Some Very Special Woods

• To reinstate woodland where it had existed before – specifically an area shown on the 1840 tithe map and an oak wood felled in 1984;
• To complement existing hedgerows and compensate for thin, overgrazed ones;
• To provide wind protection;
• To enhance some very degraded areas;
• To encircle the site and create wildlife corridors;
• To add to the landscape and aesthetic enjoyment.

Regarding the last point, it was always envisaged that the Trust would develop an education centre so the enjoyment and learning of visitors was important too. Additionally, at the outset the Taylors envisaged various 'low grade' uses for future thinnings and coppiced wood, such as firewood and fenceposts. Later on, the resurgence of traditional woodland crafts and emerging 'high grade' joinery uses for small diameter coppice and thinnings led to the realisation that a more sustainable income might be yielded by using the wood in this way. Of course it is hard to say exactly what might be in demand when the woods are ready for (sustainable) harvesting, but demonstrating some economic benefits may well encourage the creation and management of other woods for both people and wildlife.

So what makes a 'good' wood for wildlife? The answers to this are many-fold and include factors such as the size and shape of the wood; how it fits within the local context; the length of woodland edge; its proximity to nearby woods, hedgerows, water courses and other wildlife habitats; the variety of plant species and age structure of the trees; the amount of dead wood present; and the range of other habitats within the wood such as open sunny glades and wetland areas. It is amazing how many different habitats and established wood can contain. Space is too limited to cover these in detail but more specific advice can be had from the dedicated woodland organisations and groups  – or come on one of the Trust's courses!

It is important to realise that many of these desirable features only develop over time and that designing a new wood is just the beginning. Initially the age structure of the trees will be very narrow, there will be little or no dead wood and the ground flora will reflect the previous management. The trick is, with careful planning, to set the scene so that woodland wildlife can move in and mini habitats can develop within the wood as time goes by. Most of all, it's the careful selection, sourcing, planting and care of the trees, along with the wood's location, shape and internal planting patterns, that are so essential to creating a vital backdrop for nature to build upon.

At Denmark Farm, a very rich mixture of mostly native tree and shrub species was selected, with a great variety planted along the edges and woodland paths or 'rides'. This variety was chosen to a) encourage a corresponding diversity of wildlife, b) allow faster growing species to shelter slower growing ones, and c) create beauty and interest for visitors. So species such as guelder rose  – with its stunning autumn berries and foliage  – were included as well as species like alder buckthorn  – the foodplant of the brimstone. This variety was augmented by natural regeneration of plants such as birch, blackthorn, hawthorn, hazel, gorse, bramble and oak, enabling natural succession to be demonstrated amongst the planted trees. Avoiding straight lines and regimented distances between the trees were other aspects that helped to give the woodlands a very natural feel from early on. Finally, in some areas practical considerations influenced the choice of species - hazel and sweet chestnut were planted under powerlines as they are easily managed on a coppice rotation.

In the 80s there was less awareness of the need to plant trees from local genetic stock – of local provenance – and consequently it was almost impossible to purchase any. Nevertheless, all the trees planted at Denmark Farm came from native British stock and most were from a non-intensive nursery. Most of the trees were very small, however, so (with the exception of species that dislike root disturbance) were planted out in nursery beds for one year to help them 'toughen up' to local conditions and grow a bit bigger. Was this why most of the trees did so well? In part – another major factor was that every single tree was 'pit planted', most single-handedly by Neil Taylor. This involved digging up grass turves with a spade, putting these to one side, digging a planting hole and mixing the richer topsoil with the underlying clay layer, planting the tree, and then replacing the grass turves upside down on top after planting. No other mulching or weeding was undertaken but every tree was was given a cane (Denmark Farm is a very windy site) to reduce wind rock and stop the rabbit guard chafing against the stem.

Planting patterns are also very important in terms of mimicking nature and one way to do this is to observe the natural patterns in existing woods. The Forestry Commission's book, Creating New Native Woodlands (Rodwell, J. & Patterson, G., 1994, HMSO) gives excellent guidance on this subject. At Denmark Farm, the dominant (climax) tree species were planted in irregular clumps of six to ten of the same species. This was based on the idea that perhaps one in six of the trees would make it to full maturity – or climax – after thinning and harvesting operations. The single species clumps were then interspersed by non-climax trees and shrubs, offering additional variety, shelter and interest.

So, has the Trust achieved its initial objectives? Most certainly. The shelter afforded by some 12,000 trees is enormous and, paradoxically, Denmark Farm seems a much bigger place now. With its winding paths, hidden vistas and biodiverse pastures surrounded by trees and hedgerows, it is perfectly possible to get a sense of seclusion and wilderness typical of much bigger sites. The Trust's bird monitoring shows a slow but steady increase in bird breeding territories within the plantings, spreading out from their hedgerow strongholds. Small mammals too have taken up residence, using the cover to move surprisingly large distances around the farm; they especially favour the dead wood habitat piles that have been created from recent selective pruning to increase the value of harvestable wood in the future.

As far as more specialised wildlife is concerned, it must be remembered that these woodlands are still in their infancy. A woodland ground flora, for example, will only develop naturally when conditions are right and there are suitable sources for colonisation. Thus, the proximity of existing woodlands and hedgerows can be an important factor in the development of new ones. Teaching us, yet again, that we need to take a landscape approach to the restoration of our environment – and have the humility to be patient and trust that, given a little help, Nature is the best long-term restorer of biodiversity.

With thanks to Neil Taylor, Barbara Taylor and Rosie Carmichael.