Hoad's Wood

{{Short description|Site of Special Scientific Interest in Kent, England}}

{{Infobox SSSI

|image= Etchden Road - geograph.org.uk - 1076454.jpg

|image_caption =

|name= Hoad's Wood

|aos= Kent

|interest=Biological

|gridref={{gbmappingsmall|TQ 952 425}}

|area= {{convert|80.5|ha|acre|abbr=off}}

|notifydate= 1989

|map=[http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271003885%27 Magic Map]

}}

Hoad's Wood is an {{convert| 80.5 |ha|acre|abbr=off|adj=on}} biological Site of Special Scientific Interest west of Ashford in Kent.{{cite web|url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteDetail.aspx?SiteCode=S1003885&SiteName=hoad&countyCode=&responsiblePerson=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea= |title=Designated Sites View: Hoad's Wood| series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|access-date = 8 February 2018}}{{cite web|url= http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271003885%27|title=Map of Hoad's Wood|series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|access-date= 8 February 2018}}

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.{{cite web|url=https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/PDFsForWeb/Citation/1003885.pdf |title=Hoad's Wood citation|series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|access-date= 8 February 2018}}

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.{{cite news |title=Sarah Everard death: Inquest opened and adjourned |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-56442376 |access-date=18 March 2021 |work=BBC News |date=18 March 2021}}

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.{{cite web |title=Illegal waste site in Kent closed down by the Environment Agency |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-67996445}}