Harlow Woods is a biological

Site of Special Scientific Interest A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Great Britain or an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) in the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom and Isle of ...

Harlow Harlow is a large town and local government district located in the west of Essex, England. Founded as a new town, it is situated on the border with Hertfordshire and London, Harlow occupies a large area of land on the south bank of the upp ...

Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and G ...

. It is composed of three woods, Hospital Wood Risden's Wood and Parndon Wood. They are owned and maintained by

Harlow District Council Harlow District Council is the elected body responsible for the governance of Harlow, Essex. Its jurisdiction covers a non-metropolitan district, established under the Local Government Act 1972 The Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70) is an A ...

, and they are part of the slightly larger Parndon Woods and Common Local Nature Reserve. The woods are mainly

pedunculate oak ''Quercus robur'', commonly known as common oak, pedunculate oak, European oak or English oak, is a species of flowering plant in the beech and oak family, Fagaceae. It is a large tree, native to most of Europe west of the Caucasus. It is widel ...

and hornbeam, and other trees include ash, hazel and birch. There are also some elms which are regenerating from coppice following

Dutch elm disease Dutch elm disease (DED) is caused by a member of the sac fungi (Ascomycota) affecting elm trees, and is spread by elm bark beetles. Although believed to be originally native to Asia, the disease was accidentally introduced into Americas, America ...

. There is grassland in ridings and clearings, and ponds and streams provide additional habitats for invertebrates. There are birds such as jays, nuthatches and great spotted woodpeckers. There is access from Parndon Wood Road.

References

{{Local Nature Reserves in Essex Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Essex Local Nature Reserves in Essex