Shire Oak Quarry

This site has largely developed on land which has either been quarried for sand and gravel or has been severely disturbed by nearby quarrying activity. The rate of re-colonisation varies over the site with the result that a variety of vegetation types are present from areas with sparse vegetation cover to acid areas of acidic grassland and others with quite substantial young birch woodland.

Important flora

The main patches of importance include the large stand of southern marsh orchids in the wet acidic grassland and the reed dominated tall fen vegetation.

Management recommendations

Both the fen area and the acid grassland with orchids are being encroached upon by scrub and woodland, and are in danger of being lost unless managed. This wood (mainly birch) should be contained and possibly thinned.