Rex Graham nature reserve
Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
Location | Suffolk |
---|---|
Grid reference | TL 737 746[1] |
Interest | Biological |
Area | 2.8 hectares[1] |
Notification | 1984[1] |
Location map | Magic Map |
Rex Graham Reserve is a 2.8-hectare (6.9-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest east of Mildenhall in Suffolk.[1][2] It is a Special Area of Conservation,[3][4] and part of the Breckland Special Protection Area.[5][6] It was formerly managed by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust.[7]
The site is a disused chalk pit, surrounded by woodland, and is primarily of interest for its population of Military Orchids, as over 95% of the United Kingdom population of this species occurs at this site. Other plants found at the site include mezereon, twayblade, pyramidal orchid, ploughman's spikenard (Inula conyza), and Southern adderstongue.
The discovery of a population of Military Orchids at this site occurred in 1955. Prior to this the species had never been recorded in East Anglia, having previously been recorded only in Southeast England. The population then was at least 500 plants, with over 100 flowering spikes; by 1958 the population had reached 2,854 plants, with about 10% flowering, a population level and flowering proportion that were maintained throughout the 1960s. By 1971 however, only 252 plants were present, due to scrubbing over, as a result of the erection of the protective fence. Scrub clearance and removal of some surrounding trees allowed the population to recover, and subsequent counts include 1,115 plants in 1990 and "too many to count" (Harrap and Harrap 2005) in 2000, when 748 plants were recorded flowering.
Genetic analysis of the orchids at Rex Graham has shown that they are distinct from those at the other two English sites, and represent an independent colonisation from Europe.
References
- ^ a b c d "Designated Sites View: Rex Graham Reserve". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
- ^ "Map of Rex Graham Reserve". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
- ^ "Rex Graham Reserve". Special Areas of Conservation. Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
- ^ "Designated Sites View: Rex Graham Reserve". Special Area of Conservation. Natural England. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
- ^ "Designated Sites View: Breckland". Special Protection Area. Natural England. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
- ^ "Special Protection Areas under the EC Birds Directive. Breckland" (PDF). Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
- ^ Archive of reserve page formerly on the Suffolk Wildlife Trust website
Sources
- Harrap, Simon and Annie Harrap (2005) Orchids of Britain and Ireland, a field and site guide ISBN 0-7136-6956-X
External links
- JNCC page about the site's Special Area of Conservation status
- English Nature citation sheet for the site
- A page at Natural England's website containing photographs of the site
52°20′31″N 0°32′53″E / 52.342°N 0.548°E / 52.342; 0.548
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- Abbey Wood, Flixton
- Alde–Ore Estuary
- Arger Fen
- Bangrove Wood, Ixworth
- Barking Woods
- Barnby Broad and Marshes
- Barnham Heath
- Berner's Heath
- Bixley Heath
- Black Ditches, Cavenham
- Blaxhall Heath
- Blo' Norton and Thelnetham Fens
- Bradfield Woods
- Breckland Farmland
- Breckland Forest
- Brent Eleigh Woods
- Bugg's Hole Fen, Thelnetham
- Burgate Wood
- Cavendish Woods
- Cavenham–Icklingham Heaths
- Cherry Hill and The Gallops, Barton Mills
- Chippenhall Green
- Combs Wood
- Cornard Mere
- Crag Pit, Sutton
- Cransford Meadow
- Deadman's Grave, Icklingham
- Deben Estuary
- Dew's Ponds
- Edwardstone Woods
- Elmsett Park Wood
- Eriswell Low Warren
- Fakenham Wood and Sapiston Great Grove
- Fox Fritillary Meadow
- Foxhole Heath
- Freston and Cutler's Woods with Holbrook Park
- Frithy and Chadacre Woods
- The Gardens, Great Ashfield
- Gipping Great Wood
- Glemsford Pits
- The Glen Chalk Caves, Bury St Edmunds
- Gosbeck Wood
- Gromford Meadow
- Groton Wood
- Gypsy Camp Meadows, Thrandeston
- Hay Wood, Whepstead
- Horringer Court Caves
- High House Meadows, Monewden
- Hintlesham Woods
- Hopton Fen
- How Hill Track
- Iken Wood
- Ipswich Heaths
- Kentwell Woods
- Knettishall Heath
- Lackford Lakes
- Lakenheath Poor's Fen
- Lakenheath Warren
- Landguard Common
- Laurel Farm Meadow
- Leiston - Aldeburgh
- Lineage Wood & Railway Track, Long Melford
- Lingwood Meadows
- Little Blakenham Pit
- Little Heath, Barnham
- London Road Industrial Estate, Brandon
- Lordswell Field
- Maidscross Hill
- Major Farm Meadow
- Metfield Meadow
- Mickfield Meadow
- Middle Wood, Offton
- Milden Thicks
- Minsmere–Walberswick Heaths and Marshes
- Moat Farm Meadows
- Monewden Meadows
- Nacton Meadows
- Newbourne Springs
- Newmarket Heath
- Norton Wood
- Orwell Estuary
- Over and Lawn Woods
- Pakefield to Easton Bavents
- Pakenham Meadows
- Pashford Poor's Fen, Lakenheath
- Potton Hall Fields, Westleton
- RAF Lakenheath
- Redgrave and Lopham Fens
- Rex Graham Reserve
- Riverside House Meadow
- Sandlings Forest
- Sinks Valley, Kesgrave
- Sizewell Marshes
- Snape Warren
- Sotterley Park
- Sprat's Water and Marshes, Carlton Colville
- Stallode Wash, Lakenheath
- Stanton Woods
- Staverton Park and The Thicks, Wantisden
- Stour Estuary
- Sutton and Hollesley Heaths
- Thetford Heaths
- Thorpe Morieux Woods
- Titsal Wood, Shadingfield
- Trundley and Wadgell's Wood, Great Thurlow
- Tunstall Common
- Wangford Warren and Carr
- Weather and Horn Heaths, Eriswell
- West Stow Heath
- Westhall Wood and Meadow
- Weston Fen
- Wilde Street Meadow
- Wortham Ling
- Alde-Ore Estuary
- Aldeburgh Brick Pit
- Aldeburgh Hall Pit
- Bawdsey Cliff
- Bobbitshole, Belstead
- Breckland Forest
- Buckanay Farm Pit, Alderton
- Chillesford Church Pit
- Corton Cliffs
- Crag Farm Pit, Sudbourne
- Crag Pit, Aldeburgh
- Creeting St Mary Pits
- Ferry Cliff, Sutton
- Flixton Quarry
- Gedgrave Hall Pit
- Great Blakenham Pit
- Hascot Hill Pit
- Holton Pit
- Hoxne Brick Pit
- Neutral Farm Pit, Butley
- Pakefield to Easton Bavents
- Ramsholt Cliff
- Red House Farm Pit
- Red Lodge Heath
- Richmond Farm Pit, Gedgrave
- Rockhall Wood Pit, Sutton
- Round Hill Pit, Aldeburgh
- Sandy Lane Pit, Barham
- Stoke Tunnel Cutting, Ipswich
- Stour Estuary
- Sudbourne Park Pit
- Valley Farm Pit, Sudbourne
- Waldringfield Pit