This is a very impressive species list for a site, but how does it compare to other sites?
This is a hard question to answer as so few comparable data collations are available for
comparison. In terms of some specific taxonomic groups, such a comparison might be
possible. For example, the National Trust's Wicken Fen has 1450 species of Coleoptera
(beetle) but probably a third of these have no record since 1940. So perhaps, the beetle
list for the Forest might increase to about 1000 species? Wicken Fen has 338 species of
Hemiptera (bugs), which is why 1 feel there must be many more of these species to find
at Hatfield Forest. However, the fungal list for the Forest is far longer than that for
Wicken Fen, partly because woodlands tend to be more important for these species than
fenland, but mainly due to the superb efforts of Shirley Watson and other experienced
mycologists.
In Table 1, there is a column to show how many species are nationally scarce or rare.
This can only be an indication of rarity as for some taxonomic groups the national status
information for species is many years out of date. In the case of fungi, there is no national
list of rare species. Also, we do know that Hatfield Forest supports some species that are
rare in Essex, although more common nationally, such as Bog Pimpernel, Dwarf Thistle,
Addertongue fern and the Stingless Nettle.
Everyone is welcome to corne to Hatfield Forest to look for wildlife, at any time. There
is a car-park charge if you want to drive in to the centre of the Forest. If you want or need
to collect specimens, then as a National Nature Reserve, a permit is required. To get a
permit, please contact Ade Clarke, National Trust Property Manager, Hatfield Forest,
Takeley, Nr Bishops Stortford, Essex. CM22 6NE. Tel: 01279 870678.
If you would like to see the records that we do have for the Forest, please contact Stuart
Warrington by email and tell him which Excel spreadsheets of species that you are
interested in. He can also send a site map (as a .pdf file). It is possible that Stuart has
traced or been sent directly more records for the site than are known to the County
Recorders, so please do contact him to check.
Please do come and record wildlife at Hatfield Forest. All we ask is that you send in
your information. The ideal way to send in data is in an excel spreadsheet, emailed to
Stuart Warrington, with each record on one row, with the species name, location, grid
ref, date, recorder and comments in columns. However, if you don't have access to a
computer and email, then typed or hand-written lists are fine, and can be posted to the
NT office (address above).
I would like to thank everyone who has recorded fauna and flora at Hatfield Forest as
without their efforts we would know far less about the importance of the site. This
information is invaluable for guiding our site management and also (hopefully) in
challenging the development of roads, railways and airports right on our boundary.
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Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 50, May 2006