Ancient woodland facts for kids

Ancient woodland is a special kind of forest in the United Kingdom. It's land that has been continuously covered by trees since at least the year 1600 in England and Wales. In Scotland, the date is 1750. Before these times, people didn't plant new forests very often. So, if a wood existed in 1600, it probably grew there all by itself, naturally. In America, these types of forests are often called "old growth forests".

These ancient woodlands are super important for many different kinds of animals and plants. For some species, these old forests are the only place they can live. For many others, the conditions in these woods are much better than anywhere else. Just like rainforests in hot, tropical places, ancient woodlands in the UK are home to many rare and endangered species. They have more unique wildlife than any other type of habitat in the UK. Because of this, ancient woodlands are often called an "irreplaceable resource." This means they are so valuable that we can't ever get them back if they are destroyed.

Official groups like Natural England mark ancient woodlands on maps. Many of these special forests have legal protection. However, just because a woodland is ancient doesn't automatically mean it's protected by law.

Famous Ancient Woodlands

Many ancient woodlands are found across the UK. Here are some well-known examples:

Images for kids

• 

  Ancient woodland at Brading, Isle of Wight, England with bluebells (blue flowers) and ramsons (white flowers).

• 

  Fungus on a tree stump in the Białowieża Forest, one of Europe's last ancient forests.

• 

  Blossom of lesser celandine (Ficaria verna)

• 

  Close-up of the yellow archangel flowers

• 

  Wattle under construction

• 

  Ancient pollarded beech tree. Epping Forest, Essex, England

• 

  A recently coppiced alder stool. Hampshire, England