Shorn Cliff and Caswell Woods

Shorn Cliff And Caswell Woods is a 69.2ha biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1986. The site is listed in the 'Forest of Dean Local Plan Review' as a Key Wildlife Site (KWS).The site lies in the Forest of Dean in the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Both the Cliff and Woods are on Carboniferous Limestone and are on the east slopes of the Lower Wye Gorge which is also notified as an SSSI. This continuous belt of woodland stretches from Brockweir to Tutshill. The woodlands of the lower Wye Valley are one of the most important areas in Great Britain for woodland conservation. The woods lie within a matrix of semi-natural habitats and unimproved grassland. This contributes to the diversity and richness of this area of southern Britain.Wye Valley Woodlands/ Coetiroedd Dyffryn Gwy are recognised as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) under the EU Habitats Directive.Habitat and floraThe site contains a wide range of semi-natural woodland trees and rare and uncommon plants. Beech is dominant on the upper slopes and is frequently ancient coppice. Where the soil is calcareous there are Small-leaved Lime, Ash and Yew. Silver Birch and Oak grow on the acidic soils. Mature woodland does not support a strong ground flora and here is dominated by Ivy and species such as Spurge Laurel. Coppiced areas allow in light and denser ground flora occurs.