What to look for:
The tree species are predominantly Sessile Oak, Hornbeam and Sweet Chestnut, with some Wild Service. It is particularly rich in ancient woodland plants, including Wood Sorrel, Bluebell and Wood-rush.
Accessible at all times. April to June is the best time for spring flowers and woodland birdsong.
Public Transport - Hourly bus service serves Daws Heath Road. More frequent services run along Rayleigh Road and pass the Woodmans Arms pub (400m to the west via Daws Heath Road).

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What to look for:
The wood comprises large Oak standards with sections of Sweet Chestnut and Hornbeam coppice, and Ash, Elder and Hazel under storey. The eastern edge is wet with an open glade and thick scrub areas, while the southern edge consists of secondary woodland of Silver Birch and hawthorn that has colonised the adjacent field edges. The Trust has resumed coppicing and created some open areas to rejuvenate the wood.

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What to look for:
When the site was acquired, the old orchard was very overgrown and the two fields were neglected after being used for a number of years to produce arable crops. Today the orchard has been sympathetically restored, one of the fields reseeded with a conservation grass mix and the other planted out as a new orchard using young trees grafted from the fruit trees in the old orchard and from other local sources.

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This 22 acre reserve comprises of old flood and dry meadows on the east bank of the River Chelmer south of Little Waltham, including a patch of Alder Carr woodland. It was acquired by Essex Wildlife Trust in 1996 with the help of a local appeal and a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. It was also saved as a potential site for the Chelmer Valley Link Road, which Essex Wildlife Trust campaigned against in 2007.
What to look for:

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Langdon visitor centre is set in a stunning nature reserve of 461 acres which comprises of woodland, meadows, lakes and former plotland gardens.

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The Nature Reserve has a 900m accessible circular footpath which takes you through a variety of habitats including grassland and scrub areas; there are wheelchairs available for use from the centre. A Brambly Hedge Wooden Sculpture Trail and our ‘Middleditch’ Wild Play Area are the perfect place for our younger visitors to enjoy being outdoors.

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A warm welcome will always greet you at Hanningfield reservoir visitor centre.The visitor centre is set in mature woodland and offers superb views over the 870 acre Hanningfield Reservoir.

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This 22 acre site was formerly a 'gathering ground' for water from constantly flowing springs and used as a water source from the turn of the century until the mid 1970s. It is owned by Anglian Water, who operate the covered reservoir and treatment works nearby, and managed by Essex Wildlife Trust.
In the 1960s parts of the site were planted with Scots Pine and with Beech and Oak. Between the woodlands lies a valley with semi natural woodland of Birch and Ash on the steep slopes and a partially wooded marsh at the bottom, with a meadow beyond it.

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What to look for:
Hazel is the dominant coppice species in the wood, and Small-leaved Lime, Crab Apple and Rowan are scattered among fine Oak and Ash standards, along with Sweet Chestnut, Holly and Field Maple.
As a result of coppicing, Bluebells and Wood Anemones carpet the wood in spring and there are fine displays of Foxgloves in areas that have recently been cleared.
Accessible at all times. Dogs allowed if under effective control.

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On chalky boulder clay, it has a history of coppicing dating back to the middle ages. This ceased in the middle of the last century but was resumed by the Essex Wildlife Trust when it acquired the site in 1972.
What to look for:
There are early Purple and Greater Butterfly Orchids as well as Oxlips and Wood Barley, which is rare in Essex. Pendulous Sedge grows along the rides.

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