Hoad's Wood is an 80.5-hectare (199-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest west of Ashford in Kent.[1][2]
Natural England described the woodland thus: "This site is a good example of a pedunculate oak-hornbeam woodland on Wealden Clay [comprising] mainly hornbeam coppice-with-standards and oakhazel woodland with some sweet chestnut coppice. There is an outstanding assemblage of insects: moths and butterflies are particularly well documented. The wood also supports a diverse breeding bird community." Birds breeding in the wood include nightingale, woodcock, nuthatch, great-spotted woodpecker and several kinds of tits and warblers.[3]
The site is private land with no public access.
In March 2021, the woodland was the site where the remains of Sarah Everard were found after her abduction and murder.[4]
In January 2024 Hoad's Wood received national attention when it was reported the woodland had become an illegal rubbish dump. Access to the site was blocked by the Environment Agency and a court order put in place to prevent illegal tipping.[5]
