Management Plan – December 2020
Factual Summary
Map reference TM417755
Area 3.04 acres/1.23ha
Access Open to the public via public footpath
History
Vicarage Grove is a small area of ancient woodland owned by the Wenhaston Town Estate ChurchCharity and was managed by the Wenhaston Commons Group until 2020. It is the oldest piece of woodland in the parish. In recent years save for the removal of invading holly little management work has been carried out but the monitoring of a large number of bird nest boxes has been the main focus of work. There is little historic information available. The wood boundary is the same as in 1882 OS maps and a search of old aerial maps suggests the eastern end was coppiced in the 1940’s. The size of some of the ash and hornbeam stools would suggest this is correct. It is the only area of ancient woodland within the village boundary.Formerly surrounded by arable land, the site now forms part of the community wood that is otherwise owned by Blyth Woods which is restoring two former arable fields Grove Piece and Malster’s Little Field into native woodland and grassland.
Ecological Value
The site is classified as ancient woodland and lies just in the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Natural Character Area and so shares its geology with the adjacent South Norfolk and High Suffolk Claylands being boulder clay overlying chalk. In the British National Vegetation Classification system the wood is classified as NVC community W8 (Fraxinus excelsior – Acer campestre – Mercurialis perennis woodland). Tree cover is predominately Oak Quercus robur, Hornbeam Carpinus betulus , Ash Fraxinus excelsior, Hazel Corylus avellana, Cherry Prunus avium Holly Ilex aquifolium with an understorey of Hawthorn Cratageus monogyma and elder Sambucus nigra. The ground flora consists of dogs mercury Mercurialis perennis and bluebells Endymion non-scriptus with patches of bramble Rubus fruiticosa and honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum. There is a small area of Sanicle Sanicula europaea and a very small number of plants of Goldilocks buttercup Ranunculus auricomus (see Appendix Map 2)
The wood is well drained surrounded by a deep ditch separating it from the surrounding arable land.
Ash die back Chalara fraxinea is prevalent throughout the wood with most of the mature trees affected and will result in the loss of most of this species.
Objectives
To continue to provide a wild space for the community for education, recreation and wildlife alongside the production of woodland resources and providing connectivity to the adjacent countryside.
To control the spread of holly through the wood
To gradually reintroduce coppicing and monitor the effects of ash die back.
To monitor the wildlife on an annual basis.
To increase ecological connectivity and diversity within the parish of Wenhaston.
To maintain the path network in a safe and useable condition.
To maintain a permissive path to Grove Piece and Little Malsters Little Field with connection to the public footpath network.
Vision
The vision is to maintain most of the wood in its current form but undertake some small-scale coppicing on a 10 to 15 years cycle depending on regrowth.
Ash die back will eventually result in the loss of majority of the ash trees and as they open the canopy opportunities will arise to increase the area of coppicing subject to sufficient labour available.
5 -year Plan from 2021 to 2026
Year 1.
Carry out breeding bird survey
Carry out baseline vegetation survey
Carry out an annual site safety check
Control the spread of holly
Coppice small area in the north west corner and protect cut stools from deer browsing
Maintain path network
Monitor and maintain the nest boxes
Monitor deer impact
Establish a fixed-point photography programme
Annual review of management plan and site risk assessment.
Year 2.
Carry out breeding bird survey
Carry out an annual site safety check
Control the spread of holly
Coppice small area in the north west corner and protect cut stools from deer browsing
Maintain path network
Monitor and maintain the nest boxes
Monitor deer impact
Carry out fixed point photography programme
Annual review of management plan and site risk assessment.
Year 3.
Carry out breeding bird survey
Carry out an annual site safety check
Control the spread of holly
Coppice small area in the south west corner and protect cut stools from deer browsing
Maintain path network
Monitor and maintain the nest boxes
Monitor deer impact
Carry out fixed point photography programme
Annual review of management plan and site risk assessment.
Year 4.
Carry out breeding bird survey
Carry out an annual site safety check
Control the spread of holly
Coppice small area in the south west corner and protect cut stools from deer browsing
Maintain path network
Monitor and maintain the nest boxes
Monitor deer impact
Carry out fixed point photography programme
Annual review of management plan and site risk assessment.
Year 5
Carry out breeding bird survey
Carry out an annual site safety check
Control the spread of holly
Maintain path network
Monitor and maintain the nest boxesMonitor deer impact
Carry out fixed point photography programme
Annual review of management plan and site risk assessment.
Trees
| Common Name | Scientific Name |
| Elm | Ulmus procera |
| Field Maple | Acer campestre |
| Pedunculate Oak | Quercus robur |
| Hawthorn | Crataegus monogyna |
| Midland Hawthorn | Craetagus laevigata |
| Hornbeam | Carpinus betulus |
| Ash | Fraxinus excelsior |
| Blackthorn | Prunus spinosa |
| Elder | Sambucus nigra |
| Goat Willow or Sallow | Salix caprea |
| Ivy | Hedera helix |
| Hazel | Corylus avellana |
| Bramble | Rubus fruticosus |
| Vicarage Grove Breeding birds 2020 | |
| Wood pigeon | 4? |
| Green woodpecker | 1 |
| Great spotted woodpecker | 1 |
| Wren | 4 |
| Robin | 3 |
| Blackbird | 2 |
| Blackcap | 2 |
| Chiffchaff | 2 |
| Blue tit | 21 |
| Great tit | 3 |
| Treecreeper | 1 |
| Carrion crow | 1 |
| Chaffinch | 3 |
| Vicarage Grove boxes 24 boxes 21 used 19 boxes blue tits 136 fledged 2 boxes 10 dead young |
Blyth Woods 