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Most asked: Bob Epsom, SDNPA Woodland Officer



Most asked: Bob Epsom, SDNPA Woodland Officer

November 30, 2017

Send us your questions about a particular area of work in the National Park to newsletter@southdowns.gov.uk

Answering this month is: Bob Epsom, SDNPA Woodland Officer

What does a Woodland Officer do?

One of my main roles is to provide an advisory service to woodland owners with the National Park. I can advise them on what management may be appropriate down to site conditions, species, wildlife, timber markets and what grants are available.

We are working as partners with the Woodland Trust to get more woodlands actively managed with a focus of improving the conditions of Plantations on Ancient Woodlands such as where they are suffering from over shading.

I am also pulling together the data we have on the makeup of the woodlands of the National Park using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), from woodland types to what currently is being managed by grant schemes.

What’s the difference between a tree and a bush?

There isn’t a precise definition but it is usually determined by size and shape with trees being larger in size and bushes being rounded. Bushes or shrubs usually have multiple stems whereas trees tend to have one main stem. Some species of tree that grow tall can also be managed as smaller bushes – for example Hornbeam and just to add to the confusion where trees are coppiced they will have many stems.

Why do we have to manage woodlands?

We need to manage our woods to keep them healthy and prepare for threats such as climate change, pests and diseases.

Coppicing, thinning and keeping rides open lets light in to the woodland floor which is important for increasing biodiversity and new tree growth. But you also need to leave some darker areas for other species.

Well managed woodlands also have an important economic role – providing jobs in forestry, saw mills, and end users of wood. “A wood that pays is a wood that stays” is a saying that emphasises the importance of using our timber resources more effectively.

As well as all of this well-managed woodland management supports carbon sequestration, flood reduction and recreation.

How bad is the damage from tree diseases like ash dieback going to be?

Ash dieback disease is now prevalent throughout the South Downs National Park and is likely to change the landscape dramatically. Ash is a significant tree on the chalk downs where it has colonised former pastures and filled gaps left by the 1987 storm. Ash trees are common in our hedgerows and the losses here will be significant. If other species don’t naturally regenerate other species will need to be planted.

But we can’t let management of ash dieback happen at the expense of other woodland management. It’s not the only pest or disease we are likely to face and we need to be prepared. Keeping a good diversity of tree species and using different management techniques, such as coppicing, is key to future proofing our woods.
The Forestry Commission provide lots of up to date information on pests, diseases and climate change.

Why are the woodlands of the South Downs special?

Woodland makes up a significant part of the South Downs covering around 24% of the National Park, although some parts of the are more wooded than others. But trees are important whether they’re on hilltops, valleys or around heaths. The huge variety of woodland types provide an equally large diversity of habitat for wildlife species. Woodland also provides more open access than any other habitat in the National Park – including nationally famous sites such as the ancient yew trees of Kingley Vale.

Why is there such a variety of woodlands in the South Downs?

The geology and soils here change from chalk, clay to sandstone within a short distance and different tree species favour different soils. A forester can determine the soil type simply by looking at what tree species are present. The aspect and steepness of slopes will also affect how much sunlight a woodland receives which alters the growing conditions and woodland structure. For example beech is a shade tolerant tree that can still grow tall on shady north facing slopes whereas as oak would struggle in height.

On top of this the way that woodlands have been managed in the past will make a difference – for example trees were the fuel for the iron-making industry in the low weald in the 17th and 18th centuries and oak from the Forest of Bere was used for shipbuilding. This leaves us today with native semi-natural broadleaved woodlands, plantations, chestnut coppice and wood-pastures.

What is your favourite tree?

This is a difficult question but the common beech, Fagus sylvatica, are a particular favourite of mine. They provide amazing colour both in the spring with their translucent green leaves and again in the autumn with fiery hues. Even in the depths of winter their form is splendid with the new sharply pointed buds clearly visible. They grow to great heights – Britain’s tallest native tree is a 44m-tall beech growing on Newtimber Hill in the South Downs.

What is coppicing? Is it the same as pollarding?

Coppicing is the act of cutting trees near ground level so they grow back lots of stems – depending on size they can be used for bean poles, pea sticks and fencing materials. Locally sourced charcoal is likely to have come from coppiced woods. Most broadleaved trees coppice but Hazel and Sweet Chestnut are the most common ones still coppiced today and it is still an important part of woodland management in the South Downs.

Pollarding is when trees have been cut above the height of grazing animals – so you’re likely to see it in places such as common land or parkland where grazing would happen in the same place where trees were grown. You’ll see multiple stems formed at 5ft or above which will have been cut repeatedly for firewood and leaf fodder for animals. Pollards can grow to a significant size in terms of trunk girth but may not reach a great height – a great example is the Queen Elizabeth Sessile Oak at Cowdray Park, thought to be more than 800 years old and has a girth of more than 12.5m but is relatively short in height.

What makes a wood? It’s not just about the trees is it?

Trees are the foundations but there is plenty more to a woodland. The trees themselves host lichens, mosses and ferns – collectively known as epiphytes – as well as providing homes to bats, invertebrates and birds. The woodland floor is alive with activity, particularly in the spring. You know that you’re in ancient woodland when you see primroses, wood anemones and bluebells. The spaces in woods are also important as sunny rides and glades make ideal conditions for butterflies and dragonfly. Woodland streams, rivers and ponds also provide great conditions for different species such as alder and willows.