Whitelands wood which is shown in green on the above render is in close proximity to the summit of Butser hill which is the highest point in Hampshire. The site resides within an area of varied topography of steep valleys and ridges, which is one of the characteristics of the wood. This can be identified by the closeness of the contours which show the steepness of the valley which descends 160m.

As a result of this topography the summit could be expected to suffer both considerable exposure to cold westerly winds in winter and relatively high temperaturesduring late summer. However, due to the site’s position within the thick woodland the effects experienced on the summit compared to those at the site would be greatly reduced by the density of the surrounding coniferous trees.

The geology of the area is primarily composed of upper and middle chalk while the Butser hill summit is almost exclusively covered with clays - with - flints. These acid elements are present in the upper levels of the wood where Oak, Hazel and Hawthorn take advantage of the lower pH.