The acid grassland of Holy Trinity Churchyard provides a marked contrast to the chalk downland of the surrounding Chilterns. Sympathetic management has allowed the site to retain much of the character of the heathland commons which were previously more widespread in the area, and as a result it supports a diversity of acid grassland plants and fungi. Tony Marshall explains what makes this isolated nature reserve so special.
It is only through a happy series of accidents that this ecologically remarkable site exists at all: a rare example of pristine acid grassland in the middle of the chalk hills of the Chilterns. Although part of the Chilterns AONB it is only 30 miles from London, with all the usual population and transport pressures.