I still remember my first day as an ancient woodland researcher, hiking in the old-growth forest of Breidden Hill in Powys (Wales) and identifying fern species with a team of ecologists from the Woodland Trust. I didn’t know where that day trip would take me – other than the top of the hill – although looking back now I realise that day was the start of my long journey ‘into the forest’. Back then, I didn’t even really know what an ‘ancient woodland’ was yet, but in the following years I developed a deep understanding about these magical old places, hidden everywhere around the UK. This week, I would like to take some time to share what I learnt with you and introduce you to the wonders of ancient woodlands. My role as research assistant for the Woodland Trust began in 2015, working on the “Ancient Woodland Restoration” project. This involved helping out the Coed Cadw Woodland Trust team to conduct biodiversity surveys and identify features indicative of ancient woodlands, as well as participating in outreach events and discussing woodland management with landowners all around North Wales. Although my internship was only meant to last one month during the summer of 2015, I ended up staying on with the team as a volunteer for many more years. It seemed like I had been enchanted by these archaic forests and their magical aura kept persuading me to go back. Ancient woodlands are essentially areas of forest that have existed continuously since 1600 AD. However, don’t get misled by their name – this doesn’t mean they are pristine or have been left untouched. They are different to primeval places like the Białowieża Forest in Poland, which have existed since the last Ice Age and remained virtually the same since then. Ancient woodlands are not actually that ‘ancient’, but they are classed as such if they have existed since 1600AD, which is still pretty old. This date was chosen only because of the limited reliability of maps and records, but it is highly likely that ancient woodlands have been there for many more centuries. These patches of wood have never been cleared, allowing for the development of complex ecological relationships between native species, and providing the perfect habitat for many rare and specialist species that wouldn’t grow anywhere else. Centuries of undisturbed soils, plenty of decaying wood, and a native cover of trees also means that these woodlands are the host for vulnerable communities of fungi, mosses and invertebrates. Moreover, they have been continuously managed by people throughout history. Humans have utilised and managed these woodlands at least since the 1600s and possibly long before, so these sites are the living evidence of very old traditions such as coppicing and charcoal burning. This makes ancient woodlands sites of incomparable ecological and cultural value. The richness of ancient woodlands is evident when walking through their green thicket, and the old contorted oaks and moss-covered ground evoke a certain sense of mysticism that is simply impossible to ignore. As the breeze blows through the treetops of native broadleaved trees, everything below their cover is calm. The paths are old and follow the terrain of the forest, and trees grow on either side providing shelter and shade to visitors. Streams and rivers, and sometimes even small waterfalls, appear recurrently in these woods, and the metallic tingling of the water resonates throughout. The air is fresh but transports the earthly smells of moss and wet soil. Ancient woods are usually quiet but the life within them is palpable, which is probably why they feel so obscure and beautiful to us. Among a mixture of decaying tree stumps and small saplings growing in the fresh soil, the continuous renewal of the forest is visible first-hand. Walking by ancient stone walls and ruins of old farms overgrown with ivy makes you feel like walking back in time, in a place where people through history have lived, battled, and venerated. In Wales, an important manuscript of myths from the 1300s called the Mabinogion mentions some woods that still exist today. The woodland of Coed Fenlirhyd, located near the village of Maentwrog in Wales, is also known as the “Celtic rainforest” because of its incomparably rich biodiversity and presumed existence since the time of the Celts. According to the tales of the fourth branch of the Mabinogion, the hero Pryderi is killed by his enemy Gwydion in Coed Felinrhyd during a legendary battle, and is buried somewhere in the forest: “And they fought. And because of strength and valour, and magic and enchantment, Gwydion triumphed and Pryderi was killed; and he was buried in Maentwrog, above Y Felenrhyd, and his grave is there”. It is possible that during periods of warfare, Felinrhyd-Llennyrch was a site of battles and was important enough to be mentioned in the greatest collection of Celtic myths. The archaic nature of these woods, and the number of footsteps that have stepped on their ground for centuries, is certainly why they feel so beautifully ominous. During the past couple centuries and especially from the 1950s onwards, however, ancient woodlands have been targeted for their resources and fertile land, threatening their persistence. In the past 40 years more ASNWs have been lost than in the past 400 years as a result of human activities such as forestry, agriculture and urban development, and now only occupy 2% of the UK. Much of this decline is attributed to the plantation of conifers in the early 19th century, stimulated by the development of American colonies and trade of forest resources with Britain. This has caused alterations to the ecology of ancient woodlands and has promoted the spread of invasive conifer species which are threatening the continuity and resilience of these irreplaceable ecosystems. One more recent threat to ancient woodlands is the plan to build the High Speed Rail 2 train line (HS2) from London to Birmingham. According to the Woodland Trust, 63 ancient woods will be affected by either direct felling, or by more indirect effects such as pollution. This means that the already small amount of ancient woods in the UK (the famous 2%) will be cut down even more. The impact on these irreplaceable ecosystems will be devastating. Although I understand the need to modernise and develop, this shouldn’t be done with the disregard for nature. As the Woodland Trust state: "Any transport system that destroys irreplaceable habitats such as ancient woodland can never be called 'green' ". Luckily, organisations such as the Woodland Trust and the Forestry Commission have made monumental efforts to protect and maintain ancient woodlands in the UK since the 1980s from the continuous threats to the existence of these ecosystems. The ongoing fight and protests against the HS2 are a testament to how much people in the UK value these ecosystems, with TV celebrities and naturalists such as Chris Packham constantly advocating for the protection of ancient woodlands. The project that I was involved in during my time with the Woodland Trust was specifically focused on restoring ancient woodlands in order to stop the damage to these woods, improving the health and biodiversity of these habitats, and revert the years of negative impact.
The next time you walk through an old wood where oaks, birches and hazels grow, with bluebells and mosses covering the ground, you’re probably standing in an ancient woodland. Stop to think about the civilisations that have walked your same steps and look around to spot any signs they might have left. If you’re indeed stood in an ancient wood, consider yourself very lucky, as there are not many left and they represent some of the most valuable ecosystems in the UK. Stay tuned and stay wanderlust, Dael
1 Comment
C
11/20/2020 01:05:30 am
Typo - you say Chris Packham advocates *against* protection when you probably mean *for* x
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