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Countryside and Nature Conservation

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Introduction

Within the Borough of Hastings is the Hastings Cliffs SAC (Special Area of Conservation), three SSSIs (Sites of Special Scientific Interest), one Country Park, six Local Nature Reserves, and 30 SNCIs (Sites of Nature Conservation Interest).

The three Sites of Special Scientific Interest are the ancient wooded gill valley of Marline Valley Woods, the alluvial floodplain of the Combe Haven and the sea cliffs of Hastings Cliffs to Pett Beach. This latter SSSI form part of Hastings Country Park and includes cliff top acid grassland, ancient wooded gill streams and an array of rare and vulnerable species. The adjacent farmland of Fairlight Place Farm has recently been integrated with the management of the SSSI and Country Park.

The six Local Nature Reserves include, Marline Valley Woods, St Helens Woods, Filsham Reedbeds, which are the largest reedbeds in Sussex, Churchwood, Summerfields Woods and Old Roar Gill, an ancient wooded gill stream at the head of Alexandra Park.

The Sites of Nature Conservation Importance are local sites which although they do not have a statutory designation, are important areas for wildlife and people. A full list of these can be found under the Nature Conservation Strategy section of the web site.

Hastings is fortunate in possessing a relatively high percentage of woodland areas, predominately in valleys running north/south towards the sea. These include woodlands in the Marline valley, Church Wood, Old Roar Gill, St Helen's and the valleys within the Country Park. Of these woodlands two, namely Marline and Church Wood are maintained via adopted management plans. The material coppiced as part of the operations in Church Wood are utilised elsewhere in the Borough for steps, barriers and fencing.
Many of the allotment sites, road verges, and public and private gardens around Hastings & St Leonards are also of importance for wildlife.

For more information on the wildlife and the nature areas of the Borough, visit www.wildhastings.org.uk an exciting web site which brings you up to date with what species are being seen, what to look out, events going on and places of interest to visit to experience the very special natural environment of Hastings and St Leonards.

Nature Conservation Sites

Site name: Church Wood and Robsack Wood

Location:
Hastings, East Sussex
Grid Reference:
TQ785113
Nature Conservation Designations:
Church Wood and Robsack Wood proposed Local Nature Reserve, Church Wood Site of Nature Conservation Importance, Area of Archaelogical Importance
Habitat:
Ancient semi-natural woodland, gill woodland, freshwater streams, semi-improved meadow.
Access:
By foot: The site has two main entrances. One is reached from the track off Church Wood Drive which leads to St Leonards Church (Church-in-the-wood). The other entrance is off Church Wood Drive opposite the junction to Mayfield Lane. There are public footpaths and tracks throughout the wood and meadow.
By bus: The nearest bus stops are at Tesco and along Church Wood Drive near the junction to Mayfield Lane. Many of the towns bus services stop at Tesco.
By train: The nearest train station, West St Leonards, is not within walking distance of the site.
By car: There is a small car park near the entrance to St Leonards Church at the end of the track off Church Wood Drive.
Wildlife:
Interesting woodland plants include toothwort, coralroot bittercress, early purple orchid and goldilocks buttercup. Recently cut coppice and the woodland edge around the meadow is rich in invertebrates with the woodland grasshopper being one of the rarest and most conspicuous of the areas insect life.
Ownership: Hastings Borough Council
Telephone: 01424 451107

Site Name: Hastings Country Park and Fairlight Place Farm

Location:
Hastings, East Sussex
Grid Reference:
TQ8611
Nature Conservation Designations:
Hastings Cliffs Special Area of Conservation, Hastings Cliffs to Pett Beach Site of Special Scientific Interest, Hastings Country Park and Fairlight Place Farm proposed Local Nature Reserve, East Hill Site of Nature Conservation Importance, within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Habitat:
Maritime softrock cliff and slope, ancient gill woodland, acid grassland, heathland, semi-improved neutral meadow, freshwater ponds, agricultural pasture and arable land.
Access:
There are many public footpaths and tracks throughout the area including an 'access for all trail' within the firehills area.
Wildlife:
Many rare and scarce liverworts, mosses and lichens occur within the gills.
Peregrines, black redstarts and fulmars breed on the cliffs. Dartford warblers, stonechats and yellowhammers breed on the gorse covered hillsides. Many migrants pass through the site in spring and autumn and usually includes a few rarities such as sardinian warbler, red-rumped swallow, and pallas's warbler which have all occurred in recent years.
A large population of dormice occur within the woodland areas here. Stoats and weasels are also seen regularly and bottlenose dolphin and harbour porpoise can be seen offshore from clifftop watch points. An amazing diversity of invertebrates live on the cliff habitats and within the heathland and acid grassland including some species which occur in very few other places in Britain. Some notable examples are the beewolf, a bee hunting wasp; Lixus algirus, a large weevil which is extremely rare in Britain; and Micaria romana, an ant-eating spider which occurs is only four other coastal areas in Britain.
Ownership: Hastings Borough Council
Telephone: 01424 451107

Site Name: Old Roar Gill & Coronation Wood Local Nature Reserve

Location:
Hastings, East Sussex (Old Roar Gill is part of Alexandra Park)
Grid Reference:
TQ8011
Habitat:
Ancient gill woodland
Access:
Many footpaths and tracks within the woodland, although the footpath along the stream is inaccessible at the moment. Restoration work will soon be carried out on this footpath.
Wildlife:
Many rare and scarce liverworts, mosses and lichens occur within the gill. The regionally scarce toothwort grows here as well as in the rest of Alexandra Park. A rare endemic cranefly, Lipsothrix nervosa, has been found living in the gill as well as the nationally scarce snail Macrogastra rolphii.
Spotted flycatchers, grey wagtails and kingfishers can also be found here either breeding or visiting from nearby breeding sites.
Ownership: Hastings Borough Council
Telephone: 01424 451107

Site Name: St Helens Wood Local Nature Reserve

Location:
Hastings, East Sussex
Grid Reference:
TQ8111
Habitat:
Ancient gill woodland, semi-improved neutral meadow, freshwater ponds
Access:
Many footpaths and tracks within the woodland and meadows.
Wildlife:
Broad-leaved helleborines are common within the wood. The meadows here are horse grazed and have many large oak and ash trees which support rare lichens and dead wood insects. Red bartsia and green-winged orchids grow in the meadows.
Ownership: St Helens Park Preservation Society
Management: St Helens Park Preservation Society

Site Name: Marline Valley Local Nature Reserve

Location:
St Leonards On Sea, East Sussex
Grid Reference:
TQ7812
Habitat:
Ancient gill woodland, coppice, semi-improved neutral meadow
Access:
Many footpaths and tracks within the woodland and meadows. A public footpath crosses the reserve through Marline wood.
Wildlife:
Woodland - Breeding willow tit, firecrest, nightingale, and hawfinch although these species are now declining at the site. Violet helleborine, broad-leaved helleborine, common twayblade, early purple orchid. Pearl-bordered fritillary, white admiral, purple hairstreak.
Marline Wood is most well known for the diverse community of rare liverworts and mosses which grow alongside the gill stream and on sandstone outcrops within the wood.
Meadow - Thousands of common spotted orchids amongst a dense sward of dyers greenweed and yellow rattle. Green hairstreaks, grizzled skippers, wasp spiders and labyrinth spiders.
Ownership: Hastings Borough Council
Telephone: 01424 451107
Management: Sussex Wildlife Trust
Telephone: 01273 492630
web: www.sussexwt.org.uk.

Site Name: South Saxons Wetlands

Location:
Hastings, East Sussex
Grid Reference:
TQ784091
Nature Conservation Designations:
South Saxons Wetlands proposed Local Nature Reserve, South Saxons Wetlands Site of Nature Conservation Importance
Habitat:
Carr woodland, semi-improved meadow, freshwater stream, pond and reedbed.
Access:
By foot: The site has two main entrances - one entrance is off Bexhill Road just west of the West St Leonards Community Centre and the other entrance is off Filsham Road opposite Ethelburga Church. There are footpaths and tracks throughout the site.
By bus: The nearest bus stop is along Filsham Road opposite Ethelburga Church, other bus stops can be found along Bexhill Road.
By train: The nearest train station is West St Leonards, a short distance from the third entrance to the site off Filsham Road.
By car: There is a only a small amount of parking along Filsham Road.
Wildlife:
Breeding reed warbler, sedge warbler, and water rail. Snipe, water rail and grey wagtails winter at the site. Due to its situation near the sea the site is visited by many migrant birds in spring and autumn including firecrests, pied flycatchers and the occasional scarce migrant (the site is extremely underwatched by birdwatchers despite its potential).
Ownership: East Sussex County Council

Site Name: Summerfields Wood

Location:
Hastings, East Sussex
Grid Reference:
TQ809097
Nature Conservation Designations:
Summerfields Wood proposed Local Nature Reserve, Site of Nature Conservation Importance
Habitat:
Semi-natural woodland, freshwater streams and ponds.
Access:
There are many footpaths and tracks throughout the wood.
Ownership: Hastings Borough Council
Telephone: 01424 451107