So they are rare in the interior of woodlands, even ancient woodlands, but the boundaries of woodlands are one of the best places to look for them.
Other good places to hunt for ancient trees include historic parklands and wood pastures (i.e. places where stock graze the open spaces between trees), ancient hedgerows (e.g. hedges marking Parish boundaries) and the boundaries of commons.
They’re important for wildlife
Besides being remarkable organisms in their own right ancient trees provide habitats for a huge variety of other species, many of which are rare.
Most of these species fall into three distinct groups: fungi, some of which feed off the dead wood, whilst others form special relationships with the trees’ roots; invertebrates, of many groups, but especially beetles and flies, which live in the decaying wood or fungal fruiting bodies; and lichens, growing on the bark of trees.