Sulham and Tidmarsh Woods and Meadows

Sulham and Tidmarsh Woods and Meadows is a 75.7-hectare (187-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest west of Reading in Berkshire.^[1][2] Previously known as Pang Valley SSSI, the site is mostly sandwiched between the River Pang and the Sulham Road and includes Broom Copse, Herridge's Copse, Hogmoor Copse, Park Wood, Moor Copse and Barton's Copse. Much of the southern part of the site is the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust's Moor Copse Nature Reserve. The whole site lies within the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.^[3][4]

Sulham and Tidmarsh Woods and Meadows

Site of Special Scientific Interest
Location within Berkshire
Location	Berkshire
Grid reference	SU 639 743[1]
Coordinates	51.464°N 1.082°W / 51.464; -1.082
Interest	Biological
Area	75.7 hectares (187 acres)[1]
Notification	1986[1]
Location map	Magic Map

The SSSI consists of five areas.

Location	Unit area (Ha)	Main habitat
51.4704°N 1.0828°W / 51.4704; -1.0828	15.24	Acid grassland - lowland
51.4659°N 1.0786°W / 51.4659; -1.0786	15.48	Broadleaved, mixed and yew woodland - lowland
51.4605°N 1.0844°W / 51.4605; -1.0844	27.57	Broadleaved, mixed and yew woodland - lowland
51.4551°N 1.0803°W / 51.4551; -1.0803	7.70	Broadleaved, mixed and yew woodland - lowland
51.4659°N 1.0831°W / 51.4659; -1.0831	9.76	Neutral grassland - lowland

The site is in a broad valley of unusually varied alluvial loams, gravel terraces and peat deposits, resulting from flooding in late glacial times by an enlarged River Kennet. The variety in soils and topography results in a mosaic of damp copses and seasonally flooded meadow communities, maintained here by a long history of coppicing and sympathetic grassland husbandry. The woodland on the site supports a rich invertebrate fauna including over 300 species of moth.^[5]