Northaw Great Wood
 | |||||||||||||||||||||
The wood was once an enormous area of common land stretching across most of the parish of Northaw. It would have been used to graze livestock, gather wood fuel and feed pigs. Its importance to biodiversity, therefore, lies in its history as wood pasture common - not as woodland. In the 1950s and 60s it had populations of open woodland habitat birds, such as nightingale, tree pipit, wood warbler and redstart. Canopy closure has led to a complete disappearance of these species. However, many visitors still come to enjoy the trails, the spectacular autumn colour and the chance of seeing a wide range of woodland wild life, including fungi and butterflies. Dead trees left in a glade for wildlife with spring flowering gorse . Standing dead trees are an important habitat. Access is off The Ridgeway, Cuffley. Additional facilities include a large car park and toilets, which close at 5pm in the winter and 6pm in the summer. Woodland Management Update Between 2005 and 2012, rhododendron has been removed from the wood, leaving only a small area around the car park. Rhododendron is an invasive non-native shrub that smothers the growth of all other woodland vegetation. Over 12 hectares of woodland have now been restored to open glades where heather and other rare plants of heath and wood pasture have regenerated Admission: Admission is free! Opening Times: 9am to dusk. Car park and toilets close at 5pm in the winter and 6pm in the summer. | |||||||||||||||||||||