Hamgreen Wood, a one-hundred-acre site of ancient woodland and grassland between Bicester and Aylesbury, was once part of the medieval hunting forest of Bernwood and part of the nearby Waddesdon Estate. 

Ancient woodland is a very rare habitat in the UK, covering less than 2.5% of the landscape. Hamgreen Wood contains one of the largest remaining examples of ancient woodland in the area and two thirds of the woodland is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

The current owners have decided to sell the woodland, inviting BBOWT to purchase the site and continue their legacy of careful management.

Help us to protect Hamgreen Wood

Steve Proud, BBOWT’s Land Management Director, said:
“Adding Hamgreen Wood to our existing network of reserves in the region will further strengthen and protect the value of the whole area for wildlife. The site has a diverse structure of open grassland, rides and an amazing woodland canopy with a well-developed understory. It’s clear that the current owners have provided very careful management over the last thirty years and we’re excited for the potential to build on their legacy. We plan to further diversify the site by adding ponds, creating a traditional meadow habitat and softening the borders of the woodland to benefit birds, bats and invertebrates.”

The site is particularly important for black hairstreak butterflies, the rarest of the UK’s hairstreaks found only in the East Midlands, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. It is also a key location for Bechstein’s bats, listed as ‘near-threatened’ on the global IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Andy Coulson-Phillips, BBOWT’s Principal Ecologist, said:
“Bechstein’s bats are an incredibly rare species which are confined to mixed-structure ancient woodlands. Hamgreen Wood holds one of only a few roosting sites in the region, and so it is central to the species’ survival in this area. Black hairstreak butterflies are another key endangered species which can be found here, as the mixture of mature and young blackthorn along the old drover’s track creates the perfect conditions for them to thrive. Our Buckinghamshire reserves team has a huge wealth of experience managing woodlands just like this one, so we can bring that knowledge and expertise to deliver great outcomes for the wildlife that calls this place home.”

The Trust has already received substantial pledges towards purchasing Hamgreen Wood and is asking the public to help it raise £300,000 of remaining funds.

The appeal is part of the Trust’s ambitious Nature Recovery Fund, a £3 million fundraiser launched in October 2023 to address the nature and climate crises across its three counties.

Support the appeal

Estelle Bailey MBE, Chief Executive of BBOWT, said:
“When I first visited Hamgreen Wood, I knew it was a very special place – the network of well-managed rides through the wood was alive with butterflies flitting around, birdsong rang out from the trees and dragonflies patrolled the bridleways. We’ve been given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to buy this woodland, and there’s no guarantee that other owners would have the expertise or incentive to provide the same care. We’re hugely grateful to a substantial legacy that covers a large portion of the asking price, and some generous donors have already pledged to support the purchase, but there is still a significant amount that we need to raise. Please can you donate to help us care for Hamgreen Wood and protect some of the region’s rarest wildlife for generations to come?”

To support the appeal and protect Hamgreen Wood for future generations, visit bbowt.org.uk/hamgreen

Help us to protect Hamgreen Wood