An Idiot's guide to Ancient Woodland management

[Terrain Aeration]

On 24/11/2019 at 17:35, the village idiot said:

In recent decades it became increasingly apparent that whilst there is a constant need to plant swathes of conifer trees in the UK, ancient woodland sites are not the place to do it.

 

Ancient woodland soils have built up over millennia, and provide a unique and irreplaceable habitat for a very diverse range of flora and fauna. These soils and there associated biology can only persist for so long under the dense and acidifying cover of closely planted conifers.

 

Many of you have undoubtedly noticed the very different experience of walking through a tightly packed conifer plantation as opposed to a bright, airy mixed broadleaf woodland. Conifer plantations are cold, dark and relatively silent. Well managed broadleaf woodlands or conifer woodlands under Continuous Cover Forestry (more on that later) are vibrant, colourful and literally buzzing with life, whilst still providing an income for the people who work in them.

 

Below is a picture taken in 2000 within the Wood which shows the edge of an area of conifer plantation. You can probably imagine that there's not much life thriving under that canopy.

 

 

Round about the year 2000 the present owner decided that the vast majority of conifers needed to come out.

 

There was a bit of a battle with the Forestry Commission who wanted to remove the conifers in each block gradually. I have some sympathy for this approach, but the Owner wanted them out ASAP and he won through in the end. 

 

Later in the thread I'll show you very good evidence that in this particular case the owner's tactics have been well and truly vindicated.

 

The photo below shows a similar block of woodland as above days after the conifers came out. You can also see the little thatched hut I mentioned earlier.

 

 

The next photo shows part of the extent of the de-coniferisation. We are talking large areas here with no plan to replant afterwards. The owner wanted natural regeneration. A bold move!

 

 

This photo was taken in 2003. By 2013 all but two of the conifer/poplar blocks had been removed, and it's at this point that a local idiot with no forestry experience appears on the scene and blags himself the job of Woodland Manager.

 

 

 

Absolutely spot on. If you can find the history as you have perfect. 
my wood in history was an oak and hornbeam wood. Over the years got taken over by ash mainly. I started thinning the ash which was of course firewood for owner and replanting blocks of oak and hornbeam. 

[marktownend]

On 28/05/2021 at 16:30, marktownend said:

Google search about ash dieback in woodland brought me here, and as someone who is not actively involved in woodlands other than a spot of volunteering here in Wiltshire I ended up reading and enjoying all 63 pages and having to sign up to the forum just to say thanks. 

 

Loved your clairvoyant comment at the top of page 51 on New Years Eve 2019 about viruses...

OK Graham, since I posted this on page 63 just over 18 months ago things have changed somewhat as fairly shortly afterwards I, together with my 3 siblings, bought 4 acres of slightly neglected broadleaf woodland in Hampshire.

 

We're not going to manage it commercially, more as a place for a mixture of conservation, play, relaxation, chainsaw fun, firewood processing for our woodburners etc. Absolutely loving it.

 

I've been rereading quite a lot of this thread this week and realising how much I'd learnt from reading through the first time! Plus seeing how many of the issues you've got are so similar to us, just on a larger scale. So thanks again for putting so much effort into this thread, it's genuinely a really valuable resource. You don't know it yet, but I'm coming to visit you at some point in the future, I'd love to have a look around and bring Hobnobs.

 

And some updates would be great!

 

Mark

[the village idiot]

On 18/01/2023 at 23:46, marktownend said:

OK Graham, since I posted this on page 63 just over 18 months ago things have changed somewhat as fairly shortly afterwards I, together with my 3 siblings, bought 4 acres of slightly neglected broadleaf woodland in Hampshire.

 

We're not going to manage it commercially, more as a place for a mixture of conservation, play, relaxation, chainsaw fun, firewood processing for our woodburners etc. Absolutely loving it.

 

I've been rereading quite a lot of this thread this week and realising how much I'd learnt from reading through the first time! Plus seeing how many of the issues you've got are so similar to us, just on a larger scale. So thanks again for putting so much effort into this thread, it's genuinely a really valuable resource. You don't know it yet, but I'm coming to visit you at some point in the future, I'd love to have a look around and bring Hobnobs.

 

And some updates would be great!

 

Mark

Thanks Mark,

 

Always happy to receive interested guests, especially ones bearing biscuits! Looking forward to your visit.

[the village idiot]

It's been far too long. Apologies to all for the lack of updates. I'll try to remedy the situation over the coming weeks. Lots of developments to tell you about.

 

Here are a few pictures to whet the appetite.

 

 

 

Edited May 8, 2023 by the village idiot

[Stubby]

1 minute ago, the village idiot said:

It's been far too long. Apologies to all for the lack of updates. I'll try to remedy the situation over the coming weeks. Lots of developments to tell you about.

 

Here are a few pictures to whet the appetite.

 

 

I wondered where you got to VI . 

[devon TWiG]

You  seem to have become highly mechanised !!!👍

[the village idiot]

3 hours ago, devon TWiG said:

You  seem to have become highly mechanised !!!👍

Steve and I have been experimenting with lots of different machinery combo's. 

 

I'm sure you all know that feeling of having loads of ideas of how to do things swimming around your head. You never really know what the best options are for your particular circumstances until you actually try them.

 

The two excavators and the big John Deere are not mine. Just borrowed to test some concepts.

[Stere]

How  much each do you sell the hazel rod bundles for?

 

 

 

 

[sandspider]

1 hour ago, the village idiot said:

Steve and I have been experimenting with lots of different machinery combo's. 

 

I'm sure you all know that feeling of having loads of ideas of how to do things swimming around your head. You never really know what the best options are for your particular circumstances until you actually try them.

 

The two excavators and the big John Deere are not mine. Just borrowed to test some concepts.

 

Good to see you back.

 

What's the little black tractor in the first pic? I like the looks of that.

[maybelateron]

Very much looking forward to hearing and seeing more from you again.