Newell Wood
Also within
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TF002143 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 8.62 | 2009-09-11 |
| TF002145 | — | Favourable | 9.59 | 2009-09-11 |
| TF005142 | — | Favourable | 9.95 | 2009-09-11 |
| TF005144 | — | Favourable | 5.18 | 2009-09-11 |
Climate exposure
This is about exposure to a nationwide pressure this habitat type carries — not a verdict on this site's own management.
Coastal habitats are exposed to sea-level rise and storm erosion. Where hard sea defences sit behind them, there's nowhere landward to retreat to — a squeeze that keeps compressing the habitat no matter how well it's managed.
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Mining / Industrial: Quarry
Landscape processes: Coastal, Glacial
Description
Area,34.16 hectares 84.4 ac Description The site comprises one of the best remaining examples of acid lowland woodland in Leicestershire and is representative of semi natural woodland developed on light soils in Central and Eastern England. Biology A fine example of oak birch woodlands developed primarily on glacial sands and gravels, but partly also on clays and siltstones of the Upper Estuarine series of the great Oolite. Although modified by past quarrying the wood retains a basic semi natural structure being dominated by pedunculate oak Quercus robur and birch Betula pendula, but with a stand of sessile oak Quercus petraea and with small leaved lime Tilia cordata occurring locally in small hollows. Towards the south, ash Fraxinus excelsior and hazel Corylus avellana become more abundant. The ground flora is dominated in some areas by bracken Pteridium aquilinum, but elsewhere there is greater diversity and plants such as wood sorrel Oxalis acetosella and early purple orchid Orchis mascula occur, together with a number of plant species which are uncommon in Leicestershire. Additional interest is provided by a number of open areas, some of which have developed a grassland flora containing species characteristic of calcareous soils such as rock rose Helianthemum nummularium and marjoram Origanum vulgare.
Species mentioned
Show the 11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| bracken | Pteridium aquilinum | LC | fern | dennstaedtiaceae |
| rock roses | Helianthemum nummularium | VU | herb | cistaceae |
| early purple orchid | Orchis mascula | LC | herb | orchidaceae |
| wild marjoram | Origanum vulgare | LC | herb | lamiaceae |
| wood sorrel | Oxalis acetosella | LC | herb | oxalidaceae |
| birch | Betula pendula | LC | tree | betulaceae |
| hazel | Corylus avellana | LC | tree | corylaceae |
| ash | Fraxinus excelsior | LC | tree | oleaceae |
| sessile or durmast oak | Quercus petraea | LC | tree | fagaceae |
| common oak | Quercus robur | LC | tree | fagaceae |
| lime small leaved | Tilia cordata | LC | tree | malvaceae |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Black-veined moth Siona lineata |
Critically Endangered | Origanum vulgare |
| Oak lutestring Cymatophorina diluta |
Endangered | Quercus petraea, Quercus robur |
| Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens |
Endangered | Betula spp., Corylus avellana, Quercus spp. |
| Northern brown Aricia artaxerxes |
Vulnerable | Helianthemum nummularium |
| The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx |
Vulnerable | Betula spp., Corylus avellana, Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus spp., Tilia spp. |
| Broom moth Ceramica pisi |
Vulnerable | Betula spp., Pteridium aquilinum |
| Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria |
Vulnerable | Betula spp., Corylus avellana, Quercus spp. |
| Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata |
Vulnerable | Helianthemum nummularium |
| The lackey Malacosoma neustria |
Vulnerable | Betula pendula, Corylus avellana, Quercus spp. |
| Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria |
Vulnerable | Betula pendula, Corylus avellana, Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus spp., Tilia spp. |
| Silver studded blue Plebejus argus |
Vulnerable | Helianthemum nummularium |
| Early moth Theria primaria |
Vulnerable | Quercus spp. |
| Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi |
Vulnerable | Betula spp., Corylus avellana, Quercus spp. |
| Oak hook-tip Watsonalla binaria |
Vulnerable | Betula pendula, Quercus petraea, Quercus robur |
| Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola |
Near Threatened | Betula spp., Quercus spp. |
| Garden tiger Arctia caja |
Near Threatened | Pteridium aquilinum |
| Light crimson underwing Catocala promissa |
Near Threatened | Quercus robur |
| Dark crimson underwing Catocala sponsa |
Near Threatened | Quercus robur |
| Heart moth Dicycla oo |
Near Threatened | Quercus robur |
| Kentish glory Endromis versicolora |
Near Threatened | Betula pendula |
| Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria |
Near Threatened | Betula spp., Corylus avellana, Quercus spp. |
| September thorn Ennomos erosaria |
Near Threatened | Betula spp., Quercus spp., Tilia spp. |
| Dusky thorn Ennomos fuscantaria |
Near Threatened | Fraxinus excelsior |
| Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa |
Near Threatened | Betula spp. |
| Double dart Graphiphora augur |
Near Threatened | Betula spp., Quercus spp. |
| Silky wave Idaea dilutaria |
Near Threatened | Helianthemum nummularium |
| Clay fan-foot Paracolax tristalis |
Near Threatened | Quercus spp. |
| Common fan-foot Pechipogo strigilata |
Near Threatened | Quercus robur |
| Frosted green Polyploca ridens |
Near Threatened | Quercus petraea, Quercus robur |
| Scarce hook-tip Sabra harpagula |
Near Threatened | Tilia cordata |
| White prominent Leucodonta bicoloria |
Regionally Extinct | Betula 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.
Plant communities
W25 — Bracken scrub
Pteridium aquilinum-Rubus fruticosus underscrub
Matches 3 species from the description above: Fraxinus excelsior, Pteridium aquilinum, Quercus robur
Show 53 indicator speciesHedera helix, Acer pseudoplatanus, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Sambucus nigra, Ulex europaeus, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Luzula multiflora, Mnium hornum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Angelica sylvestris, Conopodium majus, Heracleum sphondylium, Arum maculatum, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Silene dioica, Stellaria holostea, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Glechoma hederacea, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Chamerion angustifolium, Circaea lutetiana, Digitalis purpurea, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ficaria verna, Potentilla erecta, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Galium mollugo sens.lat., Galium saxatile, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris dilatata, Dryopteris filix-mas