These woods are temperate rain forests that have been modified by sheep-grazing, resulting in an almost total lack of successful oak saplings in the understorey and an increasingly homogeneous age structure. However, the humidity of these woods and the light from canopy gaps, glades and rides create ideal conditions to support diverse and internationally important bryophyte and lichen populations. Despite the long-term concerns over the lack of regeneration, the importance of these woods cannot be overstated. This type of woodland, with luxuriant cushions of bryophytes covering the rocks, appeals equally to the general public and to natural history enthusiasts.
