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Special Areas of Conservation

Windsor Forest and Great Park

Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Country England
Unitary Authority Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, Surrey, East and West Sussex
Centroid* TQ023784
Latitude 51.43555556
Longitude -0.623333333
SAC EU Code UK0012586
Status Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Area (ha) 1680.18
* This is the approximate central point of the SAC. In the case of large, linear or composite sites, this may not represent the location where a feature occurs within the SAC.
Location of Windsor Forest and Great Park SAC

General site character

  • Inland water bodies (Standing water, Running water) (0.5%)
  • Dry grassland, Steppes (4.5%)
  • Mixed woodland (95%)

Download the Standard Data Form for this site (PDF <100kb)

Note When undertaking an appropriate assessment of impacts at a site, all features of European importance (both primary and non-primary) need to be considered.

Annex I habitats that are a primary reason for selection of this site

  • 9190 Old acidophilous oak woods with Quercus robur on sandy plains

    Windsor represents old acidophilous oak woods in the south-eastern part of its UK range. It has the largest number of veteran oaks Quercus spp. in Britain (and probably in Europe), a consequence of its management as wood-pasture. It is of importance for its range and diversity of saproxylic invertebrates, including many rare species (e.g. the beetle Lacon querceus), some known in the UK only from this site, and has recently been recognised as having rich fungal assemblages. Windsor Forest and Great Park has been identified as of potential international importance for its saproxylic invertebrate fauna by the Council of Europe (Speight 1989).

Annex I habitats present as a qualifying feature, but not a primary reason for selection of this site

Annex II species that are a primary reason for selection of this site

  • 1079 Violet click beetle Limoniscus violaceus

    Violet click beetle Limoniscus violaceus was first recorded at Windsor Forest in 1937. The site is thought to support the largest of the known populations of this species in the UK. There is a large population of ancient trees on the site, which, combined with the historical continuity of woodland cover, has resulted in Windsor Forest being listed as the most important site in the UK for fauna associated with decaying timber on ancient trees (Fowles, Alexander & Key 1999). The site was also identified as of potential international importance for its saproxylic invertebrate fauna by the Council of Europe (Speight 1989).

Annex II species present as a qualifying feature, but not a primary reason for site selection

  • Not Applicable

Many designated sites are on private land: the listing of a site in these pages does not imply any right of public access.