Ancient Woodland

[Fungus]

'natural balance' ... our ancient woodlands evolved BECAUSE of man (and woman) using the timber and timber products. Surely we should still be doing this but using our greater knowledge to protect vulnerable flora and fauna.

 

Where has the before given viewpoint on the natural dynamics of forest ecological (re)development of ancient woodland and the role the mycoflora plays in the life cycles of its different tree species specific ecosystems gone ?

[Backpain]

What's the view on elm? It's rampant around here and suckers everywhere but never gets to be big trees due to ded. It's mostly hedgerow but seems to thrive as a pioneer species on rough land. I kind of see it as a pain as it never gets anywhere.

 

We have a couple of large Elms and a group of smaller ones. Any suggestions why they seem not to have ded.

[Backpain]

Ah, a beard is one thing but to do it properly you've just gotta have sandals too

 

I'm now the proud owner of a copy of Managing Native Broadleaved Woodland for the FC.....I also have about 5 days itchy growth on my chin with no plan to remove until the weather breaks. Unable to locate my favourite pair of JC sandles...interigated wife regarding charity shop donations but she's pleading the 5th.

 

Heavy stuff but its all in a good cause.

[Backpain]

Just wanted to revisit my AW thread with regards to brambles. We've got large areas of bluebell but there's lots of brambles. Anyone know the best way to tackle these. I was going to wait for the bluebells to die back and try pulling them out (the brambles) or even use a brush cutter

[Stereo]

Hard work with a brush cutter. Harder than you might imagine.

 

Seems to me they dislike shade so my plan with our bramble patch is to mow clearings and put in some poplars which should provide shade in a few years. Then we will put in some slower broad leaves and eventually take out the pops for fuel.

[Mycoman]

Could patches of bramble act as nurse to tree seedlings? If you strim, who knows what else you might take out? I've got patches of brambles which seem to be receding of their own accord. Might they be fickle users of soil nutrients, once they've denuded a patch that's it? Roe like them (good/bad) and I've got a few bottles of bramble vodka.

[Treecreeper1961]

Just wanted to revisit my AW thread with regards to brambles. We've got large areas of bluebell but there's lots of brambles. Anyone know the best way to tackle these. I was going to wait for the bluebells to die back and try pulling them out (the brambles) or even use a brush cutter

 

Depends on your budget but if you are going to use a brush cutter get a masher blade for it, far more efficient than a standard blade. Once you have mashed them up, dig out the roots.

Don't forget though, there is good value in brambles as soft mass production is vital for small mammals and birds and insects love the flowers. Control rather than eradication.

 

Eventually, the canopy will shade them out if it is contiguous.

Edited April 8, 2012 by Treecreeper1961

[Chilterns]

I am currently running an experiment in our woodland to monitor the dynamics of bramble bloom and decline.

 

A number of years ago a small area of our woodland was opened up due to wind blow and so I felled the leaning trees and piled them up to await a further use but in the mean time bramble moved in and covered over the wood pile. The growth of bramble last summer got me a bit concerned and so I thought that I might end the experiment and hack back the bramble however laziness prevailed and this did not happen.

 

Last autumn we had a bumper acorn and beech nut mast year and so I gathered up pails of this bounty which I then scatterred in the brable patch in the hope that the bramble would act a bit like a tree shelter and especially reign back on the hoovering up of seed by wood pigeons. Of course mice and squirrels are bound to take their share of the seed as well and so I am pleased to report that I have also noticed that there appears to be a localised increase in Buzzards and Red kites flying around and over the woodland and indeed even nesting in some of the high beech trees in the woodland and so I am hopefull that these predators might help to control the rodent population.

 

Last week I inspected the bramble patch and was quite taken aback at the significant reduction in bramble that has taken place over this last winter presumably by browsing Roe deer. I have also seen one of two rabbits which previously did not much like our woodland because of its closed canopy and fairly bare woodland floor.

 

It remains to be seen whether the seeds will sprout and grow or whether these will now be browsed off by rabbits and deer.

 

In truth I think that the eco balance to be found in woodland is very much based on an numbers game where changes in the annual balance of the various factors that affect and influence natural tree regeneration will weigh more heavily than others and hence will affect and direct the eventual outcome.

 

Chilterns

[windfall]

I went at ours with a brush cutter last summer, found that 30 min sessions was best on my arms and it didnt take as long as i thought to get rid of them. When your in the thick of them you will find that there are not actually that many plants!

 

then gauntlets on and spark up a fire...

[Stereo]

What sort of blade do you find best? A tri Blade or a Circular one?