The Woodlands.co.uk Blog - August 2006
A guide to deer in Great Britain
In Great Britain there are six species of deer to be found in the wild. They are Red, Sika, Fallow, Roe, Muntjac and Chinese Water Deer; the largest being Red Deer and the smallest being Muntjac.
The male of each species have antlers (except Chinese Water Deer which have tusks instead) which are generally grown in the summer and shed the following Read more…
More threats to the horse chestnut
We reported in this blog back in May that Horse Chestnuts were under threat from the leaf miner moth (Cameraria ohridella) and the fungus (Guignardia aesculi). Not to mention the effects of drought!
Now there is another, greater threat to these stately trees – namely Bleeding Canker.
The first symptom is often an area of bark where a yellow / brown / red liquid seeps out. In the spring, this coloured fluid is usually transparent but in warmer weather Read more…
Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness
It will not be long before the signs of autumn are apparent to all of us, especially after such a hot and dry summer. Once again the BBC, the Woodland Trust and the UK Phenology Network are inviting people to help chart the advance of autumn – by recording 6 key species – blackberry, hawthorn, swifts, conkers, ivy and oak.
The collated information will help the UK Phenology Network build up a picture of Read more…
The Lost Elms
Elms were once an important part of Britain’s landscape but in the 1970’s, the Elm population was savaged by a fungal infection known as Dutch Elm disease. Read more…
Wild food
Collecting food from the wild is definitely something to take advantage of if you have the opportunity to do so and I am sure many people have at least gathered blackberries from the wild.
Summer and autumn are both excellent times for wild fruit. These can be munched straight from the plant or made into a variety of puddings, drinks or jams. I have found Read more…
In-wood chestnut centre
Recently, I joined a Royal Forestry Society “day out” which included a visit to a business which is doing something quite unusual and of great benefit to woodland owners, especially those with chestnut coppice.
The Woodland Centre at Whitesmith near Lewes in East Sussex is home to a factory that makes use of small diameter timber sourced locally from deciduous trees (mainly chestnut). The owner of the business, In-wood Developments Ltd, was set up Read more…
Basic campfire cooking
The simplest campfire for your woodlands is made between two fairly hefty logs of wood, preferably cut recently and still “green”, so they don’t ignite. Between these, you kindle your small dry sticks, and larger dry wood. The kettle or pan should reach across the fire and balance on the logs, but it is much better if you have metal bars to Read more…
Bumblebees
Bumblebees are regarded as nice, gentle creatures; even their buzzing has a placid, reassuring sound. They rarely sting and are important pollinators in orchards, on farms and in our gardens. Sadly, however, they are under threat. Many species of bumblebee are on the decline and have been, according to some authors, since the late 1950’s.
Their decline is often attributed to the introduction of intensive agricultural techniques. For example, Read more…