Woodland provides a home for thousands of wildlife species. This is particularly true of ancient woodland, which provides a home for more wildlife than any other landscape.  

Existing undisturbed for over 400 years, the ancient woodland environment has allowed a unique range of plants and animals to evolve. This now includes 79 globally threatened and declining ones.

Many ancient woods contain species that only like to live in damp shady places where there is little disturbance from people.

But, lots of wildlife that inhabit woodland only reside there part of their time or search for food outside woodland. This is why other habitats such as grasslands and heaths are also very important for woodland wildlife.