200 ha of Birklands has been declared as a National Nature Reserve. The woodland is dominated by both native oaks –sessile oak and Pedunculate Oak – which occur in great numbers along with other native trees such as silver birch, rowan, holly and hawthorn. Scattered amongst the bracken-filled glades of the wood are more than 1000 large oaks most of which are known to be more than 500 years old. The most famous of these ‘veteran’ trees – the Major Oak- is the largest of the group and may be nearly twice that age. These oaks owe their shape and character to a time when grazing animals such as deer and sheep kept the woodland open. 

These giants of the forest – each one with its own distinctive character – are host to an exceptional array of wildlife found only amongst the hollow trunks, rotten wood and decaying bark of the trees. An incredible 1000 species of beetle and spider have been found, many of which are rare and dependent on these old trees for their survival. 

For full details visit the English Nature web site - click here