Austin Spanners

Absolutely. There's no need to rush, as the wood has taken many centuries to evolve. Another year or two isn't going to make any difference. Where as 1 hour of ill-informed but well intentioned work can be disasterous. The nearby pond will have an important role to play on the diversity your wood & likewise your wood is important to the pond. It's all interconnected man!

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

Hi Backpain, I've arrived at your post a bit late. You've had lots of sound suggestions regarding all manner of things (inc Tea Leoni ) I'd like to stick my oar in though. One of the main priciples of AW management is the management of light. AW should be seen as one organism with equal importance given to the ground flora - for it is this, as much as the grand old trees, fungi and fauna, that distinguishes it from secondary woods. Without having first seen the wood through all the seasons, you can't really get a handle on what is present. I've seen well-intentioned work eradicate colonies of sorrel, herb-paris and anemonies by the rapid spread of bramble and bracken after the opening of the canopy These are particularly virulent here in the south-east and may not be an issue to you. Be certain, as far as practical, that you are aware of what is present at your site. In addition, how does it relate, or link, with neighbouring woods (if any) as this will have a bearing on the more mobile species. Enlist the help of your local wildlife trust (or similar organisations) to see what info they have about rare, uncommon and vulnerable species in your area. And most importantly; be clear in your aims. The three you mentioned are all compatible with time and effort but do you have the time to patrol and police the site once the public are in? As stated before, get reading and have fun.

Thanks hamadryad, will do.

Hi, just a quick note to make all you wood type folk of this years Surrey Hills Wood Fair. To be held at Birtley House, Bramley, Nr Guildford on 6th & 7th October. Check the website if you fancy having a stall or just having a nose about. Wix.com New template created by birtleyhouse based on nature-com Cheers

Replied, Cheers

Hi Jon thanks for getting in touch. There are many woodlands within the Caterham area that are of interest. Obviously those on the north downs but also others north of Godstone, Westerham, Marden Park, Woldingham and Netherne-on-the-Hill for example. I have a map of your area that shows ancient woodlands and PAWS, if you could contact me by email I could forward this to you. [email protected] Thanks again & cheers for now Sean

Hi all, I've recently been appointed as the woodlands advisor for the Surrey Hills Area of Oustanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The main purpose of my role is to identify owners of PAWS (plantations on ancient woodland sites) within, or close to the AONB area, to offer advice regarding management, grant availability and suitable contractors and produce forest plans. In addition, where practicable, to contribute to the wood fuel chain here in the Surrey Hills. If you live, work and/or own a woodland (or know of an undermanaged woodland) then pm me. I'm keen to get the woods managed by putting the owners in touch with the contractors to meet the aims of management for biodiversity and usable produce. Cheers

Hi just thought I'd make you aware of a website that I use as part of my work as a woodlands advisor. Its myForest • serving Britain's Wood Community It is a great resource for woodland owners/ managers and contractors. I stress that I am in no way associated to the site, I just use it as part of my work. It is a free, multi-functional site which allows mapping of woodlands, recording inventories of species, marketing of produce and creating management and forest plans. In addition there is a comprehensive list of businesses, wood products and suppliers. It also has an increasing section of Woodland management resources and links. As I say, it's nowt to do with me but I thought it'd be worth a look if you've not already seen it. Cheers

Great thread, I would like to add my own experience. Not very interesting but may be of interest from a non-arborist point of view. I managed a 300 acre beech woodland on the north downs for nearly 20 years. The site is well used by the public, being both a public open space and Local Nature Reserve. The woodland was hit hard by the hurricanes of 1987 and '91 with some compartments losing 100% of the mature beech. Those trees that remained had, in the main, sustained some damage from falling adjacent trees. My intention, at that time, was to retain as many of the remaining mature trees as possible. This meant managing the public, rather than the trees. It was important to be able to move paths away from trees in decline, standing dead trees and those with suspect limbs. Now, the point I'm labouring towards here is; many remaining trees became hosts to a variety of fungus, with meripilus being particularly obvious. Of particular interest were three large Georgian boundary trees ( I will include pics when I can find them) all within 50 yards of each other, each with large merip bodies around the base. One of the fruit bodies so large that it became of local interest. These trees are all situated on thin soil above chalk. There was an adjacent bridleway (later moved away from trees). However only one of these trees failed, the other two remaining are there today, with merip fruiting regularly. The merip fruits are however, declining in size due, I suspect, to the reduction of available nutrient material. The way I see it, having watched this woodland over many years, is like this; trees are like people. There is not one panacea that suits them all. All the trees growing, growing in the same medium, affected by the same pathogen are not going to behave in the same manner, despite the fact that they are all connected. There can only ever be a general rule in terms of its physiology etc.. Unfortunately, few people/organisations are prepared to throw cash at tree retention/ preservation allied to the knee jerk reaction that follows H&S in this blame riddled culture we now find ourselves operating. Now, in 2005, I left this site and now inspect trees across all our sites and my desire to retain old trees has waned somewhat. I now suffer from a little known psychological disorder known as Tree Paranoia and willingly condem a tree where the target is immovable.

Cool banana's

Sad to say it was - this was on NT land and they couldn't have anything around that somebody may get a splinter from.

Hi, I thought that the Appreciation Society would appreciate this. This is one of our Defenders having a rest after being put through it paces on a fairly gentle slope in the hands of a rough-handed ranger type. Sad to note, that since this pic was taken, we no longer have LR's but get to drive Nissan Navara's on flat ground only> All logo's and number removed to protect the guilty.

Absolutely, the wind versus the roots - a draw

Her's one from way back in '91. Shows the power of dear ol' Mother Nature. This was up at Box Hill, Surrey. I discovered it after a jolly good blow in the woods (a la Rainbow vid). I was mighty impressed by the forces at work here - the crown must've been some sail.

I say, this really has gone to farm - it's all bullocks.

Have you tried it on your calves?

Hi David, from what I remember of the site, it's a sandy loam, probably on the slightly acidic side of neutral. I know what you mean about photo's - eternally unreliable, particularly when they are not terribly clear. Thanks for looking anyway.

Thanks fluffy bunny, I think that too but am a little confused. I shall ask the ranger chap to check for rings under the cap. Cheers

I say! volva, ring, cap and stem....... Seems like I've been diverted to a Carry On forum. I bet I get a response from Ivor Biggun next. Thanks for your response, I will get the chap to check his ring.