Editorial
THE WILDLIFE OF EPPING FOREST
Despite its close proximity to London, Epping Forest is still home for a
great variety of animal life. Although some species have been lost, a few others
have colonised the area recently. This book is an account of the Forest's land
vertebrates (birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians) and two of the most
important groups of insects. Each section is written by an expert and reviews the
history of the Forest fauna, especially over the first century of its management
by the Corporation of the City of London.
This book is based on some of the papers given at the Epping Forest
Centenary Symposium held at the Epping Forest Conservation Centre in May
1978. Papers dealing with the geology, history and conservation of the Forest
have already been published as number 2 in the Essex Naturalist series. It is
hoped to publish the papers dealing with the plant-life of the Forest as number 6
in the series.
We hope that this volume will interest everyone who loves the Forest and
will stimulate them to help with further surveys of the natural history of the
Forest — work that is vital if efforts to conserve the Forest's wildlife are to be
increased.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The British Petroleum Co. Ltd made a generous grant to help finance the
Epping Forest Centenary Symposium and the publication of the Symposium
papers. The Essex Field Club is extremely grateful for this help, without which
publication of a complete record of the symposium would not have been
possible.
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