Cherwell Habitat Mapping

Cherwell District Council funded TVERC to complete digital mapping of habitats covering the whole of Cherwell District to ensure that important high quality habitats are identified.

The total amount of habitat now mapped in Cherwell has increased from 5,027 ha to 63,637 ha, with the amount of NERC Act S41 priority habitat mapped increasing from 2,634 ha to 3,379 ha; an increase of over 40% (1,105 ha).

The majority of Cherwell District is used for arable farmland or intensively managed grassland for grazing and silage production. However several areas of potential high quality grassland and wetland/fen have been identified, particularly in the Northern Valleys Conservation Target Area (CTA). It is recommended that ground surveys are carried out in those areas identified as “possibly unimproved” grassland to determine whether they are NERC Act S41 habitat.