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Blog - resilience

The mediterranean cypress and forest fires.

The mediterranean cypress and forest fires.

by Chris, 7 October, 2016, 1 comments

According the United Nations FAO, some two million hectares of forest were burnt in the Mediterranean region, between 2006 and 2010.  Most of these fires were 'human induced'; they (the fires) are the most frequent cause of degradation / loss of forest / woodland in this region.  In 2012, a fire swept through some 20,000 hectares of forest near Andilla (Valencia).   After the fire, it was found that though oaks, holm oaks, pines and junipers had been completely burnt, the vast majority (98% +) of the Mediterranean Cypresses were still standing, tall and green.   There followed a three year study of the fire resilience of the Mediterranean Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens var horizontalis) to see if stands of these trees might function as buffer zones to hinder or prevent the spread of forest fires. Read more...
What are resilient woodlands?

What are resilient woodlands?

by Angus, 30 October, 2015, 5 comments

Making woods resilient has become the latest fashion in forestry as illustrated by the RFS conference being organised with the Woodland Trust in Birmingham at the start of October.ˇ Resilience in this context means resilient both to diseases and to climate change effects.  Much of the thinking is based on the 2015 British Woodlands Resilience Survey which has been organised by the Sylva Foundation and sponsored by Oxford University, the RFS and the Woodland Trust.ˇ There have also been useful presentations on the subject such as the one given at the CONFOR Show (Confederation of Forest industries) show at Longleat, Wiltshire in early September 2015. Read more...
The effects of drought – go on and on.

The effects of drought – go on and on.

by Chris, 28 August, 2013, 1 comments

With the recent spell of fine weather, some people may have wandered down memory lane and recalled “the summer of 76”.  Then, the temperature reached 80oF from June 22nd through to the 16th July, and for two weeks the temperatures in some areas exceeded 90oF. However, temperature was not the only environmental factor to stress plants – lack of rainfall or drought was also a major factor.  The previous autumn had been quite dry, as was the winter of  1975–76.   The drought became most severe during the summer months - with woodland, forest and heath fires breaking out.  Crop production was also severely affected, and there was water rationing (and stand pipes) in some areas. Ecologists* from the University of Stirling (Professor Alistair Jump) and the JNCC have recently investigated the (long term) effects of the 1976 drought on native woodland.   They examined the records of Lady Park Wood in the Wye Valley.  This 45 hectare Nature Reserve was ideal for a detailed study as there existed long term records  / surveys Read more...
Climate change and woodland management

Climate change and woodland management

by Rob Starbuck, 23 August, 2007, 5 comments

Our native tree species have adapted to their local climate, atmosphere and soil conditions over many years. They have long life cycles and may take many years to reach maturity and seed bearing age. This leads to an inherently slow genetic response to changing climatic conditions. Because of this vulnerability it is worth considering how woodlands could be better managed for the future impacts of climate change. Firstly, how will the climate change in our area? Predictions for the UK are for a generally milder climate. Summers are expected to be warmer and dryer with more frequent droughts, winters being milder and wetter with less frequent frosts. We need to consider how our woodlands might adapt to these conditions. Read more...

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