|
Conservation
management needs to take account of features of individual woods when
setting priorities and deciding on appropriate management. Some factors
that influence ecology will be size, isolation, amount of woodland
edge, structural diversity, growth stage, amount of dead wood and how
long the wood has been there.
Coppicing
Coppicing
is an ancient, traditional form of management in woods in the UK. It
relies on the fact that most deciduous trees can be cut off near the
base and will then resprout. After a suitable period of regrowth the
shoots can then be cut off again and the whole process restarted.
Coppicing was used to produce firewood, materials for tools and
fencing. Ecologically it produces a light environment similar to that
in young growth natural forest. During the early stages of the coppice
cycle the ground flora is particularly rich and butterflies are more
abundant.
Increasing biodiversity in woodlands
Most
woodland is not, of course, either coppiced or undisturbed old growth.
In addition, most woods are not managed only for nature conservation
but may be expected to produce economic or recreational benefits.
However, there are many things that a woodland manager can do in these
woods to enhance biodiversity. This may include:
• Favouring natural regeneration of native tree species.
• Encouraging a diverse age structure and good shrub layer.
• Retaining some large mature trees as well as standing and fallen dead wood.
• Removing undesirable species, e.g. Rhododendron can shade out natural scrub and ground flora.
• Managing other habitats such as tracks, glades, streams and rocky outcrops.
• Ensuring that other forestry operations have minimum negative
impacts, e.g. not felling too close to streams, not clear felling.
Back to Surveys
|
