Dole Wood

Also within

Lincolnshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Habitats

Ancient woodland, Coppiced woodland

Description

Area,4.25 ha Description Situated on the Kesteven plateau, almost at the junction with the South Holland Fens, this oak wood has a structure and biological diversity which clearly indicate its ancient origin. It is managed as coppice with standards. The non calcareous gleys support a ground flora significantly different to that found on the base rich soils of other South Lincolnshire woods. The central core of the wood is coppiced hazel under fine pedunculate oak standards. The ground flora is diverse with ramsons Allium ursinum, wood anemone Anemone nemorosa, sweet woodruff Galium odoratum, bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta and sanicle Sanicula europaea forming extensive patches between areas dominated by dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis or bramble Rubus fruticosus. Woodland grasses include wood melick Melica uniflora, wood millet Milium effusum and giant fescue Schedonorus giganteus. A wide peripheral area has a mixed woody component with wych elm Ulmus glabra and ash Fraxinus excelsior forming the canopy with mature wild service tree Sorbus torminalis and maple Acer campestre. The shrub layer has both common and midland hawthorn Crataegus monogyna and Crataegus laevigata, spindle Euonymus europaeus, blackthorn Prunus spinosa and guelder rose Viburnum opulus. Where the soil is wetter and more acidic the herbs are characterised by wood sage Teucrium scorodonia and wood sorrel Oxalis acetosella. In the east there is a stand of coppiced small leaved lime Tilia cordata. The wood is an important site for birds and includes breeding great spotted woodpecker and tree creeper. The site has detailed records for molluscs and species found include those confined to ancient woodland.

Species mentioned

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.

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.