Buff Wood
Also within
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TL282503 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 15.84 | 2011-09-09 |
Habitats
Description
Area, 15.6 hectares 38.5 ac Description Buff Wood is a woodland with a primary core and adjacent later secondary additions which were planted from the Middle Ages onwards. It is primarily of value as a good representative of wet ash maple and pedunculate oak hazel/ash woodland which contains both oxlip Primula elatior and primrose P.vulgaris, woodland types which are of restricted distribution in the British Isles. The site is additionally of value for containing varied stands of elm largely Ulmus minor, a woodland type which is particularly characteristic of this area but relatively uncommon over the remainder of Britain. The ground flora is varied and reflects the diverse history of the wood. Many parts of the secondary woodland are dominated by rough stalked meadow grass Poa trivialis, stinging nettle Urtica dioica and ivy Hedera helix. The primary core, however, holds typical ancient woodland plants such as wood anemone Anemone nemorosa, early purple orchid Orchis mascula and herb paris Paris quadrifolia. Of particular interest is the presence of green hellebore Helleborus viridis, a plant rarely found in Cambridgeshire woods. Rides and ponds are present and provide additional habitats of general wildlife value. The site has been well documented and is extensively used for ecological research and study.
Species mentioned
Show the 9 species mentioned in the description, with red-list status| English name search for this in other sites |
Latin name search with Google |
IUCN / Red List | Type | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rough meadow grass | Poa trivialis | LC | grass | poaceae |
| wood anemone | Anemone nemorosa | LC | herb | ranunculaceae |
| green hellebore | Helleborus viridis | LC | herb | ranunculaceae |
| early purple orchid | Orchis mascula | LC | herb | orchidaceae |
| herb paris | Paris quadrifolia | VU | herb | melanthiaceae |
| oxlip | Primula elatior | LC | herb | primulaceae |
| nettle | Urtica dioica | LC | herb | urticaceae |
| small leaved elm | Ulmus minor | LC | tree | ulmaceae |
| ivy | Hedera helix | LC | woody climber | araliaceae |
Insects to look out for
These moths, butterflies and beetles are known to feed on plants recorded at this site, and carry a notable UK conservation status — but a host-plant being present doesn't mean the insect has actually been recorded here. Treat this as "worth watching for," not a confirmed sighting.
| Species | Status | Via host-plant |
|---|---|---|
| Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens |
Endangered | Ulmus spp. |
| White-letter hairstreak Satyrium w-album |
Endangered | Ulmus spp. |
| The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx |
Vulnerable | Ulmus spp. |
| Broom moth Ceramica pisi |
Vulnerable | Ulmus spp. |
| Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria |
Vulnerable | Ulmus spp. |
| The lackey Malacosoma neustria |
Vulnerable | Ulmus spp. |
| Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola |
Near Threatened | Ulmus spp. |
| Grey chi Antitype chi |
Near Threatened | Urtica dioica |
| Garden tiger Arctia caja |
Near Threatened | Urtica dioica |
| Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus |
Near Threatened | Poa spp. |
| Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria |
Near Threatened | Ulmus spp. |
| Double dart Graphiphora augur |
Near Threatened | Ulmus spp. |
Host-plant data: Cook et al. (2025), Traits data for the butterflies and macro-moths of Great Britain and Ireland, 2024, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology / Butterfly Conservation; and Padovani et al. (2020), Database of Insects and their Food Plants (DBIF), UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (both Open Government Licence). Contains data supplied by UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.