River Rom in North-West Havering

Site of Importance for Nature Conservation

HvBII03 River Rom in North-West Havering

Grid ref: TQ 496 917

Area (ha): 24.6

Borough(s): Havering

Site first notified: 01/03/2002 Boundary last changed: 15/10/2002

Citation last edited: 28/02/2003

Habitat: River, woodland (some possibly ancient), grassland (some wet), scrub

The River Rom flows between fairly natural banks. The channel contains branched and unbranched bur-reeds (Sparganium erectum and S.emersum) and fool's watercress (Apium nodiflorum). The river supports water voles, as well as breeding kingfisher and reed bunting. The surrounding land is a mosaic of rough grassland with hedgerows, scrub and scattered trees, with a few larger areas of woodland. At the southern end of the site, a flood storage lagoon contains wet grassland dominated by tufted hair-grass (Deschampsia cespitosa) and rushes.

The largest woodland, probably ancient, is Foreberry Wood, at the northern end of the site. It is dominated by pedunculate oak with large hornbeam coppice and occasional ash. The shrub layer contains abundant elm, frequent hawthorn and occasional hazel, blackthorn and holly. The ground flora comprises abundant bramble and ivy with greater stitchwort and bluebell both locally abundant, while false brome, cow parsley and giant fescue are all frequent. The large number of large mature oak with abundant ivy, and the presence of substantial amounts of dead wood suggest that the wood is of value to woodland birds and invertebrates.

Much of the southern part of the site has free public access and is used for

The surrounding farmland supports breeding skylarks and possibly barn owl. Large flocks of lapwing and golden plover occur in winter.

Copyright L.B. Havering/Greater London Authority 2003