An old royal hunting park, Havering Country Park comprises large areas of oak- hornbeam woodland with undisturbed grassland in an important historic landscape. The woodlands vary in their antiquity, the ancient core areas containing exceptionally large specimens of hornbeam and hazel, with occasional sessile oak. There are acid and neutral grassland areas, including two grassland conservation areas at the Bean Field and part of the Car Park Field.The park has two ponds supporting a range of common wetland invertebrates. Havering Walking the Way to Health (WHI) uses this site; see link for details.
Local Wildlife Site
Accessible Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation
Havering Country Park
Borough: Havering
Grade: Metropolitan
Access: Free public access (all/most of site)
Area: 68.32 ha
Description
Wildlife
The well-developed plant life in the woodland includes abundant bluebell, honeysuckle, three-nerved sandwort and wood speedwell. The locally uncommon broad-leaved helleborine is also present though very rare. The acid and neutral grassland areas contain characteristic species such as early hair-grass, crested dog's-tail and greater bird's-foot-trefoil.There is a lot of dead wood on the site, which is likely to support an important insect population.The breeding bird community is exceptional and includes the rare firecrest at its only regular north London site, hobby, sparrowhawk, stock dove, yellowhammer, linnet, spotted flycatcher, all three species of British woodpecker and occasional crossbill and wood warbler. More familiar birds include goldcrest, coal tit, chiffchaff, willow warbler and garden warbler.Facilities
Information; car parking; historic features; horse riding; nature trail.
Hornbeam leaves © Meg Game
Havering Country Park under snow © Alan Cooper
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