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Trees woods and wildlife
Fungi and lichens
A dazzling array of shapes, sizes and colours. Find out about fungi and lichens, from ancient taboos to magic and medicine.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Porcelain fungus
A glistening white, translucent beauty which fights off its rivals with its own fungicide. It is associated with beech trees and is edible – but only once the off-putting mucus is washed off.
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Blog
Bracket fungi identification: 10 common UK species for beginners
Bracket fungi, also known as shelf or polypore fungi, grow on both dead and living trees. Here we list some of the UK's more common and easily distinguished types to get to grips with.
Amy Lewis • 21 Oct 2021
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Journal
Wood Wise – fabulous fungi
The autumn 2015 issue of Wood Wise explores the fascinating world of fungi, their essential role in woodland and their complex relationship with trees.
PDF (1.58 MB)
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Blog
7 funny fungi names to help mushroom identification
The UK's 15,000 different fungi have a rich collection of fascinating, descriptive and hilarious names. Let’s take a look at some of the more eyebrow-raising.
Charlotte Varela • 06 Jan 2023
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Trees woods and wildlife
Temperate rainforest
Also known as Atlantic or Celtic rainforest, this special habitat is incredibly rare. Its lush conditions are perfect for scarce plants, lichens and fungi, as well as a number of unusual animals.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Deadwood
Dead and decaying wood is one of any woodland's most important microhabitats. Learn more about why we need more of it, as well as the rare and endangered beetles, colourful fungi and other threatened wildlife that relies on it.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Yellow brain
A frilly sign of a witch’s curse, yellow brain is a parasitic jelly fungus that looks a little like a brain and feeds on fungi that feed on dead wood.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Woodland wildlife
The UK's native woods and trees support a great diversity of living organisms. Our species guides explore the wildlife that depends on woodland, from plants and fungi to mammals, birds, bees and beetles.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Stinkhorn
Pungent and a little indecent, some Victorians were so embarrassed by these fungi that they would attack them with cudgels lest any impressionable young ladies might see them.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Beechwood sickener
Toxic, brittle, red-capped. Beechwood sickener is only found in beech woodland and help beech trees take up nutrients from the soil.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Bank vole
Stout but speedy, the bank vole skitters around woodland and dense vegetation looking for blackberries, nuts and fungi. It uses its large ears to listen out for its many predators, such as the fox and kestrel.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Oak trees and wildlife
Our fantastic oaks support more life than any other UK native tree. Discover which species live and feed on oak, from foxes and fungi to bats and beetles.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Candlesnuff fungus
Pallid, petite, a tumour-fighter. Candlesnuff fungi may be small but they are a medical force to be reckoned with.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Oak bracket
Though it oozes a honey-like liquid, the oak bracket has a few less tantalising names. It lives off the heartwood of living trees as well as on deadwood. Also known as weeping conk and warted oak polypore, they belong to a group called butt rot fungi.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Phytophthora austrocedri
Phytophthora austrocedri is a pathogen that infects and kills native juniper trees. Junipers are one of our rarest native trees and an attack from this fungi-like species is a devastating blow to some of the UK’s populations.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Chanterelle
Prized ingredient. Forager’s favourite. Succulent and delicate in flavour, chanterelle is used by chefs the world over.
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Blog
First signs of autumn
Discover when autumn starts and the signs of the season – look for leaves changing colour, autumn fruits and seeds, migrating birds, ivy flowering and incredible fungi.
Danielle Wesley • 31 Aug 2019
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Trees woods and wildlife
Deathcap
Silent assassin and killer of kings. The deathcap has been used as a murder weapon for millennia.
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Woodland Trust Wood
Balmacaan
Lewiston Drumnadrochit
33.51 ha (82.80 acres)
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Trees woods and wildlife
Barnacle lichen
Looking like little barnacles growing on tree trunks, get to know barnacle lichen which you'll find on the bark of living trees in ancient wood.
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Woodland Trust Wood
Portmoak Moss
Scotlandwell
43.59 ha (107.71 acres)
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Blog
Types of mushroom in the UK: common identification guide
Mushrooms (or toadstools) is a term given to the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting bodies that certain fungi produce. Here are nine common mushrooms that you may come across.
Helen Keating • 31 Aug 2017
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Trees woods and wildlife
Charcoal burner
Crumbly, tasty and ruddy, the charcoal burner is a favourite with chefs.
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Woodland Trust Wood
Lineover Wood
Dowdeswell
49.97 ha (123.48 acres)
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Woodland Trust Wood
Crinan Wood
Crinan
35.00 ha (86.49 acres)
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Trees woods and wildlife
Collared earthstar
The star of the show in broadleaf woodland, this charming fungus would look at home at the bottom of the sea..
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Trees woods and wildlife
King Alfred’s cakes
Tiny fire-lighters with an embarrassing story, King Alfred’s cakes are named after the king’s poor baking skills.
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Woodland Trust Wood
Wormley Wood & Nut Wood
Hoddesdon nr Hertford
142.51 ha (352.14 acres)
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Woodland Trust Wood
Wentwood
Llanvair Discsoed
353.36 ha (873.15 acres)
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Trees woods and wildlife
Penny bun
Weighty, fat and delicious with a cap like a crusty, well-baked bun. Penny buns, or ceps, are prized for their taste and benefits to woodland, tree and human health.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Beard lichens
Dripping off the trees in clean-air woodlands, these beautiful bushy beard lichens adorn branches and trunks.
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Blog
7 amazing woodland wildlife walks in Scotland
From otters and ospreys to fascinating fungi and flowers, Scotland's wildlife and scenery are spectacular. Check out 7 of our favourite woods for wildlife walks.
Charlie Mellor • 15 Jul 2022
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Trees woods and wildlife
Jelly ear
Velvety and a little disconcerting, the jelly ear looks just like an ear growing off decaying branches.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Common bird’s nest fungus
Clinging to twigs and branches like tiny birds’ nests, each common bird’s nest fungus looks like a clutch of white eggs.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Oakbug milkcap
Stinky and unimpressive. Oakbug milkcap is a dull-looking fungus that is easily missed in woodland among its more spectacular cousins. It is edible, though is not to everyone’s taste, and is said to have an oily smell, similar to bed bugs. Yum.
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Woodland Trust Wood
Backmuir Wood
Muirhead
56.89 ha (140.58 acres)
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Trees woods and wildlife
Bearded tooth fungus
Tufty and beard-like, this rare and legally protected fungus has a reputation for easing dementia.
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Woodland Trust Wood
Dunollie Wood
Oban
31.88 ha (78.78 acres)
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Woodland Trust Wood
Killaloo Wood
Killaloo
6.71 ha (16.58 acres)
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Trees woods and wildlife
Chicken of the woods
Bright, bold and soft to the touch, chicken of the woods is easy to spot.
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Press centre
From sticky fungi to 007 ducks - 10 amazing wildlife in our woods
The Woodland Trust has compiled a list of ten unique, beautiful and in some cases rather gruesome species in our woods, many of which are under threat.
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Blog
Foraging in February: mushrooms, nettles and early flowers
Even in February, green shoots and early spring flowers are starting to appear. And they’re growing quickly. Here are some spring plants and winter fungi to look out for.
Helen Keating • 22 Feb 2018
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Trees woods and wildlife
Lungwort lichens
Once common and widespread, they're now pushed to the westernmost extremities of the UK due to air pollution.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Wood blewit
Pastel-toned and edible with a magical twist. Wood blewit has a blue to violet-tinged cap and gills when young, with pale pink spores. It sometimes grows in circles called ‘fairy rings’, which can appear overnight and were once thought to indicate that magic was at work.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Brown roll-rim
The brown roll-rim might look innocent enough, but it’s a deadly fungus of birch woodland.
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Blog
Foraging in October: which wild mushrooms can you eat?
Explore the world of foraging with these top wild fungi picking and cooking tips. Here are five edible fungi that are easy to identify.
Helen Keating • 29 Oct 2018
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Trees woods and wildlife
Fly agaric
Famous, enchanting and highly toxic. Fly agaric is the home of fairies and magical creatures and a lover of birch woodland.
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Blog
Why are native woods important for biodiversity?
Native woods and trees support an incredible diversity of life. Find out why protecting and creating native woodland is the best way to recover nature and secure the future of our woodland species.
Karen Hornigold • 21 Jul 2020
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Woodland Trust Wood
Aldouran Glen
Leswalt nr Stranraer
13.11 ha (32.39 acres)
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Woodland Trust Wood
Avoncliff Wood
Avoncliff Upper Westwood
30.13 ha (74.45 acres)
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Woodland Trust Wood
Belhus Chase
Aveley
55.44 ha (136.99 acres)
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Woodland Trust Wood
Coed Cymerau Isaf
Rhyd y Sarn Blaenau Ffestiniog
31.69 ha (78.31 acres)
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Woodland Trust Wood
Credenhill Park Wood
Credenhill
90.68 ha (224.07 acres)
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Woodland Trust Wood
Hainault Forest
Romford
113.37 ha (280.14 acres)
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Woodland Trust Wood
Haddocks Wood
Runcorn
9.46 ha (23.38 acres)
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Woodland Trust Wood
Nidd Gorge
Bilton Banks Harrogate
45.98 ha (113.62 acres)
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Woodland Trust Wood
Old Wood, Skellingthorpe
Skellingthorpe
93.09 ha (230.03 acres)
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Woodland Trust Wood
Miltonrigg Woods
Brampton
63.58 ha (157.11 acres)
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Woodland Trust Wood
Owlet
Blyton
50.41 ha (124.56 acres)
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Woodland Trust Wood
Tattershall Carrs
Tattershall
29.00 ha (71.66 acres)
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Woodland Trust Wood
Priory Wood
Burwell
8.73 ha (21.57 acres)
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Woodland Trust Wood
Whitleigh Wood
Whitleigh nr Tamerton Foliot Plymouth
20.26 ha (50.06 acres)
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Forestry Commission England Wood
Bishop Wood
North Yorkshire
338.03 ha (835.27 acres)
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National Trust Wood
Formby
Merseyside
47.78 ha (118.06 acres)
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Havant Borough Council Wood
Gundymoor Wood
Hampshire
2.96 ha (7.31 acres)
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Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council Wood
Blackrod By-pass
Greater Manchester
2.73 ha (6.75 acres)
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Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council Wood
Haigh Hall Country Park
Greater Manchester
31.37 ha (77.52 acres)
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Forestry Commission England Wood
Kesteven Forest - Morkery Wood
Lincolnshire
166.98 ha (412.61 acres)
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privately owned (open to the public) Wood
Aberduna
Sir Ddinbych - Denbighshire
8.39 ha (20.73 acres)
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Privately owned Wood
Whitrigg Bing
West Lothian
40.20 ha (99.33 acres)
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Privately owned Wood
Westrigg Bing
West Lothian
33.34 ha (82.38 acres)
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Privately owned Wood
Long Wood
Dumfries and Galloway
7.01 ha (17.32 acres)
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Plant trees
Natural regeneration
The UK needs more trees. We plant millions of native trees every year, but planting is just one way to help the UK's woodlands expand. Allowing nature to take its course is also an effective and efficient method of getting more trees in the ground.
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Woodland Trust Wood
Stoke Wood
Stoke Lyne
35.52 ha (87.77 acres)
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Woodland Trust Wood
Great Knott Wood
Lakeside Windermere
42.01 ha (103.81 acres)
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Support us
Endangered wildlife appeal
Nature needs help. Please make a donation to support our life-changing work to plant trees, restore habitats and protect the UK's woodland. Together, we can give wildlife a future.
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Woodland Trust Wood
Brackfield Wood
Brackfield Claudy
26.92 ha (66.52 acres)
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Woodland Trust Wood
Hammond's Copse
Newdigate
29.64 ha (73.24 acres)
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Press centre
Woodland Trust Northern Ireland welcomes Tree Protection Bill
Woodland Trust Northern Ireland has welcomed a Private Members Bill submitted at Stormont to protect trees.
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Woodland Trust Wood
Tring Park
Tring
132.94 ha (328.49 acres)
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Privately owned Wood
Dalgety Bay Community Woods
Fife
22.12 ha (54.66 acres)
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Blog
Is ivy poisonous?
Discover whether ivy is poisonous and learn more about where it grows, how to take care of it in your garden and why it’s a great plant for wildlife.
Kate Lewthwaite • 17 Aug 2021
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Press centre
Center Parcs ancient woodland plans are not warranted
Read our president Clive Anderson's view on Center Parcs' proposals to turn precious ancient woodland into a new holiday resort in Sussex.
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Blog
What can rings and black lines in tree trunks tell us?
We take a fascinating look at tree anatomy and explore the appearance of tree rings and other black lines.
Julia Lock • 29 Dec 2021
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Trees woods and wildlife
Velvet shank
A burst of sunshine in wintry woods, the bright orange of velvet shank fungus is a treat for the eyes on a dark day. Not only are they a cheery sight but they are also edible.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Beefsteak fungus
Sticky and gruesome, beefsteak is a woodland fungus with the disconcerting appearance of a raw cut of meat.
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Blog
Top 10 woods to enjoy autumn colour
Take a look at our top 10 woods to visit for autumn colour, with sites in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Hannah Vickers • 10 Nov 2021
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Woodland Trust Wood
Cwm Mynach
Bontddu Dolgellau
382.43 ha (944.98 acres)
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Woodland Trust Wood
Formonthills
Glenrothes
118.47 ha (292.74 acres)