Blog - beech

British hedges ( in woodlands, gardens and farms)

British hedges ( in woodlands, gardens and farms)

by Angus, 12 October, 2012, 5 comments

We British like our hedges - perhaps it's part of the British reserve, keeping people at arms' length, or maybe it's because they are very functional for keeping stock in fields and marking boundaries. For wildlife, hedgerows have long been important avenues of local migration and hedges represent their own distinct habitat. The attitude of the authorities towards hedges has undergone a roller coaster ride over the last 50 years. In the 1970s, the government were paying grants for the removal of hedges with the objective of encouraging the creation of larger fields to make agriculture more efficient - these were bad times for conservation - Oliver Rackham describes these as "the locust years". More recently grants have been available for planting hedges and their unauthorised removal in the countryside has become a criminal offence with the Hedgerow Regulations of 1997. Read more...

A 'SWOG' visit to Ferriby Wood

A ‘SWOG’ visit to Ferriby Wood

by Dan, 27 May, 2012, 0 comments

On a beautifully hot and sunny May day, Mike welcomed a group of existing and potential woodland owners to Ferriby Wood, in the Yorkshire Wolds. The purpose of the gathering was to share experiences of woodland ownership. Folks met at his clearing where a fire was burning and the kettle was on. After a cup of tea and an introductory chat, we set off on a guided tour. Mike showed us how he has been managing his woodland in the five years since he bought it, looking first at a small section of coppiced ash. He explained that he has been selling the poles to his local allotment association for use as bean poles, Read more...

Lath Wood

Lath Wood

by Robert S, 12 February, 2012, 2 comments

My wife and I decided on the purchase of a small wood a few years ago. We were able to research financial, legal and physical practicalities on-line and www.woodlands.co.uk was the most useful site in our search for a suitable wood. We visited nine or ten woods across the South of England, from Devon in the West to Kent in the East. We were looking for a wood between 3 and 6 acres up to a spend of about £40K. Some people spend as much on a car, whilst for us non-drivers - a wood is a much better, permanent investment, especially when financial products are looking risky. But we weren’t just looking for somewhere to bank money but a place of natural beauty and quietude to enjoy and preserve. Our wood had to be accessible from London by public transport but still a rural gem away from built habitation. We were ideally looking for a bluebell wood with a good mix of tree cover -- not a conifer plantation. Read more...

Ancient woodland

Ancient woodland

by Chris, 24 November, 2010, 4 comments

In the U.K. about 11.8% of the land is covered by forest, (Thomas and Packham, Ecology of Woodlands and Forests). The amount of ancient woodland, within this, is very low. Ancient woodland is also fragmented and dispersed. Ancient woodland is a term that is applied to areas where trees have been present in the landscape for many hundreds of years, not necessarily as great continuous tracts but as discrete plots or areas. Read more...

Mast and Mast Years

Mast and Mast Years

by Chris, 28 November, 2008, 5 comments

Mast is the ‘nut crop’ of the beech tree (Fagus sylvatica), but, in a broader sense, is the production of an enormous number of seeds. And the phenomenon is not restricted to beeches.It can also been seen in oaks, firs, spruces and pines.Such species are said to have ‘mast years’ and in such years it is basically impossible for animals to eat all the seeds ("predator satiation") so many seeds survive to the following spring and germinate. Read more...

Damage by Grey Squirrels

Damage by Grey Squirrels

by Mike Thompson, 31 October, 2006, 14 comments

The grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) is found throughout England, Wales and parts of Scotland. It was introduced between 1876 and 1930 from the States/Canada, probably on a number of occasions. In many parts of the UK they have displaced the native Red Squirrel. Grey squirrels eat an amazing variety of food – bark, buds, flowers, nuts, berries, seeds and fruit from many different species of shrubs and trees (and therein lies the problem). Read more...

Dead wood and stag beetles

Dead wood and stag beetles

by Chris, 4 July, 2006, 3 comments

Dead and decaying wood forms an important part of any tree or woodland. In the past, dead branches and trees in woodland might have been taken for a sign of neglect or a poorly managed wood; it was regarded as a possible source of disease or ‘rubbish’ that needed to be tidied away. However, dead wood, whether it is part of a living tree or lying on the woodland floor, should be regarded as a resource that contributes to the diversity of the flora and fauna. As wood decays, it offers a series of different microhabitats. It has been estimated that dead and decaying wood can offer a home to some 1800 species. Read more...

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