The Woodlands.co.uk Blog - March 2009

Woodland Butterflies

by Steve Wheatley ~ 27 March, 2009 ~ 5 comments

With Spring approaching butterflies are starting appear once more. Peacocks and Comma butterflies, which overwinter as adults (wings closed to blend in with wood and old leaves), can be seen on Spring days. The fast and purposeful Comma often aggressively patrols clearings at about head height, often returning to the same location every few minutes. If you startle one, just take a step back and wait quietly for it to return. Read more…

Discovering Long Wood – a year in the life of small wood – March

by heather ~ 20 March, 2009 ~ one comment

March arrives, and so do the horses. They gouge out the track, and decimate the mosses and liverworts. Rodney spends some time renewing and extending the fence to keep out further visitations. That done, he sets to work improving the habitat by planting some native shrubs along the perimeter. And at last the wild flowers began to reveal themselves… Read more…

The lesser celandine

by Chris ~ 20 March, 2009 ~ 4 comments

The lesser celandine (Ficaria verna) is a woodland plant that is to be found flowering in the early months (February & March) of the year, indeed Blamey, Fitter and Fitter refer to it as “one of the first heralds of Spring”. Its rich, bright yellow flowers can form a carpet under the empty, leafless canopy of woodland, (like bluebells, they take advantage of the light that is available for growth at this time of year); they are also to be found in hedgerows, the sides of streams and churchyards. Read more…

Firewood

by Jonathan ~ 13 March, 2009 ~ 2 comments

According to folklore firewood will heat you three times:

When you cut and extract it,

When you split and store it,

When you carry and burn it.

A wood fire can cook food, act as a focal point, or heat one room or an entire house.

In the wider picture, the careful and efficient use of firewood, a carbon neutral resource, can also contribute to reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and reduce global warming provided it is sourced, managed and transported sustainably. Read more…