wilidlife | trees and woodlands
history
how trees
live and grow
ancient woodland
trees
in Berkshire
An ancient woodland
is land which has been woodland since at least AD 1600.
Burnham Beeches is a good example of this type of Habitat, this is why it has been designated a National Nature Reserve (NNR)
Burnham Beeches in east berkshire is an indicator lowland heath, wood pasture in the catchment of the london basin. The reserve covers 220, hectares and has 750,000 visitors (annually). The reserve is an extensive area of beech and oak wood pasture with small areas of hazel coppice, dry and wet heathland and sphagnum bog.
The site is nationally and regionally important for its woodland invertebrate fauna associated with dead wood, and supports a diverse range of breeding birds as well as the dormouse. Please note that the dormice are part of a captive breeding programme, and have not been found 'naturally' on the site since the early 1960s. Burnham Beeches is located 4 Kilometres north of Slough. There is a car park on site, and a local bus stops nearby. There are no birdwatching hides, or nature trails, although there is a range of leaflets which can be obtained from the reserve office, and also several interpretation panels. The reserve can be visited all year.