Transcript Slide 1

In spite of the trees:
plants & woodland management
Andrew Byfield
Landscape Conservation Manager
Kirby et al. (2005)
Long term ecological change
in British woodland (1971-2001)
• Aimed to measure changes in woodland
soils, trees/shrubs & ground flora over 30
year period
• Resurveyed 103 woodland sites across
Britain in ‘2001’ (previously surveyed in
1971)
Kirby et al. (2005):
Results
• Overall species richness declined
markedly – 36% in plots, 12% in sites
• ‘Woodland specialists’ more likely than
other species to show decreases
• Stress-tolerant species scores declined
and were negatively associated with
changes in open habitats.
Kirby et al. (2005):
Results
• Open habitats declined overall
• Increases in tree basal area were
associated with species richness declines
• other disturbance variables (1987 storm
damage, grazing, open habitats) were
associated with increased richness
• Deer / climate change / diff. pollution key
VASCULAR PLANTS:
RARE & THREATENED
Ex, 1
CR, 5
SCARCE, 14
EN, 7
RARE, 4
NT, 6
VU, 16
Ex
CR
EN
VU
NT
RARE
SCARCE
53 rare vascular plants:
by microhabitat
Edge
11%
Perm. glade
25%
Close canopy
8%
Open canopy
33%
Coppice
23%
Close canopy
Open canopy
Coppice
Perm. glade
Edge
Declines in common species
(BSBI Local change 1987 – 2004)
Decreasing
Montane
Calcareous grass
Acid grass
Broadl. woodland
Heath
-8
-6
-3
-2
-2
Increasing
Improved grass
Coast
Arable
Aquatic
Wetland/
Neutral grassl.
+25
+9
+7
+1
0
‘Common’ coppice species
(total 22 species)
10
9
8
7
6
No of species 5
4
3
2
1
0
Change factor
-59 to -39 to -19 to +1 to +21 to
-40
-20
0
+20
+40
Turkish woodland elements
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Extensive contiguous forests
Land uses on various scales
Range of timber forest products used
Intermittent grazing widespread
Diverse activities widespread
Vectors of dispersion present
‘Rare’ species not rare
Thoughts – part 1
• Habitats not single species focus
• Fuelwood demands – 50,000 ha – just
15% of total of ancient woodland / PAWS
in England
Thoughts –part 2
“ We support mechanisms like – but
not exclusively – woodfuel that drive
an increase in sustainable
management of native woodland .....
with strong controls in place to ensure
exploitation is sustainable ”