Although this site’s exact origins are uncertain, these woods are undoubtedly long-established and perhaps represent London’s most botanically diverse woodland. The canopy is highly varied, and includes both sweet chestnut coppice on higher, drier ground as well as extensive ash-alder woodland in damper areas over London Clay soils. The site is continuous with a more extensive forested area within adjacent Surrey, known as Princes Coverts, which partly explains its ecological wealth.Jubilee Wood is a Local Nature Reserve owned by the Royal Borough of Kingston, and the only part of the site with full public access.
Local Wildlife Site
Accessible Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation
Sixty Acre Wood and Jubilee Wood
Borough: Kingston upon Thames
Grade: Metropolitan
Access: Free public access (part of site)
Area: 22.11 ha
Description
Wildlife
The exceptional number of woodland plants includes many regionally rare species, such as small-leaved lime, the orchids broad-leaved and violet helleborine, early-purple orchid, scaly male-fern, narrow buckler-fern and tutsan. In glades and open tracks throughout the woods are tufted and wood forget-me-nots, lesser skullcap and adder's-tongue fern.Birds resident in the woods include declining species such as lesser spotted woodpecker, bullfinch and marsh tit, nuthatch, treecreeper and sparrowhawk.This is also London's most interesting site for woodland butterflies. Easiest to spot are purple and white-letter hairstreaks, white admiral and silver-washed fritillary. The large and spectacular purple emperor is also here but far more elusive. A special visit to see these should ideally be combined with nearby Ashstead Common National Nature Reserve, which also has emperors. Mammals include many roe deer, yellow-necked mouse at one of very few London sites, hedgehog and several species of bats.Facilities
Information (signs at Jubilee Wood LNR); horse riding.
The Serpent, a willow sculpture at Jubilee Wood © Mike Waite
Coppiced clearing in Jubilee Wood LNR © Mike Waite
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