Tring Woodlands

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 51.7812, -0.6720

Condition (Natural England)

Unfavourable Recovering (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SP917100 Unfavourable Recovering 24.19 2022-03-16

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Chalk

Description

Area,23.8 hectares 58.8 ac Description This site is one of the best examples in Hertfordshire of ancient semi natural beech Fagus sylvatica woodland, a habitat which is in decline nationally. The woods lie at the eastern end of the Chilterns on the steep north west facing Middle Chalk escarpment and extend onto the plateau capped by clay with flints. There is a rich flora present, indicating that the woodland has been long established. Associated with beech high forest are areas of standard ash Fraxinus excelsior and pedunculate oak Quercus robur. Holly Ilex aquifolium and yew Taxus baccata comprise the sparse shrub layer on upper slopes, though lower down there is more variety with dogwood Cornus sanguinea, field maple Acer campestre, wayfaring tree Viburnum lantana and coppiced hazel Corylus avellana. A small mixed plantation of larch Larix decidua and species native to the site is situated on the plateau and retains elements of the established plant community. The diverse flora is dominated by woodruff Galium odoratum, wood anemone Anemone nemorosa, dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis and brambles Rubus fruticosus with frequent sanicle Sanicula europaea and wood spurge Euphorbia amygdaloides. Notable amongst twenty species of grass present are wood melick Melica uniflora and two local species, wood barley Hordelymus europaeus and lesser hairy brome Bromopsis benekenii. In the central part of the wood floral diversity is enhanced by the presence of more restricted species such as yellow birds nest Hypopitys monotropa, common wintergreen Pyrola minor and narrow lipped helleborine Epipactis leptochila at one of its few county localities. Two other typical beech wood orchids present are fly orchid Ophrys insectifera and white helleborine Cephalanthera damasonium. A good range of woodland bird species have been recorded including breeding tawny owl Strix aluco and great spotted woodpecker Dendrocopos major.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
tawny owl Strix aluco NT (Breeding) bird-owl strigidae
great spotted woodpecker Dendrocopos major LC (Breeding) bird-woodpecker picidae
lesser hairy brome Bromopsis benekenii LC grass poaceae
wood barley Hordelymus europaeus VU grass poaceae
wood melick Melica uniflora NT grass poaceae
wood anemone Anemone nemorosa LC herb ranunculaceae
white helleborine Cephalanthera damasonium LC herb orchidaceae
narrow-lipped helleborine Epipactis leptochila VU herb orchidaceae
wood spurge Euphorbia amygdaloides LC herb euphorbiaceae
woodruff Galium odoratum LC herb rubiaceae
yellow birds nest Hypopitys monotropa DD herb monotropaceae
dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis LC herb euphorbiaceae
fly orchid Ophrys insectifera VU herb orchidaceae
wintergreens Pyrola minor LC herb ericaceae
bramble Rubus fruticosus LC herb rosaceae
sanicle Sanicula europaea LC herb apiaceae
dogwood Cornus sanguinea LC shrub cornaceae
wayfaring tree Viburnum lantana LC shrub caprifoliaceae
field maple Acer campestre LC tree aceraceae
hazel Corylus avellana LC tree corylaceae
beech Fagus sylvatica LC tree fabiaceae
ash Fraxinus excelsior LC tree oleaceae
holly Ilex aquifolium LC tree aquifoliaceae
larch Larix decidua Not listed in GB list tree pinaceae
common oak Quercus robur LC tree fagaceae
yew Taxus baccata LC tree taxaceae

Insects to look out for

These moths, butterflies and beetles are known to feed on plants recorded at this site, and carry a notable UK conservation status — but a host-plant being present doesn't mean the insect has actually been recorded here. Treat this as "worth watching for," not a confirmed sighting.

SpeciesStatusVia host-plant
Oak lutestring
Cymatophorina diluta
Endangered Quercus robur
Maple pug
Eupithecia inturbata
Endangered Acer campestre
Scarce vapourer
Orgyia recens
Endangered Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus spp., Rubus fruticosus
The sprawler
Asteroscopus sphinx
Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus spp., Viburnum lantana
Broom moth
Ceramica pisi
Vulnerable Larix spp., Rubus fruticosus
Mottled umber
Erannis defoliaria
Vulnerable Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus spp.
Satyr pug
Eupithecia satyrata
Vulnerable Galium spp.
Bedstraw hawk-moth
Hyles gallii
Vulnerable Galium spp.
The lackey
Malacosoma neustria
Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Quercus spp., Rubus fruticosus
Pale brindled
Phigalia pilosaria
Vulnerable Cornus sanguinea, Corylus avellana, Fraxinus excelsior, Larix spp., Quercus spp.
Grizzled skipper
Pyrgus malvae
Vulnerable Rubus fruticosus
Early moth
Theria primaria
Vulnerable Quercus spp.
Pale eggar
Trichiura crataegi
Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Quercus spp., Rubus fruticosus
Oak hook-tip
Watsonalla binaria
Vulnerable Quercus robur
Flounced chestnut
Agrochola helvola
Near Threatened Quercus spp.
Light crimson underwing
Catocala promissa
Near Threatened Quercus robur
Dark crimson underwing
Catocala sponsa
Near Threatened Quercus robur
Heart moth
Dicycla oo
Near Threatened Quercus robur
Large thorn
Ennomos autumnaria
Near Threatened Corylus avellana, Quercus spp.
September thorn
Ennomos erosaria
Near Threatened Fagus sylvatica, Quercus spp.
Dusky thorn
Ennomos fuscantaria
Near Threatened Fraxinus excelsior
Autumnal rustic
Eugnorisma glareosa
Near Threatened Galium spp.
Larch pug
Eupithecia lariciata
Near Threatened Larix decidua
Double dart
Graphiphora augur
Near Threatened Quercus spp.
Clay fan-foot
Paracolax tristalis
Near Threatened Quercus spp.
Common fan-foot
Pechipogo strigilata
Near Threatened Quercus robur
Frosted green
Polyploca ridens
Near Threatened Quercus robur
Dark-barred twin-spot carpet
Xanthorhoe ferrugata
Near Threatened Galium spp.

Host-plant data: Cook et al. (2025), Traits data for the butterflies and macro-moths of Great Britain and Ireland, 2024, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology / Butterfly Conservation; and Padovani et al. (2020), Database of Insects and their Food Plants (DBIF), UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (both Open Government Licence). Contains data supplied by UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.

Plant communities

W12 — Beech wood

Fagus sylvatica-Mercurialis perennis woodland

Matches 15 species from the description above: Anemone nemorosa, Cephalanthera damasonium, Cornus sanguinea, Corylus avellana, Euphorbia amygdaloides, Fagus sylvatica, Fraxinus excelsior, Galium odoratum, Ilex aquifolium, Melica uniflora, Mercurialis perennis, Quercus robur, Sanicula europaea, Taxus baccata, Viburnum lantana

Hedera helix, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ilex aquifolium, Betula pendula, Betula pubescens, Carpinus betulus, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Aesculus hippocastanum, Fraxinus excelsior, Prunus avium, Sorbus aria, Taxus baccata, Ulmus glabra, Buxus sempervirens, Sambucus nigra, Viburnum lantana, Viburnum opulus, Euonymus europaeus, Cornus sanguinea, Ligustrum vulgare, Clematis vitalba, Crataegus monogyna, Daphne laureola, Carex flacca, Carex sylvatica, Mnium hornum, Plagiomnium undulatum, Fissidens taxifolius, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Thamnobryum alopecurum, Tamus communis, Anthriscus sylvestris, Heracleum sphondylium, Sanicula europaea, Arum maculatum, Arctium minus, Mycelis muralis, Solidago virgaurea, Cynoglossum officinale, Alliaria petiolata, Campanula trachelium, Lonicera periclymenum, Silene dioica, Euphorbia amygdaloides, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Hypericum hirsutum, Iris foetidissima, Ajuga reptans, Glechoma hederacea, Lamiastrum galeobdolon, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Allium ursinum, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Chamerion angustifolium, Circaea lutetiana, Epilobium montanum, Cephalanthera damasonium, Neottia nidus-avis, Neottia ovata, Veronica chamaedrys, Rumex sanguineus, Anemone nemorosa, Ficaria verna, Ranunculus bulbosus, Fragaria vesca, Geum urbanum, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Galium aparine, Galium mollugo sens.lat., Galium odoratum, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Anisantha sterilis, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Bromopsis ramosa, Dactylis glomerata, Deschampsia cespitosa, Melica uniflora, Milium effusum, Poa nemoralis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Dryopteris dilatata, Dryopteris filix-mas

W14 — Beech wood, Wood pasture

Fagus sylvatica-Rubus fruticosus woodland

Matches 11 species from the description above: Anemone nemorosa, Corylus avellana, Euphorbia amygdaloides, Fagus sylvatica, Fraxinus excelsior, Galium odoratum, Ilex aquifolium, Melica uniflora, Mercurialis perennis, Quercus robur, Taxus baccata

Hedera helix, Salix caprea, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ilex aquifolium, Betula pendula, Betula pubescens, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Pinus sylvestris, Prunus avium, Sorbus aria, Sorbus aucuparia, Taxus baccata, Ulmus glabra, Sambucus nigra, Ruscus aculeatus, Ligustrum vulgare, Carex remota, Carex sylvatica, Luzula pilosa, Mnium hornum, Dicranella heteromalla, Dicranum scoparium, Fissidens taxifolius, Brachythecium rutabulum, Hypnum cupressiforme, Isothecium myosuroides, Kindbergia praelonga, Plagiothecium denticulatum, Plagiothecium undulatum, Pseudotaxiphyllum elegans, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Polytrichum commune, Polytrichum formosum, Arum maculatum, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Stellaria media agg., Euphorbia amygdaloides, Mercurialis perennis, Hypericum pulchrum, Lamiastrum galeobdolon, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Circaea lutetiana, Epipactis helleborine, Oxalis acetosella, Digitalis purpurea, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus repens, Geum urbanum, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium odoratum, Galium verum, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis stolonifera, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Bromopsis ramosa, Dactylis glomerata, Deschampsia cespitosa, Deschampsia flexuosa, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Melica uniflora, Milium effusum, Poa nemoralis, Poa trivialis, Schedonorus giganteus, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris dilatata, Dryopteris filix-mas

W15 — Beech wood, Wood pasture

Fagus sylvatica-Deschampsia flexuosa woodland

Matches 4 species from the description above: Fagus sylvatica, Ilex aquifolium, Quercus robur, Taxus baccata

Hedera helix, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ilex aquifolium, Betula pendula, Betula pubescens, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus hybrid, Quercus petraea, Quercus robur, Pinus sylvestris, Sorbus aucuparia, Taxus baccata, Calluna vulgaris, Rhododendron ponticum, Vaccinium myrtillus, Ruscus aculeatus, Carex pilulifera, Luzula pilosa, Luzula sylvatica, Mnium hornum, Orthodontium lineare, Dicranella heteromalla, Dicranum scoparium, Leucobryum glaucum, Hylocomium splendens, Hypnum cupressiforme, Kindbergia praelonga, Plagiothecium undulatum, Pseudotaxiphyllum elegans, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Thuidium tamariscinum, Polytrichum formosum, Tetraphis pellucida, Calypogeia fissa, Diplophyllum albicans, Gymnocolea inflata, Lepidozia reptans, Cladonia fimbriata, Cladonia squamules, Lonicera periclymenum, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Chamerion angustifolium, Oxalis acetosella, Rubus fruticosus agg., Melanpyrum pratense, Agrostis capillaris, Deschampsia flexuosa, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Molinia caerulea, Poa nemoralis, Blechnum spicant, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris dilatata