Southeast "lozenge" of former runway/taxiway area

Introduction

This is the southeastern one of four parcels (commonly called "lozenges") bordered by the former runway and taxiways. The lozenges form four similarly sized, long linear sections, all of which are very rich in flora, containing national and Berkshire rarities. Dipping gently from north to south, compartment 11 has distinct bands of vegetation conforming to the typography and contains extensive areas of gorse, heath and acid grassland. The total area is 20.6 ha.

General Description and Evaluation of Ecology

This compartment is fairly dry and supports a complex of dry heath, fragments of lichen heath, acid grassland, neutral grassland and relatively small patches of gorse scrub. The distinction between acid and neutral grassland is not clearly defined but the more acid grassland supports milkwort, oval sedge, heath speedwell and pignut. Some areas are richer in species and contain nationally scarce annual knawel and upright chickweed.

At the eastern end and towards the centre the grassland tends to be more neutral in composition. Green winged orchid, an uncommon species for this county, has been found in two locations. A strong localised calcareous influence can be found in certain locations, indicated by dwarf thistle and great burnet, a species more often associated with damp meadows. This compartment is also important for fungi, lichen, mosses and common dodder especially along the southern margin among the substantial tracts of gorse and heather here. Scrub species are more diverse with scattered dog-rose and young hawthorn in addition to gorse.

BAP habitats

Lowland meadow
Lowland heathland
Lowland dry acid grassland

Higher Level Stewardship

Options exist for this compartment.

Overall management objectives

The main management here will be scrub control, predominantly to reduce any further expansion of gorse into species-rich areas of grassland and heathland, while maintaining a diversely structured mosaic in the stands of heather, gorse and dwarf gorse. This compartment must retain a short sward, and remain the most open and free from gorse and scrub, compared to the 3 other lozenges (compartments 9, 11 and 12.

Compartment 10 (19.4 ha)

Objective	Area	Method	Comment
10.1) Expand the areas of existing heathland and acid grassland mosaic into areas dominated by gorse or species-poor grassland.	Across compartment.	Suitable areas of gorse can be cut, the arisings removed and the ground scraped to remove litter. Allow space to re-generate naturally. Species-poor areas can have very small scrapes made within them to create bare gravel areas.	Very small scale, done each year.
10.2) Diversify heathland structure and maintain current extent. HLS objectives H01 (maintenance of lowland heathland) HK6 (maintenance of species-rich, semi-natural grassland)	Across compartment.	Grazing is the primary tool. Monitoring of the grassland sward and control of grazing is a vital part of this management. Mow and scrape small sections of the heathland each year to maintain a diverse structure. (Refer to heathland mowing plan, to be completed in 2011). Cuttings can be used for regeneration elsewhere.	Grazing is the primary management tool and will be reviewed as part of the grazing review planned in the first year of this plan. Investigation is ongoing into the invasive liverwort mentioned in the 2009 Bryophytes report.
10.3) Maintain species, structure and extent of grassland.	Across compartment.	Grazing is the primary tool. Monitoring of the grassland sward and control of grazing is a vital part of this management to maintain short sward and help reduce soil fertility. Scrape small sections each year to create bare ground, especially in species-poor areas and those areas with abundance of thistles. Mow small areas if required at end of growing season. Control ragwort and encroaching gorse and scrub by cutting and treating stumps. Control thistles in neutral grassland areas. Remove all scrub from areas identified as important for fungi and bryophytes.	Grazing is the primary management tool and will be reviewed as part of the grazing review planned in the first year of this plan. Key species to be monitored.
10.4) Reduce current extent and diversify structure in stands of gorse by 2011.	Predominantly on western half of compartment.	Coppice small sections of gorse each year by cutting stumps and treating or scraping to bare ground. Leave a relatively small amount to regenerate. Remove cuttings. (Refer to gorse cutting regime to be produced in 2011). Maintain some 'islands' of gorse scrub for birds and invertebrates and also as shelter from the wind.
10.5) Maintain important fungi areas.	Predominantly on southern and western edges of compartment.	Clear scrub and keep sward short around areas identified as important for fungi.