ARABLE FARMLAND

Most of Stroud parish is either arable land cropped for cereals or permanent grassland currently managed for sheep. Around the arable land wide field margins and tree-lined hedgerows are important habitats and support roe deer, brown hare, badger, fox, buzzard, red kite, lapwing, and other farm birds. Sheep-grazed permanent grassland is mainly very short grass, often rich in mole hills, with stoat and weasel and small mammals including field voles and supporting wintering birds such as redwing and fieldfare.