Sheephouse Wood facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
 |
|
| Area of Search | Buckinghamshire |
|---|---|
| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 56.9 hectares |
| Notification | 1986 |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Sheephouse Wood is a special forest area in Buckinghamshire, England. It covers about 57 hectares, which is like 140 football fields! This wood is protected because it's a "Site of Special Scientific Interest" (SSSI). This means it's a really important place for its plants and animals.
Contents
About Sheephouse Wood
Sheephouse Wood is located east of a village called Charndon. It was officially recognized as an SSSI in 1986. The wood sits on very wet clay soil in an area known as the Vale of Aylesbury. Because of this, you'll find many small streams flowing through the forest.
What Makes It Special?
Sheephouse Wood is an ancient woodland, meaning it has been a forest for a very long time. It's home to old pedunculate oak trees. These are a type of oak tree with acorns that hang on long stalks.
The forest floor is full of different plants. You'll see lots of brambles (blackberry bushes) and beautiful bluebells covering the ground. In wetter parts of the wood, you can find maple and ash trees growing.
Unique Wildlife
This wood is a great place for wildlife. Many different kinds of birds live and raise their young here. It's also special for its insects, called invertebrates.
- Black Hairstreak Butterfly: This is a very rare butterfly. It's small and dark with a bright orange band on its wings. Sheephouse Wood is one of the few places in the UK where you can find it.
- Ground-hopper: Another interesting insect found here is the ground-hopper called Tetrix subulata. It's a small, grasshopper-like insect that blends in well with its surroundings.
How the Wood is Managed
For many years, parts of Sheephouse Wood have been coppiced. This is an old way of managing forests where trees are cut down to ground level. New shoots then grow from the stump. This helps to keep the woodland healthy and creates different types of habitats for plants and animals.
Visiting Sheephouse Wood
You can explore parts of Sheephouse Wood by using the footpaths that start from Calvert. However, some areas of the wood are marked with signs that say "No public right of way: nature conservation area." These parts are extra sensitive and are kept undisturbed to protect the rare plants and animals living there.
Changes Around the Wood
The old Great Central Main Line railway track runs along the southwestern edge of Sheephouse Wood. This line is still used today for freight trains.
A new high-speed railway, called High Speed 2 (HS2), is being built next to the existing railway line. Because of this new construction, a small part of the woodland (about 1.4 hectares) on the southwestern edge will be lost.
