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Wednesday, 24 February 2010

Indoor Meetings - Ancient Woodlands by Andrew Cleave

I thought this a masterly exposition by an expert on the subject. Hotfoot from a holiday in India, Andrew took us on a pictorial journey covering our ancient woodlands through the seasons. The main message was the interdependency of flora and fauna. Such relationships are paramount for woodland ecosystems to flourish. Coupled with the fact that the way we have treated our inherited forests, especially in recent times, has been and still is quite appalling, the talk also provided us with a timely reminder of the precarious state of some of our native countryside. The Woodland Trust is doing its best, but Andrew told us that we are the third least wooded country in Europe and much needs to be done if we are to save what we have left of these magnificent sites for future generations.

Ancient woodlands are characterised, we heard, not by the neat rows of trees so beloved by the Forestry Commission, but by a higgledy piggledy arrangement of coppiced species such as oak and hazel. None of your gnarled old oaks here. Coppicing leads to the development of multi-trunked bases which, in the case of hazel at least, can prolong its lifespan to 600 years or more. The wall-to-wall carpet of bluebells sometimes found with oak trees, an effect which can take up to 200 years to develop, said Andrew, is also a good indicator of an ancient woodland. Wood sorrel and wood anemone (the windflower) again provide evidence of a long-standing presence since their spread by runners is quite slow. And talking of flowers, it was refreshing to hear of Gilbert White, the famous eighteenth century naturalist from Selborne in Hampshire. He it was who first discovered that primroses could exist either as pin-eyed or thrum-eyed varieties.

There was good mention of woodland birds: blackcaps; long-tailed tits; nuthatches; treecreepers; and willow tits (who like to excavate rotten tree stumps for their nests) to name but a few. Even the song thrush is happy in a woodland environment. Likewise butterflies. We were advised not to cut down sallow because it is a source of food for caterpillars of the gorgeous purple emperor. Similarly, larvae of the white admiral live on honeysuckle whilst caterpillars of the silver-washed fritillary (the "woodman's companion") enjoy violet leaves. We heard too of another true woodland butterfly, the purple hairstreak, which may be seen in mid-summer in sunny clearings. And I should not omit the references to woodlice or slugs which are all woodland lovers.

I was surprised to learn that the small palmate newt, toads and frogs can be found in woods far away from ponds; they are terrestrial creatures for much of their lives. And log piles and bramble bushes are places where the pygmy shrew, the yellow-necked mouse and the wood mouse (the long-tailed field mouse) can be found. Andrew said that the harvest mouse (our smallest mouse) has reverted to woodland and that the dormouse relies on ancient woodland to survive. The bank vole and the short-tailed field vole so sought after by tawny owls and kestrels are creatures of the woods as well.

Finally, Andrew briefly reviewed the history of Bramley Frith, the ancient woodland where he was the former Head of the (now closed) Environmental Education Centre and whose forerunner was mentioned in the Doomsday Book. From thence it was passed to Pamber Priory where it remained until the Dissolution of the Monasteries when it came under the wing of Queens College, Oxford. All these owners looked after the place well. Now under the control of the National Grid, however, trees are being cut down and the ground covered with concrete with little apparent care for the past or their future. A sad ending for what to Andrew has clearly been an old friend.

Brian Shreeve