The natural woodlands of the south west are as diverse as the region’s geology. On the limestone of the Mendips, Cotswolds and around the Wye Valley are spectacular ravine woodlands with many types of tree including: Ash, Lime, Wych Elm and Sycamore and, living in the hazel understorey are important populations of Dormouse. The acid soils in the west have a completely different type of woodland dominated by Oak and, where there is high humidity and rainfall these woods have lush growth of mosses and ferns both on the ground and on the trunks and branches of the trees themselves. Oakwoods in the river valleys of Devon and Cornwall are home to Redstarts and Pied Flycatchers as are the relic ancient trees of the region’s parklands. From the surviving elm groves on the Isles of Scilly to the scarp woodlands on the Dorset chalk our forests contribute hugely to the wealth of our wildlife and landscapes.
Best Examples in South West England
