Editing Ashdown Forest (section)

==Statutory designations==
Ashdown Forest is an area of European ecological importance. It is designated by the UK government as a [[Site of Special Scientific Interest]] (SSSI),<ref>{{cite web|url=  https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteDetail.aspx?SiteCode=S1001983&SiteName=ashdown&countyCode=&responsiblePerson=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea= |title=Designated Sites View: Ashdown Forest| series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|access-date = 11 January 2019}}</ref><ref name=map>{{cite web|url=https://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271001983%27 |title=Map of Ashdown Forest|series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|access-date=  11 January 2019}}</ref> a [[Special Protection Area]] (SPA),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jncc.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=2052|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060228023427/http://www.jncc.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=2052|url-status=dead|archive-date=28 February 2006|title=Ashdown Forest|website=Jncc.gov.uk|access-date=16 December 2017}}</ref> a [[Special Area of Conservation]] (SAC)<ref>{{cite web|url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteGeneralDetail.aspx?SiteCode=UK0030080&SiteName=ashdown&countyCode=&responsiblePerson=&unitId=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea=  |title=Designated Sites View: Ashdown Forest | series= Special Areas of Conservation|publisher=Natural England|access-date =  10 January 2019}}</ref> and a [[Nature Conservation Review]] site.<ref>{{cite book|editor-first=Derek |editor-last=Ratcliffe  |title=A Nature Conservation Review|volume=2 |page=115 |publisher= Cambridge University Press|location =Cambridge, UK  |year=1977|isbn= 0521-21403-3 }}</ref> 
It lies within the [[High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty]].<ref name="auto1"/> An area of 103 hectares is [[Old Lodge]] [[Local Nature Reserve]],<ref>{{cite web|url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteLNRDetail.aspx?SiteCode=L1009058&SiteName=&countyCode=14&responsiblePerson=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea=  |title= Designated Sites View: Old Lodge, Nutley |series=Local Nature Reserves|publisher=Natural England |access-date= 10 January 2019}}</ref> most of which is managed by the [[Sussex Wildlife Trust]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/visit/old-lodge  |title=  Old Lodge   |publisher= Sussex Wildlife Trust |access-date= 10 January 2019}}</ref>

Though not a statutory designation, Ashdown Forest forms part of the ''Western Ouse Streams and Ashdown Forest Biodiversity Opportunity Area'', and is thus a subject of the ''Sussex Biodiversity Action Plan'', which aims to focus conservation bodies, local government and statutory agencies on work to conserve and enhance the habitats and species of Sussex.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.biodiversitysussex.org/index.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020711170819/http://www.biodiversitysussex.org/index.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 July 2002|title=Sussex Biodiversity Action Plan|date=11 July 2002|access-date=30 March 2019}}</ref>

The areas covered by the statutory designations are not identical to and are generally larger than the area of forest administered by the conservators. The SSSI covers {{convert|3144|ha|sqmi|1}}, mainly because, in addition to the forest land covered by the conservators, it also includes the Ministry of Defence's Pippingford Park Dry Training Area, accounting for 11% ({{convert|346|ha|sqmi|1}}) of the SSSI, Hindleap Warren, Broadstone Warren and Old Lodge, which covers {{convert|76|ha|sqmi|1}}. The SPA covers {{convert|3207|ha|sqmi|1}} while the SAC covers {{convert|2729|ha|sqmi|1}}.