Stewards Green Lane Local Wildlife Site

Length: 1000m

Designation:  Local Wildlife Site EPW113

Ownership: Private

Location: Epping

Grid reference: TL 468 010 to TL 473 018

Description: Steward’s Green Lane is an ancient green lane that once formed the main London to Newmarket Road in the middle ages. Today, it is a simple bridleway, linking Stewards Green Road in the south to Coopersale Street to the north east.   Flanked by arable fields the lane provides an important wildlife corridor.  It marks the beginning of the Essex Way, the county’s primary Regional walking route. 

It is bounded by old hedges and there is a double hedge and ditch on the eastern edge at the southern end which is sometimes10m wide.  Scattered in the hedges are mature Oak standards, a few veteran or notable trees and some Ash and Field maple coppice.  In some areas the hedges are over mature with dense scrub of Hawthorn and Blackthorn and very little ground flora.  Other species include Elm, Holly, Wild service and Wild plum.  At the southern end is a thin triangle of mature linear woodland approximately 9m wide to the east of the lane which is an added beneficial habitat.

NI 197:  As part of the District Council’s commitment to NI197 (Biodiversity of Local Wildlife Sites) Countrycare has been working with the landowners to draw up a management statement and undertake some practical improvement works with volunteers.

Management Objectives:

• To maintain a clear passage for walkers and rider
• To maintain and enhance boundary hedgerows and trees
•  To manage hedges to encourage ground flora

 Key tasks

• Cut back hedge at narrow “pinch point” areas to widen path for easier passage for riders and walkers
• Clear areas of bramble to encourage ground flora diversity
•  Thin out over-mature blackthorn and hawthorn areas to encourage light onto floor of lane. 
•  Thin out and halo around maiden oaks in woody area. Cut back some overhanging canopy.

Currently the lane is in a Headland Management Scheme with Essex County Council which involves two cuts a year in May and August.  During January and March 2010, Countrycare volunteers began clearance on the lane, involving the coppicing of blackthorn, thining of hawthorn and oaks to open up the lane to sunlight.

• Volunteer Days in March 2010.