What is wet woodland?
Wet woodland is found on continuously and seasonally wet soils.
It comprises mainly alder and willow, with ash and oak on the less
waterlogged areas. Today these woodlands are often small and grow
on the banks of rivers, streams, lakes, even large ponds and on
marshy or boggy round. They may form part of a larger ‘dry’ wood.
Wet woodlands can eventually turn into dry woodland as the ground
conditions change and new species grow, therefore little ancient
wet woodland exists. You can find more information on
wet woods.
Wet woodland is a Biodiversity Action Plan habitat of importance
in the Peterborough area. It is important for a number of important
species such as bats, woodpeckers and otters. The City Council has
supported the Peterborough Wet Woodland Project since it started in
September 2003 and its aims to:
- extend existing and create new areas of wet woodland
- maintain and manage the existing wet woodland resource
- raise awareness of the importance of wet woodland for wildlife
and the historic landscape
Please open the PDF document below to find out
more.
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Link to Wet Woodland
Leaflet
Why is wet woodland important?
- It was once a widespread habitat in East Anglia particularly on
the Fens. Wet woods still form a valuable part of the historic
landscape.
- It provides shelter and food for animals. Such woods are often
inaccessible to people encouraging otters and other shy animals to
use them.
- It contains large amounts of dead wood that in turn supports a
wide diversity of invertebrates. These invertebrates are an
essential part of the ecosystem, as they break down waste matter
and provide the nutrients for plants to grow.
- It often forms a mosaic with other habitats resulting in a
large variety of species in a small area.
- It helps to stabilise river banks, can reduce the risk of
flooding and helps to prevent the run off of fertilisers and
pesticides into watercourses.
Animals and plants found in wet woodlands
include:
Mammals
- otter
- pipistrelle
- natterer’s
- brown long-eared
- noctule bats
Birds
- lesser spotted woodpecker
- willow tit
- redpoll
- siskin
Invertebrates
- craneflies
- netted carpet moth
Plants
- greater tussock sedge
- celandine, marsh marigold
- mosses
- liverworts
- lichens
Why does it need protecting?
Since the 1930s much of this region’s wet woodland has been lost
mainly due to agricultural drainage and intensification, but also
to industrial and residential development, river management and the
decline in the willow craft industry.
Landscape, wildlife and water quality have all suffered as a
result. Many wet woods in the region have been felled to create
alternative habitats such as reedbeds. On some river stretches,
next to arable land, there are now very few areas for otters to
shelter because suitable trees with large root systems overhanging
the water have been cut down.
You can see a good example of a relic wet woodland habitat at
Ferry Meadows Country Park (Nene Park Trust) in Peterborough. This
wet wood contains traditional osier beds and pollarded willows,
which are still used in traditional craft industries today.
Another example is Flitwick Moor SSSI – the largest and most
important wetland site in Bedfordshire. Wet alder woodland
dominates large parts of this site along with areas of open acid
mire and fen. The alder woodland seems to have been coppiced in the
past probably to make charcoal for the manufacture of gunpowder.
Flitwick Moor is fed by springs from the underlying Lower Greensand
aquifer and supports a range of rare plants and insects with
Sphagnum mosses, ferns and craneflies of particular interest. It is
one of the only remaining sites in Bedfordshire where you’ll find
wood club-rush and breeding water rails.
What is the wet woodland project?
This project is working across Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire and
Peterborough to:
- extend existing and create new areas of wet woodland to
increase the habitat resource
- maintain and manage the existing wet woodland resource
- raise awareness of the importance of wet woodland for wildlife
and the historic landscape.
How can you help?
- Identify an area of land you think would be suitable for wet
woodland, eg a meander of a river or an expanse of boggy
waterlogged ground
- Contact the Wet Woodland Project for help and advice
- Decide on which grant scheme, if any, you want to enter the
land into (see over) and apply for scheme
- You can also help by protecting existing wet woodland from
development, drainage and agricultural intensification.
Contacting the project
We are working across the region liaising with landowners and
tenants. If you would like further information, help or advice in
creating or extending wet woodland on your land then please
contact:
The Wet Woodlands Project Officer
The Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire,
Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire & Peterborough
Northamptonshire and Peterborough
Tel: 01954 713500