Encompasses Maidenhead Thicket and the common land at Pinkneys Green and Cookhamdean Common as well as a few adjacent woodlands and the Woolley Firs estate, owned by BBOWT. Some of the estate will remain as farmland, which has entered a Higher Level Stewardship agreement with options to benefit the farmland birds such as Yellowhammer, Skylark and Corn Bunting.
Geology: Chalk in the south with Lambeth Group (Reading Beds) in the north of the area.
Topography: The area is largely quite flat.
Biodiversity
Woodland and scrub: Maidenhead Thicket is largely secondary woodland and tall scrub. There are two areas of ancient woodland next to Cookhamdean Common.
Grassland: There is small area of acid grassland at Maidenhead Thicket. The commons have remnant grassland habitats.
Other habitats: There is remnant parkland habitat at Pinkneys Green. The new extension includes areas of farmland, including hedgerows. There are also traditional orchards.
Access: Most of the area has open access.
Targets and Opportunities: Woodland management, grassland restoration and management. Much of the land is owned by the National Trust providing potential for habitat restoration. Some land is managed by Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust.