Ancient Woodland

[arbmark]

i can almost guarantee that if the sycamore was eradicated, some diversity would be lost.

People just like things to blame/pick on, they probably read certain newspapers too much. They might even blame it for the state this country is in.

Its here, its got its fans, and aphids, but for above reasons i would aim to keep its presence under the 5%mark. Squirrels (Immigrant Greys!!!)also tend to vandalise it instead of the native species.

Back pain in my book youre on the right lines. For max efficiency, sure paint the holly stumps. If you are going to do it, do it well though, holly does sucker a fair bit. I would pile in small amounts anything chordable and pile up most of the brush to make a dead thicket for birds/mammals/invertebrates/allsorts to nest/hibernate in. If you can leave vehicles/chippers outside it would be better i guess!

[3dogs]

i think we have to face the reality that the humble sycamore is here to stay and in years to come will make up a large percentage of our ancient woodlands. And lets face it the veteren trees that make up our ancient woodlands now are the crappy specimens that had no harvesting value. imo a woodland needs to be managed and worked to maintain its vitality otherwise you will end up with lots of trees suffering from senile decay. i would'nt worry too much about arisings from harvesting, nature will deal with them if its making you a wage and paying for its self it will have a future and one day become ancient.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

i think we have to face the reality that the humble sycamore is here to stay and in years to come will make up a large percentage of our ancient woodlands. And lets face it the veteren trees that make up our ancient woodlands now are the crappy specimens that had no harvesting value. imo a woodland needs to be managed and worked to maintain its vitality otherwise you will end up with lots of trees suffering from senile decay. i would'nt worry too much about arisings from harvesting, nature will deal with them if its making you a wage and paying for its self it will have a future and one day become ancient.

 

would you like to re phrase that regarding the crappy trees! we are talking woodland managment of the ancient variety!

[Christopher Schroeter]

Reading the original post the management aim was Biodiversity AND people visiting (recreation?) AND firewood production. Will managing for all 3 mean compromises in all 3. Surely some of the objectives would contradict each other.

[3dogs]

a bit like care in the comminty, meals on wheels. in the end we all end up on the fire:sneaky2:

 

 

sorry, ill get myself a taxi:lol:

[Jocky]

Theres an ancient woodland that adjoins my uncles farm. It is made up almost entirely of syc and imo holds very little wildlife. No ground flora lots of rhodie. You see the occasional muntie or red, a few jays and the odd great tit but thats about it!

[muldonach]

Reading the original post the management aim was Biodiversity AND people visiting (recreation?) AND firewood production. Will managing for all 3 mean compromises in all 3. Surely some of the objectives would contradict each other.

 

Of course the objectives will contradict to some extent - if you want to maximise biodiversity the first thing to do is ban non essential humans and all dogs.

 

However there is also synergy in some of the objectives - management to increase biodiversity will produce firewood, and open up the woodland for public access.

 

The trick comes in achieving a satisfactory balance

[Christopher Schroeter]

Good answer man, but I'm filling up with whisky and getting more concerned with checking out Tea Leoni on Bad Boys than managing ancient woodlands! I've been distracted!

[jacjak]

I think with any woodland project that you are really passionate about is to to try and keep the general public out. I know if you are proud of what you are doing its it nice to allow others to enjoy it to, but unfortunatly there are always those who will abuse it. iv had kids wrecking lovely hazels stools to make dens and fires, cord wood dissapearing, badger baiting:sneaky2:,people off roading, many people wont clean up after dogs if no ones looking, and people seem to suddenly lose their ability to read signs when in woodland, have had people start walking up to me through the drop zone when im felling

but on the up side theirs no place id rather be even when im not working im there as much as can i feel more at peace there than being at home with my feet up on the sofa:001_smile:

[Backpain]

Absolutely and I think many people feel the same way when they're in the woods. Its all about balance really, we can't keep everyone out because there's public foot paths, but we can neglect some of the mubby access, that usually slow's them down