Editing Beech (section)

=== Britain and Ireland ===
''[[Fagus sylvatica]]'' was a late entrant to Great Britain after the last glaciation, and may have been restricted to basic soils in the south of England. Some suggest that it was introduced by Neolithic tribes who planted the trees for their edible nuts.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://linnaeus.nrm.se/flora/di/faga/fagus/fagusylv.jpg |title= Map|website=linnaeus.nrm.se |format=JPG|access-date=2019-08-07}}</ref> The beech is classified as a native in the south of England and as a non-native in the north where it is often removed from 'native' woods.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.forestry.gov.uk/newsrele.nsf/WebPressReleases/1A301105A92950FE80257012002508A0 |title=International Foresters Study Lake District's greener, friendlier forests |publisher=Forestry Commission |access-date=4 August 2010 |archive-date=28 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100128215333/http://www.forestry.gov.uk/newsrele.nsf/WebPressReleases/1A301105A92950FE80257012002508A0 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Large areas of the [[Chilterns]] are covered with beech woods, which are habitat to the [[common bluebell]] and other flora. The [[Cwm Clydach National Nature Reserve]] in southeast Wales was designated for its beech woodlands, which are believed to be on the western edge of their natural range in this steep limestone gorge.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ccw.gov.uk/landscape--wildlife/protecting-our-landscape/special-landscapes--sites/protected-landscapes/national-nature-reserves/cwm-clydach.aspx |title=Cwm Clydach |publisher=Countryside Council for Wales Landscape & wildlife |access-date=4 August 2010 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100925090500/http://www.ccw.gov.uk/landscape--wildlife/protecting-our-landscape/special-landscapes--sites/protected-landscapes/national-nature-reserves/cwm-clydach.aspx |archive-date=25 September 2010 }}</ref>

Beech is not native to Ireland; however, it was widely planted in the 18th century and can become a problem shading out the native woodland understory.

Beech is widely planted for hedging and in deciduous woodlands, and mature, regenerating stands occur throughout mainland Britain at elevations below about {{convert|650|m|ft|-2|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite book |first1=C.D. |last1=Preston |first2=D. |last2=Pearman |first3=T.D. |last3=Dines |title=New Atlas of the British Flora |publisher=Oxford University Press |location= |date=2002 |isbn=978-0-19-851067-3 |pages= |url=}}</ref> The tallest and longest hedge in the world (according to ''[[Guinness World Records]]'') is the [[Meikleour Beech Hedges|Meikleour Beech Hedge]] in [[Meikleour]], [[Perth and Kinross]], Scotland.