Local Wildlife Site

Wildlife

The woodland is varied, but mainly consists of a former coppice-with-standards system, a form of woodland management carried out for centuries to harvest timber sustainably. The tallest trees (‘standards') are oaks, and these include both English and sessile oaks. The mixture of old coppiced hornbeam and beech in places is unusual. Locally uncommon plant species growing here include wild service-tree, common cow-wheat, southern woodrush and moschatel. The heathland at Poor's Field consists of fescues and tufted hair-grass, with heather, dwarf gorse, heath-grass, heath speedwell and the rare petty whin. Ruislip Woods is the richest site in London for lichens on trees. It is also spectacularly rich in fungi - some 585 species of fungus were recorded by experts in a half-day search, including four that had never been recorded in Britain before.Many different birds can be found on the site including breeding sparrowhawk, tawny owl and occasionally woodcock and wood warbler. It is also one of the capital's most important sites for bats, with at least nine species recorded. Large numbers of amphibians and reptiles also live on the site. There is also an important invertebrate community which includes several nationally rare and scarce species. The nationally rare heath fritillary butterfly was introduced here recently.

Facilities

Information (at the Woodland Centre); toilets; waymarked walking routes