Compartment 7 occupies 21.8 ha at the extreme eastern end of the common. It straddles Crookham Common Road, which separates subcompartments 7A, 7B and 7C on the north side from 7D on the south. There are access tracks to a number of properties. The compartment is currently (2010) outside the grazing boundary of the main common, being separated from it by Crookham Hill Road, Old Thornford Road and compartment 6. The whole of compartment 7 is SSSI.
Compartment 7 is predominantly secondary woodland with small patches of acid grassland and scrub. Some more mature oaks are present in the wooded areas. Shallow scrapes are evident in 7B and 7D, and could be enhanced for the use of invertebrates. Some of the scrapes in 7D are part of a series of ephemeral ponds and should be included in the ponds management plan. There are some stands of ageing gorse on the eastern end of subcompartment 7D. Clearance along telegraph lines has created woodland rides that criss-cross the compartment. An old lime tree avenue is evident in 7A that was probably the old entrance to Crookham House. The compartment is currently excluded from grazing by cattle and Exmoor ponies. This area is part of the SSSI on the common.
Although no HLS agreement currently exists for this compartment a Farm Environment Plan was submitted to natural England in 2008 with the hope that it will be incorporated into the current agreement, along with the adjacent compartment 6, within the term of this management plan.
Expand woodland rides and create glades along existing telegraph lines to diversify habitat. Protect any mature trees by creating 'halos' around them. Clear south facing banks to enhance the habitat for invertebrates. Ensure a suitable cutting regime is in place to maintain existing grassland and prevent encroachment of scrub that currently borders these areas. Manage public rights of way that cross the compartment, particularly as some could suffer from encroachment of scrub.
A small area to the north of Crookham Common Road that contains mixed secondary woodland and plantation oak around a covered reservoir (not owned by WBC and not part of the common). There are some old open-grown oaks, yew, holly, birch, and tall hawthorns. A lime tree avenue borders an access track to Crookham House.
| Objective | Area | Method | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7A.1) Protect mature open-grown oaks. | Wooded area to the north of Crookham Common Road and west of the reservoir. | Thin surrounding smaller trees to protect the full crown of the open-grown oaks. | |
| 7A.2) Restore lime tree avenue | Alongside access track to the west of the covered reservoir and north of Crookham Common Road. | Remove encroaching nettle and small trees, remove lower branches from limes. | Liaise with WBC Tree officer. |
This area is situated north of Crookham Coom Road and to the east of subcompartment 7A. It comprises oak woodland, with other trees and shrubs including birch, yew, willow, hawthorn, holly, and crab apple. There is a small area of scrub and acid grassland which borders two minor tracks to properties. A permitted path passes through the compartment travelling East - West.
| Objective | Area | Method | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7B.1) Diversify the woodland on a small scale. | Create small glades by felling secondary woodland areas and scalloping woodland edges and widening glades, trackways and paths.
Halo around mature oaks to allow full crowns to develop. |
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| 7B.2) Protect and manage grassland areas bordering tracks. | Tracks leading north from Crookham Common Road to individual properties. | Introduce a suitable mowing regime to areas of acid grassland. | Liaise with local residents to ensure continued mowing of some areas outside properties. |
| 7B.3) Maintain structural diversity in area of blackthorn. | Area of blackthorn scrub on north side of Crookham Common Road. | Selectively remove scrub to encourage age variation and maintain diversity of habitat. |
Two separate small areas make up 7C. The first is a mature oak woodland to the north of Crookham Common Road, bordering the caravan park. The second area, further east, is a small block of acid grassland scrub and a small wooded area that borders the track to properties just north of the road. A well used path travels east-west through the woodland bordering the caravan park.
| Objective | Area | Method | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7C.1) Maintain footpath | Footpath that travels east-west just south of the caravan park. | Maintain trees alongside footpath to a safe condition. | |
| 7C.2) Manage acid grassland | Far eastern block alongside track leading to property off Crookham Common Road. | Remove bramble to stop encroachment by scrub. Liaise with residents to ensure suitable cutting regime is maintained. | Speak to residents regarding mowing grassland on an annual basis. |
This area lies south of Crookham Common Road and consists mainly of secondary woodland dominated by birch and oak. Coppiced oak is frequent and the boundary bank to the south of the compartment supports some magnificent oaks. There are also patches of oak, birch, gorse, and bramble scrub. Fragments of acid grassland and small clearings are present, particularly along existing telegraph lines and track edges. Some ephemeral ponds are situated close to the southern boundary. Some minor gravel extraction pits remain throughout the compartment.
| Objective | Area | Method | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7D.1) Diversify woodland structure. | Whole of 7D. | Create woodland glades along telegraph lines and access tracks favouring current areas of acid grassland. Scallop into rides edges each year and allow to regrow.
Open up the old gravel pits by selectively felling birch and gorse, to allow better light penetration onto the south facing banks. Focus glade clearance of woodland around these areas. |
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| 7D.2) Manage ephemeral ponds. | All ponds. | Open up canopy around ponds and incorporate ponds into ponds management plan. | Some ponds could be extended by some minor excavation. |
| 7D.3) Manage and enhance acid grassland. | Far eastern block, opposite the Travellers Friend public house. | Check encroachment of bramble and incorporate into a suitable mowing plan. Maintain scrub screen against road to discourage parking. |