Combined with the adjacent Dulwich Wood, Sydenham Hill Wood forms the largest remaining tract of the old Great North Wood which once stretched from Deptford to Selhurst. In the 1870's large Victorian villas with extensive gardens were established on Sydenham Hill and the wood is now a unique mix of old woodland, Victorian garden survivors and recent woodland. The wood is home to over 200 species of trees and flowering plants including wild garlic, early dog violet and bugle. A multitude of fungi, rare insects, birds and elusive woodland mammals are also present. The Trust began managing the wood in 1982, and with determined support of local people it remains a valuable reserve for the continued benefit of wildlife and people. Cox's Walk is an old avenue lined with oaks that support nuthatch and green woodpecker.