Map | Pollards |
Newsletter | Fungi
collection | Events |
What's new |
Volunteers | Where
to go
Disabled access |
Management plan |
Travel | Transportation
Strategy | Contact us
Now regarded as one of the best
examples of ancient woodland in Britain, Burnham Beeches in
Buckinghamshire was acquired by the City of London in
1880, in response to a threatened purchase by residential
developers.
Despite its relatively small size of 220 hectares (540
acres), Burnham Beeches attracts around 500,000 visitors a year,
who appreciate its tranquillity as well as its rich diversity of
habitats and wildlife.
Download a large version of the map of Burnham
Beeches (4mb)
Welcome to Burnham Beeches leaflet (661kb)
The City of London is participating in the 'Million Voices'
campaign which aims to show public satisfaction towards the
country's parks and open spaces through the new GreenSTAT online
system. If you would like to comment on Burnham
Beeches and how well you feel it is being managed and
maintained,
click here to complete the Park or Open
Space version of the GreenSTAT questionnaire.
Stoke Common
On 31 October 2007, ownership of Stoke Common SSSI, which lies
in southern Buckinghamshire between the villages of Stoke Poges and
Fulmer, was transferred to the City of London. The common will now
be managed by the team at Burnham Beeches, who are presently
embarking upon the process of writing a new management plan for the
site. As a catalyst to start this process and to involve as many
stakeholders as possible, a public consultation event was held on
15 December 2007, where people could discuss their hopes and fears
for the site.
Download the report of the event
here (61kb)
Pollarded beech trees
The pollarded beech trees, some of which are 500 years old, are
an important attraction. As at Epping Forest, the City of London’s
management team is working hard to rediscover the lost art of
pollarding, before the ever-growing weight of new branches destroys
the old trunks. The technique, which was never written down, was
devised in the middle ages to provide a regular crop of timber
without killing the trees. Encouraging trial results suggest that
Burnham Beeches’ population of woodpeckers, woodcock, tawny owls,
foxes, dragonflies and some of Britain’s rarest invertebrates have
an assured future here.
The work has resulted in Burnham Beeches being designated a
National Nature Reserve as well as winning several other
prestigious awards. In 2005 Burnham Beeches was confirmed as a
Special Area of Conservation under the European Habitats
legislation.
Newsletter
Burnham Beeches publishes two
newsletters per year which are available from the Burnham
Beeches Office, Information Unit and site cafés OR you can be
environmentally friendly and download a copy from the link
below.
Newsletter - spring 2008 (1.5mb)
Fungi collection
Burnham Beeches is home to a great variety of fungi but picking
is not allowed for the following reasons: some are very rare and
removing them could threaten them further; they provide habitat for
many creatures, including some rare or threatened species; by
removing the fungi you also remove their ability to produce spores
and thus the next generation is put at risk; and with over 500,000
visits per year, if people collected fungi there would soon be none
left in the woods for future visitors to enjoy.
Download the Burnham Beeches fungi
policy (42kb)
Walks, events and
volunteers
Mid week and weekend guided
walks, events and volunteer tasks are frequently held at
Burnham Beeches - please call the office or click on the link
below for the most recent programme. To make a booking call
01753 647358.
We are presently hoping to recruit more Information Volunteers
so if you enjoy talking to people of all ages and backgrounds, love
Burnham Beeches and are able to spare up to 12 weekend mornings or
afternoons a year, please give us a call.
Download the advert poster
here (66kb)
What's On - Spring / Summer
2008 (287kb)
What's new
The regular What's New update
contains articles about current issues and management work on
the site. Follow the link below to see the current
Burnham Beeches what's new or
email
us to request one or more of the previous updates.
Burnham Beeches: what's new (367kb)
Where to go
There are three self-guided trails
for visitors to explore in the Beeches: the Downy Emerald
Trail is the shortest at about 1.5km and taking around an
hour; the Green Woodpecker Trail is about 4km long
and takes about 1.5 hours; and the Historical Trail
is the longest at 8km taking 21/2 hours. The first two are
aimed at families with younger children, whilst the
Historical Trail is probably better suited for more
seasoned walkers. All three leaflets have recently been
updated and reprinted but you can now also download a copy by
clicking on one of the following links:
The Green Woodpecker Trail
(420kb)
The Historical Trail (570kb)
The Downy Emerald Trail (366kb)
Dog Walking at Burnham Beeches
Approximately 35% of the 500 000
visits made to Burnham Beeches each year are by people
bringing a dog with them. On 25 June 2006 the Burnham
Beeches Dog Code was launched with the aim of promoting
responsible dog walking at our National Nature Reserve and as
part of this launch we have produced a new information sheet
for dog walkers. The sheet gives advice on how best to
enjoy your walk at the Beeches whilst ensuring that you follow
all the bylaws. The sheet is available from the Burnham
Beeches Office or can be downloaded from the link below:
Download the dog fact sheet (436kb)
Easy access walks
There are approximately 2.5km (1.5 miles) of surfaced 'easy
access' paths for visitors who prefer a more even surface. In
addition, much of the 5km (3 miles) of internal tarmac roads is
closed to cars. Less mobile visitors can arrange access to this
car-free zone by contacting the office between 9am and 5pm. A full
guide to walks likely to be suitable for people with impaired
mobility and users of wheelchairs, mobility scooters and pushchairs
has been drawn up in conjunction with the Countryside Agency and
the Chilterns Conservation Board.
Download easy access walks guide (206kb)
Help look after
Burnham Beeches
Maintaining and caring for Burnham Beeches is costly, with the
majority of expenditure being funded from private
resources. With growing pressure on land around the Beeches
and an increasing threat from pollution and climate change, we need
your support more than ever before. Although there are now
voluntary car park machines which provide an opportunity for
visitors to make a regular contribution to the Beeches, many people
have asked if there is a way of making a single larger
donation.
From 14 January 2008, we are offering an annual supporter’s
badge, for display either in your car or at home. There are
three levels to allow you to donate an amount that suits you: green
for donations of £10 - £24; silver for £25 - £49; and gold
for all donations over £50. You can download the form here or
contact the Burnham Beeches office to obtain one. You can add
extra value to your donation by 'gift aiding' it using the reverse
side of the same form. Every penny raised in this way is used to
conserve and protect Burnham Beeches for future generations to
enjoy.
Download the leaflet (33kb)
Burnham Beeches Consultation Group
The Burnham Beeches Consultation Group meets twice per year.
Members of the group include people from the local community,
representatives of closely associated organisations and local
authorities, organisations with a statutory involvement in the
management of the site and Officers and Members of the City of
London. The aim of the group is to help to implement the site
management plan to the benefit of visitors, wildlife and the wider
environment.
Download the most recent minutes
here (28kb)
Burnham Beeches
Management Plan
The five year management plan covering the period 2005-2010 is
now complete and is available to download online (see link below).
This version is in PDF format and is bookmarked to allow easy
reference to each section of the plan. It has a detailed work
programme which sets out the tasks required to achieve the
objectives for the next five years and looks to the longer term,
laying out how the City of London intends to define its vision for
Burnham Beeches for the next 500 years. The Appendices are not
included in the PDF but if you want a copy of any of them, please
contact us at the Burnham Beeches Office.
The plan has also been summarised in a short document which
explains the key objectives from the full plan and highlights the
projects that we will be undertaking over the next five years.
The document is in full colour and is illustrated with some
attractive photographs of the site. Click on the link below to view
the summary plan.
The plan was produced by the Burnham Beeches team and involved a
large consultation exercise with visiting members of the public.
This public consultation produced some interesting results and
influenced the final plan. The details of this are also
available on the link below.
Download the summary Burnham Beeches Management
Plan (3.6kb)
Download the full Burnham Beeches Management
Plan
2005-10 (4mb)
Public consultation - what visitors want
(350kb)
How to get to Burnham
Beeches
By public transport
Access to Burnham Beeches on public transport is via buses
numbers 74 and 40. These services are provided by Arriva, First and
Jason Tours. If travelling by train, bus connections are available
from Beaconsfield and Slough (but not Burnham). Full timetables can
be obtained from
http://www.traveline.org.uk
(0870 608 2 608). To view the route from the bus stop in Farnham
Common (marked as 74 on map) to Burnham Beeches please see the map
at the top of this page.
By car
From the M4 follow the A355 north or from the M40 follow the
A355 south until you reach Farnham Common. In Farnham Common, turn
down Beeches Road. Drive to the end of this road and at the
junction go straight ahead into Lord Mayors Drive. Parking is
available in several large bays on your left.
For the location please see
Streetmap or use the
AA route
planner to plan your journey.
Burnham Beeches
Transportation Strategy
The City of London staff at Burnham Beeches have been working
with Buckinghamshire County Council to produce a 'Transportation
Strategy for Burnham Beeches' which aims to deliver real
improvements that will encourage visitors to leave the car at home
and use other, more sustainable methods to visit the site. The
strategy is available either in full or as a two page information
sheet. Both can be obtained via the following links or from the
Burnham Beeches Office
Burnham Beeches Transportation Strategy
Summary (935kb)
Transportation Strategy Information
Sheet (109kb)
Awards
Burnham Beeches has been
awarded a Green Flag Award for 2006. The Award
recognises the high standards achieved in managing an open
space for people to enjoy. It is also an Investor in
People.
Problems?
If you notice any faults - such as damaged signs, fences or
stiles, fly-tipping, excessive litter or obstructions on footpaths
you can report them and track
progress online.
Contact details
You can contact us at the Burnham Beeches Office, Hawthorn Lane,
Farnham Common SL2 3TE telephone 01753 647358 or
email.