Natural Environment

Buckland is a Parish very rich in flora and fauna with rare species and important habitats stretching from the Vale in the north to the beechwoods of the Chilterns in the south. This is supported by the Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Environmental Record for the Parish.

Rare native black poplars are to be found on farmland to the north of the Parish and also in the village of Buckland, mainly around field margins and ponds, some now dry. It is 29 proposed to take every opportunity for more of these rare trees to be planted in the Vale section of the Parish. Hares, badgers, muntjac and Chinese water deer are to be found on farmland from the Parish’s northern boundary to the Wendover Arm canal. The two canals are home to water voles and bats, including Daubenton’s and Noctule bats. There are also bats found within the village: pipistrelles, soprano pipistrelles, and brown long eared bats have been recorded here. Rare white clawed crayfish have been recorded at Buckland Wharf.

The farmland throughout the Parish is home to a variety of birds, several of which are on the RSPB’s red and amber lists such as skylarks, lesser redpolls, fieldfares, lapwings, yellowhammers, teal, pink-footed geese, meadow pipits, stock doves, mistle and song thrushes, cuckoos, redwings, tawny owls. Many varieties of moths, butterflies and insects are also present throughout the Parish. The Chilterns bear witness to other species, with bluebells, harebells, wild strawberries, orchids and wood sorrel. Badgers can be found throughout the length of the Parish, but in the beechwoods of the Chilterns they are joined by polecats and glis glis. This is also home to the Dancersend SSSI. Here are recorded a variety of orchids including rare fly orchids, greater butterfly orchids, birds nest orchids. It is also home to the very rare Chiltern gentian, the rare meadow clary and kidney vetch. This SSSI is the only place in Buckinghamshire where wood vetch grows. There are over 770 species of butterflies and moths, including the chalk blue and small blue. There are over 600 species of fungi here and 390 species of flowering plants and ferns.

It is important that these rare species and their special habitats are preserved and enhanced. This rural area is a very important environment - its canals, open fields, footpaths and woods are very well used and enjoyed by residents and visitors of all ages, walkers, horse riders, cyclists, and many family groups.

Natural Heritage

Scheduled Ancient Monument: Medieval moated site and fishpond, Moat Farm Scheduled Ancient Monument: 2 sections of Grim’s Ditch, an Ironage linear earthwork in the Chilterns

Ridgeway path at Northhill Wood: prehistoric route along the Chilterns The Crong: a hairpin bend on an ancient deep lane with high banks at Northill Wood Dancers End SSSI: developed by the Rothschild family as a nature reserve Northhill Wood: Ancient beech woodland covering steep slopes around Dancers End Valley, with many interesting archaeological features Grand Union Canal: Aylesbury Arm and Wendover Arm: Aylesbury Arm opened in 1815 and the Wendover Arm (currently being restored) opened in 1799