including water vole and dragonflies and damselflies. The section within the plan area is cut off from the rest of the canal by the collapsed Greywell Tunnel— itself an internationally important site for its bat populations.

Current Local Biodiversity action plans as produced by the Hampshire Biodiversity Partnership

Habitat Action Plans
Ancient semi-natural woodlands	Lowland wet grassland
Wood pasture and parkland	Heathland, acid grassland, bog
Hedgerows	Standing open water
Arable land	Chalk streams
Neutral grassland	Canals
Lowland calcareous grassland

Species Action Plans
Plants	Topic Action Plans
Hericium tooth fungi	Water and Biodiversity
Stipitate hydnoid tooth fungi	Urban Areas
Woodland lichens

Mammals	Invertebrates
European otter	Southern damselfly
Water vole	Butterflies and moths
Barbastelle bat	Bumblebees
Serotine bat
Bechstein’s bat	Amphibians/ Reptiles
Pipistrelle bat	Great crested newt

Birds	Crustaceans/ Molluscs
Seed-eating farmland birds	White-clawed crayfish
Birds of wet grassland

Futher details and Portable Document Format (PDF) versions plans may be obtained from the Hampshire Biodiversity Partnership website at:

http://hampshirebiodiversity.org.uk

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Priority Species Identified by the Hampshire Biodiversity Partnership

Key Habitat Descriptions

Ancient Semi-natural Woodland

Lowland Pasture Woodland/Parkland

Ancient and/or Species Rich Hedgerows

Unimproved neutral grassland/fen

Calcareous grassland

Floodplain grazing marsh

Lowland heath/bog/acid grassland

Fen/carr/marsh/swamp/reedbed

Standing open water

Chalk rivers

Basingstoke Canal

Current Local Biodiversity action plans as produced by the Hampshire Biodiversity Partnership

Habitat Action Plans

Species Action Plans