Gernon Bushes

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This is the last remnant of the old Coopersale Common that once linked the Lower Forest to Ongar Park. It has many ancient hornbeam pollards plus some more recent woodland and a network of ponds originally dug for gravel extraction. It descends steeply from the plateau of the ridge across gravelly deposits to London clay lower down.

The gravel workings in the north have developed into sphagnum bogs. In the south two springs rise on the edge of the plateau and their streams descend steep-sided valleys through a series of bogs with large patches of the rare marsh fern. Other notable plants include lady fern, bog bean, marsh valerian, marsh marigold and ragged robin.