Woodlands.co.uk
Heathlands
Heathland is a threatened habitat. Over the last two hundred years, the U.K. has lost some 150,000 hectares of heathland. There is now only 58,000 ha of heathland left in the U.K; this represents one fifth of the world’s total. Areas of heathland can be found in the High Weald of Kent (Ashdown Forest) and the Breckland of East Anglia. Breckland is a particular type of heathland, being a dry heath. The average annual rainfall is only 600 mm or so and it experiences hot summers and cold winters, together with frequent frosts. Read more…
Motivations for buying woodland
We recently surveyed 149 woodland owners to find out why they bought pieces of woodland, and what they did with them. The full report can be downloaded here but you may be interested in some of the key findings. Unsurprisingly we saw that for the great majority (89%) a love of wildlife was an important factor in buying their wood, as was having a place where they, their family and friends can relax in some solitude (90%), conservation (86%) and to have a source of wood fuel for their own use or sell to others (75%). Read more…
Catching woodland wildlife – on camera
There is a lot going on in the woods which you don’t see. Well, I don’t see it anyhow. I clomp around in my big boots, singing little ditties, letting my dog roam free, blissfully unaware of the havoc I am causing. Meanwhile every creature for miles around is bolting for cover, hiding away, disappearing until the danger is past. I guess if I had the patience I could set up a hide and wait quietly. Might have to tape up the dog for that to work. However, while I have the greatest admiration for people that can sit for hours without even a twitch, I am not one of them. Read more…
Are children suffering from a “nature-deficit”?
This is the central question in Richard Louv’s book, “Last child in the woods,” and this concern is shared by the broadcaster Sir David Attenborough. As Attenborough says, “all children start off being interested in the natural world, it’s deep in our instincts…”. Children may have theoretical knowledge but not touchy-feely experience. As Louv explains, ” children today are aware of global threats to the environment but their physical contact, their intimacy, with nature is fading.”
Nature-deficit surveys
Natural England did a survey recently in which they examined changing relationships with nature across generations and they found that fewer then 10% of children now play in natural places (such as woodlands and heathlands) compared with 40% of today’s adults who did so when they were young. The BBC Wildlife Magazine carried out another survey which found that many children now cannot identify common species such as bluebells and frogs. Read more…
Wildlife Photography and Field craft
Woods can be wildlife havens, especially if there are streams, ponds and wildflower areas, and taking photographs can add even more enjoyment to owning woodland. Photography has become very popular with the advent of digital cameras and camera phones. Taking good photographs is more difficult to achieve, and taking good photographs of wildlife is more difficult still. The problem with wildlife is that it does not usually keep still! Read more…
Finding and encouraging reptiles in woodlands
Reptiles and woodland
The first time I came across a Grass Snake in our newly bought wood I almost trod on it, it was a real surprise and I was so lost in my own thoughts it really startled me. I had not thought the woodland provided a very suitable habitat for reptiles and in many respects, it didn’t. Read more…