Wildlife Conservation and Habitat Management
Can't see the bluebells for the brambles?
Woodland is the climax vegetation for most of Britain, and is not only the most structurally diverse habitat, but also the richest in terms of numbers of species. But there is no natural woodland left in Britain and most woodland has been managed or used by man for many centuries if not several millennia. As a result the wildlife within them is adapted to management systems, and our input is often required to ensure that these ecosystems remain in perpetuity. Management is thus usually needed to conserve woodland wildlife, but it has to be carefully matched to the character of the specific woodland and implemented sensitively. We have many years experience of such planning and also of implementing often seemingly quite drastic operations in very sensitive sites, for the benefit of the species they support. We are specialists in the production of timber from SSSIs and nature reserves. The key is to design a silvicultural system that will create the structural mosaic of habitats, and the correct rate of change through time, to suit the species and communities in that particular woodland. The conditions we might try to create to favour dormouse are very different to those that would suit wood warblers. A subtle balance of over-storey and under-storey densities is needed to ensure a carpet of bluebells is not swamped by brambles.
Woodland is the climax vegetation for most of Britain, and is not only the most structurally diverse habitat, but also the richest in terms of numbers of species. But there is no natural woodland left in Britain and most woodland has been managed or used by man for many centuries if not several millennia. As a result the wildlife within them is adapted to management systems, and our input is often required to ensure that these ecosystems remain in perpetuity. Management is thus usually needed to conserve woodland wildlife, but it has to be carefully matched to the character of the specific woodland and implemented sensitively. We have many years experience of such planning and also of implementing often seemingly quite drastic operations in very sensitive sites, for the benefit of the species they support. We are specialists in the production of timber from SSSIs and nature reserves. The key is to design a silvicultural system that will create the structural mosaic of habitats, and the correct rate of change through time, to suit the species and communities in that particular woodland. The conditions we might try to create to favour dormouse are very different to those that would suit wood warblers. A subtle balance of over-storey and under-storey densities is needed to ensure a carpet of bluebells is not swamped by brambles.
We are well used to working with ecologists and specialists in particular groups of wildlife, relying on their expert field observations to guide our silviculture. As important is monitoring of the key species to ensure that the management we are implementing is achieving the aims we have set.