Upland oakwood, a national priority habitat with a rich range of lichens, mosses and ferns, is found in the wetter and colder ‘upland’ part of Britain. Small remnants may be found on the sides of cloughs around the fringes of upland moors in the west of Barnsley.

Local priority habitat details

Upland oakwood is a national priority habitat, UKHab w1a

It is listed as a local priority habitat although only present as remnants in the Dark Peak area. Any replanting of the Dark Peak moorland and its cloughs should take account of Upland Oakwood characteristics.

It is classed as broadleaf woodland in Phase 1 habitat surveys.

It has two main National Vegetation Classification categories in Barnsley:

W16 Oak-birch-wavy-hair grass
W17 Oak-birch-bilberry.

Links for information:

Forestry com: Information

Forestry com: Practice guide

Buglife: Managing oakwoods

Other information that applies to Upland Oakwood is found in the Mixed Deciduous Woodlands section

Oak-Birch woods on the sandstone brows of the western-most coal measures can have some of the characteristics of Upland Oakwoods. These woods, classified as Lowland Mixed Deciduous Woodland, are in a continuum determined by conditions to Upland Oakwoods.

The rich range of lichens, mosses and ferns found in the still wetter and colder upland areas of Wales and the north west of England is lacking here, limited by the climate and by former levels of pollution.

The main objectives are to:

• review the extent, type and condition of any remnants of Upland Oakwood in the cloughs of the Dark Peak moorland.
• ensure that tree planting in the areas of the Dark Peak in Barnsley take account of Upland Oakwood characteristics.

Please note that previous versions of Barnsley Biodiversity Action Plan listed oak woodlands in coal measures as Upland Oakwood: they are better categorised as Lowland Mixed Deciduous Woodland.

What is being done

• Survey of Western Moors LWS
• Replacement of conifer plantations with native trees to recreate Upland Oakwood near Langsett. Yorkshire Water

Proposed actions

• Produce inventory of remnants of Upland Oakwoods in Barnsley
• Further woodland (re)planting in Dark Peak area of Barnsley as Upland Oakwood

Upland Oakwood supports a distinctive bird population of Pied Flycatcher, Wood Warbler and Redstart as well as Tree Pipit and Woodcock.

Upland Oakwood