Conservation Status and Biodiversity
Biodiversity
Hylands has a good range of habitats within the broad framework of a lowland wood-pasture site
and a healthy diversity of plant and animal species. During the course of this work, it has become
obvious that some parts of the park have a significantly greater biodiversity than others. The most
important of these is the area centred on TL 677043 Just east of South Wood. The habitats in tins
area include coppiced woodland (with areas of Ash. Elm and Hornbeam coppice stools), scrub
(mature), scrub (developing), secondary woodland, plantations, green lane, adjacent agricultural
land (field margins), flower rich meadow, calcareous grassland, various ponds and water course
and hedgerow (Roman Walk). The whole area is well supplied with various types of dead wood and
a few mature trees in grassland, plus the remaining trees from an old orchard.
Key species for this area include:
Sorbus torminalis
Polystichum setiferum
Epipactis purpurata
Iris foetidissima
Listera ovata
Daphne laureola
Stachys betonica
Briza media
Conopodium majus
Primula vulgaris
Primula veris
Agrimonia eupatoria
Trifolium ochroleucon
Cirsium palustre
Oenanthe aquatica
Ophrys apifera
Fissidens bryoides
Ulota bruchii
Brachypalpoides lentus
Criorhina asilica
Criorhina berberina
Choerades marginatus
Myolepta dubia
Muscardinus avellanarius
Other biodiversity 'hotspots' in the park would include the fonnal gardens and the eastern end of
the Lower Belt. The formal gardens, as mentioned elsewhere in this section, are notable for their
concentration of saproxylic flies and beetles.
Enhancing Biodiversity
Three projects that could fairly easily be undertaken in the park would be
1). To create a small area of arable land, just one or two acres in the north part of the park (until
recently cultivated) and grow some of the now rare cornfield weeds such as Corn Marigold,
Cornflower, Shepherd's Needle and Field Poppy. At the same time a seed-producing crop favourable
to winter flocks of finches could be grown.
2). To recreate the flora of the former flood meadows of Widford and Surry Meads, a potential
habitat for now rare plants such as Meadow Saxifrage.
3). To extend the remains of the old orchard near South Wood (traditional orchards have greatly
declined in Essex) perhaps growing local varieties such as the apple D'Arcy Spice.
Essex Parks: Section 2 - Hylands Park
165