SSSI DESIGNATION
In 1983 a chunk of the hillside to the North of Gotham Village was designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The area that makes up the GNR includes sub unit 2, and a triangle of young woodland to the south.
Reasons for Notification: The site comprises one of the best mixed pastures and associated grassland in Nottinghamshire, and is representative of species-rich grassland developed on calcareous and neutral clays in Central and Eastern England.
BIOLOGY
A fine example of species-rich pasture developed on the south-east facing slope of a ridge formed of a succession of limestones, shales and clays of Upper Triassic and Lower Triassic Jurassic age. The character of the sward changes with soil type and slope, and examples of both calcareous and neutral grassland are present. The basic sward components over the majority of the site comprise crested dog’s-tail Cynosurus cristatus, creeping bent Agrostis stolonifera, Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus, cock’s-foot Dactylis glomerata and perennial rye-grass Lolium perenne, in a community which contains such characteristic herbs as sorrel Rumex acetosa, musk thistle Carduus nutans, harebell Campanula rotundifolia and bird’s-foot-trefoil Lotus corniculatus. Locally, on areas of bare shale, the small-flowered buttercup Ranunculus parviflorus is established. On soils which have a limestone or gypsum component the sward character changes with tor-grass Brachypodium pinnatum becoming dominant in a plant community which includes salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba, dwarf thistle Cirsium acaule, burnet-saxifrage Pimpinella saxifraga and thyme Thymus drucei. A similar sward occurs in the south-east of the site on an area of gypsum spoil where the plant community contains an abundance of wild carrot Daucus carota, fairy flax Linum catharticum, greater knapweed Centaurea scabiosa and restharrow Ononis repens
6 spot burnet moth on greater knapweed.
Speckled Wood
Marsh Tit
The full citation can be downloaded below.