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The survey of the plant and animal species present
along the Linear Park carried out by EMEC Ecology was the basis on which
the Management Plan was built. For details of the Plan and the different
habitats and plant species click here.
Though it was the flora that was used to define the habitats the core
of the plan was to manage the habitats so that the invertebrates and birds
that lived among them would flourish.
A full list of all the species found in the Park
can be seen by clicking here.
The range of habitats and the presence of warm southerly-facing
banks creates ideal conditions for invertebrates, especially
butterflies and moths. Of the 22 butterflies that occur in
Nottinghamshire, 19 occur on the Linear Park. There have also
been recent records of the nationally rare four-spotted
moth and the locally scarce small yellow-underwing moth
being present. Some butterfly species recorded in the Park,
such as the speckled wood are characteristic of woodland edge
and scrub habitats whilst others such as the grizzled
skipper require a mosaic of different habitat structures
including broken short turf and scrub for shelter. The four-spotted
moth is one of 53 moths listed
as a priority for attention. Since 1980, the moth has only
been recorded in four areas of Britain including Nottinghamshire
and parts of Lincolnshire. The grizzled skipper has a restricted
distribution in Britain and there has been a significant decline
nationally in recent decades. This species is classified as
‘High Priority Regionally Important’ as there
are less than 30 colonies remaining in Nottinghamshire. The
brown argus,
which also occurs on the site is a species which, fortunately,
is currently expanding its range and becoming more widespread
in the county. This diversity of invertebrate species is a
reflection of the diversity of conditions and presence of
a wide variety of plant species found along the Park. Invertebrates
will be found in areas which provide host plants for larval
stages and nectar sources for adults and Bingham Linear Park
and the adjacent areas of the disused railway that lie outside
the parish are considered to be one of the key areas in the
county where favourable conditions are found. The main aim
of the management activity will be to maintain this diversity
of conditions and the botanical variety.
The bird species present in the Park include a good range
of woodland and scrub species. Spotted flycatcher, bullfinch,
song thrush and linnet are likely to breed in the woodland
areas whilst whitethroat, lesser whitethroat and blackcap
are likely to breed in the areas of scrub. Skylark, corn bunting
and yellow wagtail use the site for foraging and are likely
to be breeding on arable land nearby whilst fieldfare and
redwing are likely to be winter visitors foraging in the area
between October and April. In all, over 30 bird species have
been recorded some of which are of conservation concern both
within the county and nationally.
Pepperwort Photo: Bill Bacon |
Although the site is artificial in that
it was created as part of the national railway system,
the site has been colonised by a range of natural and
characteristic species many of which are rare or are
absent from the surrounding agricultural landscape.
Disused railway lines such as this that have vegetated
naturally are forming important linear ecological corridors,
linking isolated habitats and providing routes along
which animals and plants can disperse. Unimproved species-rich
grassland, such as the Linear Park provides, is a rare
and declining habitat both within the County of Nottinghamshire
and, indeed, nationally. As the surrounding land is
mainly intensively farmed, the grassland and scrub areas
provide an important refuge for species unable to survive
in the modern farmed landscape. This importance is emphasised
by it being included in both the National (1995) Biodiversity
Action Plan and that of the County (1998). The particularly
notable species the site supports include black spleenwort,
cowslip, long-headed poppy, nipplewort, Smith’s
pepperwort, smooth hawk’s beard, squirrel-tail
fescue, wild carrot, wild turnip and yellow-juiced poppy.
However due to lack of management the grasslands of
the railway verge is declining in species diversity
since coarse grasses are spreading at the expense of
the finer grasses and there is encroachment of scrub.
Further reduction in species diversity and loss of open
grassland would result in the decline and/or extinction
of such notable invertebrates as the four-spotted moth
and the grizzled skipper Indeed the former has not been
seen for several years and without an appropriate management
plan will almost certainly be lost from the site.
The good management practices to be implemented
are likely to enhance the habitats in the following ways. |
a. The grassland areas will be enhanced by removing
some of the encroaching scrub whilst retaining other sections for breeding
birds. A five-year rotation mowing regime will improve the quality of
the grassland habitat, promote a flower rich sward and reduce the dominance
of the coarse leaved tussock forming grasses.
b. Selective coppicing will
enhance the structure and age range of the trees and shrubs. This
will create a greater diversity of habitats suitable for a wider range
of plants and animals. Removal of some of the non-indigenous trees
and shrubs will increase the conservation value of the site.
c. The four-spotted moth requires open, sunny conditions including
the presence of a sparse sward with abundant field bindweed –
the larval host plant. The larvae feed on the flower buds and leaves
of field bindweed, but breeding seems only to take place where the
bindweed grows in dry, sunny microclimates, such as south-facing slopes
by railway lines where the bindweed grows over bare patches of ballast
or verge side. The need for the host plant to be growing in such specific
conditions explains why the moth is nationally rare whilst the larval
food plant is common. If it is still present an increased habitat
for the moth could be provided by ‘scraping’ sections
of the embankment bare of vegetation in the hope that they would be
rapidly re-colonised by field bindweed. Flower-rich areas of grassland
will need to be maintained nearby to attract the adult moths. |
Field bindweed, white variety. This is the food plant for the
four-spotted moth larvae.Photo: Bill Bacon
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Creeping cinquefoil, the
larval food plant for the grizzled skipper.Photo: Bill
Bacon
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d. The grizzled skipper has a similar requirement for warm, sheltered
sites and, like the four-spotted moth, its habitat is defined by the
requirements of the larvae. The most important larval food plant on
the Linear Park is creeping cinquefoil although other species may
be used. To provide suitable sites for egg laying, food plants need
to be growing in unshaded but sheltered conditions, with occasional
patches of bare earth. Such conditions will also be suitable for a
range of other invertebrate species, such as the brown argus and the
small yellow underwing moth, both of which are locally scarce. The
most important larval host plants for the brown argus in the Park
is likely to be crane’s bill species. The larval host plant
of the small yellow underwing is common mouse ear. |
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