Woodlands - A Most Important West London Habitat

Woodlands are perhaps our most important habitat. Woodlands support a larger number of plant and animal species than any other type of habitat.

Woodland in spring

Thousands of years ago, Britain was largely covered by woods. The woods were gradually cleared for agriculture and in London much of the agricultural land was later built on. However, some relatively small areas of woodland survived the onslaught through to the present day.

These woods, together with some that have been planted or have grown up afresh by themselves, now cover about 5% of London's land area. Not all of this is 'high canopy' woodland; some is scrub.

The woods that have survived through from ancient times are our most valuable ones. Woodland more than 400 years old is defined as 'ancient woodland'. These ancient woods have a wider range of species than recent woods and they are home to many of our rarer plants and animals that are not found in more recent woods.

Threats

London's woods are now reasonably well protected. Many have been designated as Local Nature Reserves or have other protective designations such as Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) or are on Green Belt land. The risk of whole woods being felled or dug up is therefore quite low.

The bigger threat to our woodland is the gradual loss or their wildlife and ecological interest. Because most of the woods are small and isolated from each other, they do not always provide the area or 'connectivity' needed for species to flourish in the longer term. Pressure from human visitors can also be problem. Activities such as motorbike scrambling, dog walking and pollution can harm the ecology and diversity of woodland.

Action

A good deal of conservation activity is addressed to woodlands. Specific policies and actions have been identified in 'Biodiversity Action Plans', which have been written for a number of boroughs in West London - Brent, Ealing, Hammersmith and Kensington.

'Flagship' species

There are a number of wild plants and animals of woodlands that are of special interest, because they are attractive and popular, or because they are characteristic of ancient woods or because they are rare or threatened and therefore need special attention. Species selected as 'flagships' in the Biodiversity Action Plans in West London include:

Bluebells

• wild service tree
• spindle
• Midland hawthorn
• small leaved lime
• bluebell (native)
• wood anemone
• greater spotted woodpecker
• stag beetle
• bats

Woodland sites

There are a good number of woods in West London, although many are small and as a result have somewhat limited wildlife value. The London Ecology Unit, now part of the GLA (Greater London Authority), has designated sites across London as 'Sites of Metropolitan Importance'. In our west London area, the sites are:

• Ruislip Woods: In the borough of Hillingdon; also a 'National Nature Reserve'.
• Old Park Wood: Also in the borough of Hillingdon.
• Perivale Wood: In the borough of Ealing; Britain's second oldest nature reserve.

Organisations and contacts

Because woodland is such an important habitat, all the major conservation organisations concern themselves with woodlands. For these, see our contacts page. There is also an organisation specialsing in woodland - the Woodland Trust.

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