Hainault Forest facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
The large lake in Hainault Forest Country Park
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| Area of Search | Greater London |
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| Coordinates | 51°37′18″N 0°7′45″E / 51.62167°N 0.12917°E |
| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 135.31 ha (334.4 acres) |
| Notification | 1986 |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Hainault Forest Country Park is a large, beautiful Country Park located in Greater London. Parts of it are in Hainault (which is in the London Borough of Redbridge), the London Borough of Havering, and even a bit in Lambourne in Essex. It's a great place to explore nature!
About Hainault Forest
Hainault Forest Country Park covers an area of about 135.31 hectares (334.4 acres). This makes it a very important natural space. It is even called a Site of Special Scientific Interest. This means it has special plants, animals, or geology that needs protecting.
The part of the park in Redbridge is looked after by the Redbridge Council. The part in Essex is managed by the Woodland Trust. They work for the owners, Essex County Council, to keep the forest healthy.
History of the Forest
Hainault Forest is one of the last parts of the old Forest of Essex in England. Other famous parts that still exist are Epping Forest and Hatfield Forest. Long ago, this forest belonged to the abbey of Barking. This was until the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 1500s.
The forest used to be much bigger. It stretched north to Theydon Bois and east to Havering-atte-Bower. To the south, it went to Aldborough Hatch, and west to Leytonstone. In 1544, a survey for Henry VIII said it was about 3,000 acres (12 km2) big.
Saving the Forest
In 1851, a law was passed that said the forest land was "waste." This meant most of the old trees were cut down. About 92% of the ancient forest was destroyed. The land then became farmland. Later, many buildings were put on it.
Many people were very upset about this destruction. Sir Walter Besant, a famous writer, wrote about it. The story of how Hainault Forest was destroyed actually helped start the modern conservation movement. People like Oliver Rackham explained that the outrage led to groups forming. These groups worked to stop the same thing from happening to Epping Forest.
Because people wanted to save some of Hainault Forest, a large area was bought for public use. This happened on July 21, 1906. Edward North Buxton led the effort to save it. They bought about 804 acres (3.3 km2) of land. This included 253 acres (1.0 km²) of woodland and rough fields.
Today, Hainault Forest Country Park has many protected areas. These include open parklands with lots of walking paths and a big lake. There is also the Hainault Forest Golf Club. Foxburrows Farm is also part of the park. It helps protect rare types of animals.
Images for kids
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Hainault Forest Woodland Trust section on a misty November morning 2013
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Hainault Forest Woodland Trust section on a misty November morning 2013
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Bluebells in late April in 2014
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Damselfly on reeds at the Lake in June 2014
