Forest and Woodland
Fair Oaks
courtesy of Chris Blackburn
Compared to the historical extent of Cannock Forest , as described in the Domesday Book, the proportion of remaining semi-natural woodland is small. The most important surviving example is at Brocton Coppice. Here, 85ha of mixed oak and birch woodland, with some heathland in more open glades, contains around 600 specimens of veteran sessile oak trees. Approximately 50% of these are thought to be 200 - 300 years old with some being estimated up to 600 years old. Ancient woodlands, covering 162ha of the AONB, have high environmental value, particularly for associated plants and animals.
Forest and woodlands now cover around 40% of Cannock Chase AONB and includes Cannock Forest - the Forestry Commission's largest holding in the region at around 2500ha - consisting mainly of Corsican pine, with Scots pine , Sessile oak, Silver birch and beech also present.