An Idiot's guide to Ancient Woodland management

[the village idiot]

Quick update on the Woodland rides as they start their first full growing season since the mulching operation.

 

 

 

They are beginning to green up nicely. Still a bit bare where there was a particularly big tree stump and a heavy layer of mulch but elsewhere the wildflowers are starting to peek their heads through. Up to this point it has been mostly Primrose, Violets, Bugle, Wood anemone, Stitchwort and Celendine. I'll keep you all posted as more appear.

 

The 'zone 3's' between the short grass and the mature trees are filling out nicely. These were coppiced right back but not mulched. The cut Hazel is regenerating well from the stools and we are getting all the gaps filled in with pioneering Birch now that there is enough bramble to protect them from Deer. Apologies for the quality of the photo but hopefully you get the idea.

 

 

These sunny shrubby margins are fantastic wildlife habitat. If you remember from earlier posts, the idea is to mimic the conditions found on the outside margins of the Woodland which are always buzzing with life.

 

The Wood Anemones are in full flower at the moment. They are an Ancient Woodland indicator and one of my favourite woodland plants. If you catch them on a warm sunny day like today the sight and scent is truly life affirming.

 

 

 

[Andrew McEwan]

Great read VI! First thread this length I've read in a oner, ace to see the story and all your work unfold.

I know you've said it's not something for the moment, but I'm certain forestry journal would be interested  in some of your writing, be few more quid for tcf gadgets! Let me know if you want a contact.

[AJStrees]

Excellent result by the looks of it. 

 

I like that you are allowing the bramble to be the natural barrier for the deer. I presume you are not deer fencing around the hazel coppice just letting the bramble do its thing?

 

 

[the village idiot]

21 minutes ago, Andrew McEwan said:

Great read VI! First thread this length I've read in a oner, ace to see the story and all your work unfold.

I know you've said it's not something for the moment, but I'm certain forestry journal would be interested  in some of your writing, be few more quid for tcf gadgets! Let me know if you want a contact.

Thanks Andrew,

 

I hope it didn't take up too much of your day!

 

If you think forestry journal might be interested then by all means send me a contact. I would be keen to promote the concept of a woodsman being responsible for a particular wood/woods full time. It is a system that has fallen out of fashion in recent decades but has some distinct advantages in terms of 'holistic' woodland management.

 

Thanks for the kind words.

[the village idiot]

16 minutes ago, AJStrees said:

Excellent result by the looks of it. 

 

I like that you are allowing the bramble to be the natural barrier for the deer. I presume you are not deer fencing around the hazel coppice just letting the bramble do its thing?

 

 

Thanks AJS

 

I'm not popping the champagne corks just yet. I am hoping we get a variety of 'herby' vegetation coming up in what will be our zone 2's along the rides. If we just get solid grass then the mulching will not have been a 100% success. 

 

I'm confident we will get a variety, but it is still a bit early to tell.

 

We don't fence our coppice compartments. The regrowth usually gets hammered by Deer in the first year but comes good in years two and three as the bramble gets going. This situation would be unacceptable for some but we are OK with it.

 

If we did not get much bramble then I imagine we would be forced into fencing of some kind.

[Andrew McEwan]

A fair bit of the easter afternoon happily spent reading thanks VI, virtual forestry nosy parkering!

I'll pm you a fj contact

[the village idiot]

Are there many of you that are familiar with the Nightingale song?

 

It's a delightful little bird that unfortunately has been in freefall in the UK in recent years.

 

We get quite a few in the Wood each Spring, fresh from a gruelling migration from Africa.

 

For a small bird they can belt out quite an astounding repertoire, particularly noticeable as darkness falls and the other birds tuck themselves up for bed.

 

I took this recording on my phone this evening. It gets louder as I creep closer.

 

You might be able to hear a second male in the background doing it's best to get his love sonnet heard.

 

Hopefully you can play the file.

 

Edit: There's nothing more after 4:40

 

Nightingale 5 mins.aac

 

 

Edited April 26, 2020 by the village idiot

[Mick Dempsey]

Yes I have heard them in Sussex and out here, it’s quite something.

Although now you mention it, not here for a year or two.

Edited April 27, 2020 by Mick Dempsey

[the village idiot]

4 minutes ago, Mick Dempsey said:

Yes I have heard them in Sussex and out here, it’s quite something.

Although now you mention it, not here for a year or two.

Numbers have declined by 90% in the last 50 years!

[Khriss]

10 hours ago, the village idiot said:

Are there many of you that are familiar with the Nightingale song?

 

It's a delightful little bird that unfortunately has been in freefall in the UK in recent years.

 

We get quite a few in the Wood each Spring, fresh from a gruelling migration from Africa.

 

For a small bird they can belt out quite an astounding repertoire, particularly noticeable as darkness falls and the other birds tuck themselves up for bed.

 

I took this recording on my phone this evening. It gets louder as I creep closer.

 

You might be able to hear a second male in the background doing it's best to get his love sonnet heard.

 

Hopefully you can play the file.

 

Edit: There's nothing more after 4:40

 

Nightingale 5 mins.aac 5.13 MB · 26 downloads

 

 

Barclay Square is good for them .... amongst other denizens of the night  ? K