My new wood - any advice welcome

[Francis Biley]

I'm new here, so hello all! And I hope you don't mind - but I've got a big 'ask'. I'm looking for any advice and words of wisdom related to the folowing:

I've just bought a wood, the realisation of a dream I suppose. It's EXTREMELY small, perhaps half an acre, on a slightly sloping site on chalk soil, and rather long and thin (perhaps 60ft at its widest). I have a road at the bottom, and the top third is populated by a badger's main breeding sett which is pretty big. Around the perimeter there are a number of sycamore, and in the middle seem to be leggy ash, thorn and hazel. On the ground there is not much more than ivy. According to the past owner, the wood has not really been managed for perhaps at least 50 years, possibly more. This all might not sound too exciting, but the wood is right next door to my house. We have a good selection of birds. I've joined the local Wildlife Trust and Badger Group.

So, what do I do now? Ive been clearing some brambles, taking out some dead wood, building habitats for small creatures (with the dead wood), and have been trying to keep away from the sett.

My aim will be to sympathically increase biodiversity using local plant/trees, and to use the wood recreationally with my two children.

Any advice, please assume gross naivity, will be welcome. Regards, Fran

[RichardKing]

Dont do anything drastic in the first year, you might regret it. Now is the bird nesting season and you dont want to disturb them. Spend the first year observing, getting advice, reading books and then draw up a plan.

[tracy]

Hi Fran, good to meet you. Your little wood sounds exciting! Is it part of a larger wood, or does it stand alone? I think that would make a big difference in the management of it. Such a small area won't want too much doing all at once. As Richard says, it is a good idea to take it slowly and look at what you have. This time of year, it is good to leave stuff alone. Brambles can be a pain, if they are all over but are also so good for insects and birds, so do keep some!

The dead wood is very important for all the insects and fungi and birds too, so as you are doing, you want to leave as much as you can in the wood- standing dead wood and on the ground.

You are also right to leave your badger sett well alone, a precious thing to have!

If you can make it to one of our meetings, we would love to meet you and you can get the chance to chat to other people about what they are doing. If you would like to receive our newsletter, which also has snippets of information, then email me. [email protected]

Have you read Julian Evans book, Badgers, Blisters and Beeches? You can read it online:

http://www.woodlands.co.uk/owning-a-wood/badgers-beeches-and-blisters.php

Enjoy!

[Darren]

Like other have said, do nothing but think and learn. Put some honey on bread and take a chair leave the bread by the sett and just watch the badgers.

[tracy]

One of our SWOG members and wild life photographer, David Plummer, has written a great guide on badger watching

http://www.woodlands.co.uk/blog/wildlife/badger-watching-for-beginners/

[Francis Biley]

Thank you, this is all very useful, and thank you for all the links (I've followed them all). We have lived next to the wood for a couple of years, so have been watching it, and it's small enough to get to know pretty well. Tracy, its a stand alone wood (copse?), with my garden to one side, road at the bottom (country lane really), and pasture/paddock to the other two sides. Ivy covers the whole of the floor of the wood and ? seems to have drowned out most other plants. Bearing in mind that I want to progress gently, and slowly (as non-interventionist as I can really) but at the same time increase biodiversity, is it OK to clear some of the ivy and introduce new plants? I'd be keen on those that can tolerate shade, live in fairly dry situations on chalk soil, and that are native to the local area (Dorset). There is little beyond 'lords and ladies', and two small bunches of bluebells at the moment. Any ideas planting suggestions (and sources of true natives, ethically sourced? - or would you advise against introducing new species?). Thanks everybody, Richard, Tracy, Darren, for all your help so far! Fran

[tracy]

Fran, take a look at the national vegetation classification and the soil types sites, both linked through Peters article (the one on soil and vegetation) that will hopefully help you with some of your needed information.

I am not sure about the ivy on the ground, we have a similar problem in our area and I am sure it must be habitat for something, but you are right that it stops all other plants... moderation needed I guess!

[RichardKing]

I remember reading somewhere (possibly in Rackham) that woodland dominated by ivy can be characteristic of a relatively recently planted wood and as you suggest a lack of diversity of species. Probably worth talking to local naturalists and research the woods history by looking at old maps.

[RichardKing]

The 2003 edition of Ancient Woodland by Oliver Rackham page 95 (Ivy) "carpets the ground in all kinds of secondary woodland, of which it is highly characteristic"

[Francis Biley]

Thank you again for all this. All I know at the moment is that the land was bought perhaps 65 years ago by the current vendor's father (the vendor is in his 70s now). I'm wondering that it may not be 'real' woodland at all (whatever that means), just a bit of ?scrub type land that has been left alone and has been naturally populated by mostly sycamore and etc. I suppose there is no problem with that, I'll make it into a nice (nicer) little reserve. I will certainly go and look at old maps and etc, great idea, close by I have the Dorset County Archive, I'll see what they have. Thanks! And thanks Tracy for that link as well! Appreciate it.