| Wildlife Habitats | |
| Woodland and scrub |
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| Woodland and
scrub covers about 15% of Kent and has a noticeable influence on the
countryside. Many rare and scarce species of plant, invertebrate and other
animals depend on this habitat and it can create a striking diversity in
the landscape .
The Loose Valley Conservation Area contains a relatively high amount of woodland and scrub compared with much of the surrounding land. The Kent Habitat Survey identifies an almost unbroken finger of broad-leaved semi-natural woodland. This is located on the eastern scarp top of the Valley stretching north from the village of Loose to Tovil. To be classified as semi-natural woodland it must not obviously originate from planting. However, this description can include self-sown secondary stands of exotic species such as sycamore, woods that have been completely under planted with native species and mature plantations over 120 years old. The woodland of the Loose Valley contains species such as Oak, Ash, Sycamore, Hazel and Sweet Chestnut. Scrub is a transitional habitat between grassland and woodland and often comprises tree species such as Hawthorn, Blackthorn and Rose. It is an extremely valuable habitat and often supports species such as dormouse, warblers and butterflies. |
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