An Idiot's guide to Ancient Woodland management

[the village idiot]

15 minutes ago, AJStrees said:

I am about to start looking after a small woodland and meadow area of about 40 acres on one of the estates sites. It hasn't really had any management for decades. Stuff everywhere. 

 

Getting started is going to be interesting. Mostly mixed broadleaf, not an old plantation of conifers, just semi-ancient woodland untouched and old meadow area that has turned into woodland due to no management. Wildlife levels seem to be quite high which is nice. But lots of laurel and rhodo at the edges, old rocks in there too and pretty steep slopes, maybe it was an old quarry or something, its quite a level change between new and old. One of the old rides has been cleared as a dog walkers route, but that is about it. 

 

Will have to research what the area used to be. 

Sounds like a nice project. Please keep us updated.

[devon TWiG]

 great thread TVI !!   .....lots of useful and relevant information and it comes across that you are loving the work / lifestyle ....I have a small woodland 4.5 acres 75% of which is 30 m douglas firs which I am removing a few at a time mostly to let more light in to allow natural regen and some planting which is working out nicely , deer are my biggest problem , coming from an arb background I did not fully appreciate what destructive bastards they are ☹️

[the village idiot]

1 minute ago, devon TWiG said:

 great thread TVI !!   .....lots of useful and relevant information and it comes across that you are loving the work / lifestyle ....I have a small woodland 4.5 acres 75% of which is 30 m douglas firs which I am removing a few at a time mostly to let more light in to allow natural regen and some planting which is working out nicely , deer are my biggest problem , coming from an arb background I did not fully appreciate what destructive bastards they are ☹️

Thanks Twiggy,

 

Sounds like you've got a fun project on the go too!

 

Deer are a HUGE problem. I'll be doing a post about them and their impact on ancient woodland when I get to the ecology sections.

[the village idiot]

HOUSEKEEPING.

 

Just a couple of quick ones that I forgot to put into previous posts.

 

First one should have been in the coppice products post. 

 

These are some small diameter Elm poles that we supplied to our volunteer group 'Orchard Barn' in return for their hard labour. They were stripped with drawknives and used as rafters for their new craft barn.

 

 

 

No it's not a barn for the vertically challenged, it just hasn't got the walls in place yet.

 

This next photo is an early one from when felixthelogchopper kindly offered his services for a few days in return for some firewood. It shows him bravely attempting to take off a large split branch from an Ash with his pole saw.

 

 

Poor old Felix nearly had kittens when that lump dropped!

 

He may well remember me bending my chainsaw bar into a perfect right angle when a leaning Aspen tree took matters into it's own hands. It may well have been the one in the foreground.

 

[Gary Prentice]

10 hours ago, AJStrees said:

I am about to start looking after a small woodland and meadow area of about 40 acres on one of the estates sites. It hasn't really had any management for decades. Stuff everywhere.

Sounds like the start of a complete new thread of your own.... 

[AJStrees]

7 hours ago, Gary Prentice said:

Sounds like the start of a complete new thread of your own.... 

Yeah probably a good idea. when I get going I will take photos as we progress. 

[Steve Bullman]

19 hours ago, the village idiot said:

Thanks Twiggy,

 

Sounds like you've got a fun project on the go too!

 

Deer are a HUGE problem. I'll be doing a post about them and their impact on ancient woodland when I get to the ecology sections.

Got a friend who is always after places to shoot if its of interest.

[Mark Bolam]

What a thread VI, I'm absolutely loving it!

[the village idiot]

1 hour ago, Steve Bullman said:

Got a friend who is always after places to shoot if its of interest.

Thanks Steve,

 

Do you know if he is qualified, DS1 or DS2. If so I can put him in touch with our head Deer stalker. I am always looking for new recruits.

[the village idiot]

51 minutes ago, Mark Bolam said:

What a thread VI, I'm absolutely loving it!

Cheers Mark, that's great.

 

It feels a little self indulgent, writing all this stuff about what I do. If you guys are getting something out of it though I'll carry on.