Hatfield Forest is a unique site and one of the National Trust’s most important properties for nature conservation. It is a historic medieval Forest with a large area (c. 200 ha) of wood pasture with hundreds of veteran and ancient pollards. The grasslands are also ancient with undisturbed soils (never been ploughed) and a long continuity of summer cattle grazing. Scrub is also an important feature and is well represented. There are also over 200 ha of ancient woodlands, which include some very old oak coppice stools. Habitat diversity is increased by the small stream, associated wetlands and a more modern landscaped lake. The saproxylic invertebrate community (especially beetles and flies) is of international importance and the fungal richness (764 species) is also of great significance, including several species new to Essex and some very rare in GB.