Epping Forest

General site character

• Inland water bodies (Standing water, Running water) (6%)
  
• Bogs, Marshes, Water fringed vegetation, Fens (0.2%)
  
• Heath, Scrub, Maquis and Garrigue, Phygrana (3.8%)
  
• Dry grassland, Steppes (20%)
  
• Broad-leaved deciduous woodland (70%)
  

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

• 9120 Atlantic acidophilous beech forests with Ilex and sometimes also Taxus in the shrublayer (Quercion robori-petraeae or Ilici-Fagenion)

  Epping Forest represents Atlantic acidophilous beech forests in the north-eastern part of the habitat’s UK range. Although the epiphytes at this site have declined, largely as a result of air pollution, it remains important for a range of rare species, including the moss Zygodon forsteri. The long history of pollarding, and resultant large number of veteran trees, ensures that the site is also rich in fungi and dead-wood invertebrates.

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

• 4010 Northern Atlantic wet heaths with Erica tetralix
• 4030 European dry heaths

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

• 1083 Stag beetle Lucanus cervus

  Epping Forest is a large woodland area in which records of stag beetle Lucanus cervus are widespread and frequent; the site straddles the Essex and east London population centres. Epping Forest is a very important site for fauna associated with decaying timber, and supports many Red Data Book and Nationally Scarce invertebrate species.

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

• Not Applicable