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features which were not included in this assessment. 4.2.2 Hedges
Hedges are important as landscape features, habitats and wildlife corridors in the generally intensively farmed land crossed by the route. Most of the hedges are only moderately species-rich in terms of shrub and field-layer species, but they typically support additional features such as standard trees and an adjacent ditch that increase their ecological value. It is likely that many of the hedges have ancient origins and 30 hedges in total qualify as ‘Important’ based on ecological criteria in the Hedgerow Regulations 1997. The UK and Suffolk BAPs for Hedges are primarily concerned with ancient and species-rich hedges such as these.
4.3 4.3.1
Grassland Agricultural
Improved and poor semi-improved grasslands on the route are typically very species- poor and have low ecological value.
4.3.2 Unimproved and Semi-improved Neutral Grassland
Target Note 23 is the only area of species-rich neutral grassland along the cable route. The assemblage of species and their frequencies imply that this grassland has formed from natural colonisation rather than being derived from a seed mix. Whilst the species that comprise the sward are not of any national significance it may have some local nature conservation value.
4.3.3 Calcifugous grassland Calcifugous grasslands are a UK and Suffolk BAP priority habitat. It is a fairly
ubiquitous habitat type on abandoned grassland and waste ground around Woodbridge. The best examples of which are on the slope covered by Target Notes 374a and in the field to the east to the golf course covered by Target Note 194.
4.3.4 Marshy Grassland and Swamp
Swamp is rare in the local context and adds to the overall diversity of habitats crossed by the route, even if the examples are generally species-poor. Examples of species- rich swamps are present at Target notes 342, 344 and 375 support a wider range of species and is associated with other habitats of botanical interest (described under unimproved and semi-improved neutral grassland).
4.3.5 Tall herb and Fern
Tall herb vegetation of the kinds recorded from the route is ubiquitous in the UK and typically of low ecological value
4.3.6 Coastal Habitats
Coastal Vegetated shingle is a UK and Suffolk BAP priority habitat. Vegetated shingle is a scarce habitat worldwide being restricted to only a few coastlines outside