May's Wood in Dorset
In September 2013 the farm started its journey to return to its ancient state and become a woodland, once again. The new planing provided a corridor for wildlife and a recreational space to be enjoyed by all. We had added the 160 acres of farmland, that was being used for both cattle and arable farming, to the land already owned in Bere Regis area.
Over 100,000 mixed trees were planted which provided a varying canopy height and a variation from dappled to dense shade. The woodlands has over 60 acres of open area and with hazel coppice and other tree coppices it provides homes for a multitude of wildlife.
The scheme compliments the existing area and provides a wonderful space for all creatures, including humans to enjoy. Part of the land was retained by the Parish to be used for a village school and a nature reserve that links to our woodlands.
There are special protection areas already within the vicinity and this woodland scheme complimented the existing areas.
The trust is committed to supporting wildlife and protecting wildlife habitat. There has been a 52% decline in wildlife over the last 30 years and it really is in trouble. This should be the litmus test that shows we are destroying our own home, after all we are just another species. We like to blame other species for Wildlife decline yet the sad truth is it is us.
Development and encroachment of green space in towns squeezes wildlife into ever decreasing margins. Wildlife is being put under pressure everywhere. Intensive farming and modern practices sees heavy machinery increase the field sizes by removing hedges. Field margins have been reduced and pesticides are used to produce more crops. Dense hedgerows are the breeding grounds of much of the food chain and without these dense safe havens many species simply don’t survive. They are exposed, at easy risk of predation and whilst they complete the food chain they are a vital link. They need these safe havens to do that in strength. In 2015, a bird survey showed that 52% of farmland birds had disappeared from farms.
We have worked tirelessly throughout the covid pandemic lockdown as we have a wildlife rescue on site. We received a higher number of calls than usual where people had observed wildlife they had never seen. Wildlife is around us and can in many situations adapt to change but it can rarely adapt to the speed in which we change our green spaces. Domestic garden clear outs and changing garden landscapes dramatically effects wildlife. That old compost heap in your garden can be a vital metropolis for all the insects and small manuals and birds that are essential for our ecosystem.
So what to do? The planet has six billion people with another two billion on the way so we need to find ways to live alongside wildlife so that we can both thrive.
Our woodland renovation project provides safe havens for wildlife, where we can protect them in a sustainable way and for us it’s wildlife first. It was seven years ago that we planted our first tiny sapling in May’s wood. Anne and Brian have made many trips to the woodland over the intervening years and they have both enjoyed their time there. “It’s a great space to get back in touch with nature. It is an honour to be able to support nature and enhance habitat and help to build a more sustainable future. Wildlife continues to use the woodlands and thrive and we carryout regular surveys to monitor some of our more secretive residents. The young trees we planted seven years ago have become more noticeable in the landscape and are providing forever homes to numerous species”.
“The design and planning of a new woodland requires an holistic approach and wildlife is the first consideration when planning. Our contractors for the planting are UPM Tillhill headed up by Graham Preece in the region.”
“The habitats created have been in the main protected well. We use fences and dense planting to protect the wildlife and in the main these closed off areas have been respected. We have had a few incidents of damage over the last few years where fences have been cut for access, but in general it has been good.”
“It’s an oak woodland at its core but the relative abundance of oak and the composition of ‘other’ species varies according to the underlying soil conditions. On the lighter more acidic soils you’ll find a high proportion of sweet chestnut and in the base rich areas cherry, lime and beech are dominant elements in the wood. Species such as alder and birch help to ‘fix’ nitrogen in the soil so are also planted to help improve soil conditions. The native yew tree has also been planted which adds variety and year round colour.”
Mixed species woodlands not only add variety and interest but also act as some insurance to meet and mitigate some of the threats posed by climate change by helping to establish more resilient woodland habitats.
The shrub margins create wildlife corridors running along the sides of the tracks and help to create a more graded and varied woodland edge with many shrub species producing berries and flowers sequentially throughout the year to support wildlife.
“We continue to monitor our dormice which seem to love the woodland and thrive well there. Open pathways were incorporated into the planning so people could still have access to the wood by tracing the ‘traditional’ routes that people had walked permissively through the fields. As the woodland has developed new lines have been formed.”
We have had an issue with dog waste and we are finding increasing amounts on fences and hanging on branches in bags and we also find the access areas to the land may be high in dog waste around the gates. This is becoming an increasing problem in many areas. We respectfully ask all dog owners to take their waste away with them and are monitoring this ongoing issue. The waste cannot only be harmful to humans but to wildlife too as it carries many diseases. I am a dog owner and love dogs but it is becoming an increasing problem. We won’t go to the lengths of Switzerland where they take DNA and fine people £6,000 or Hinckley in Leicestershire who hired a team of private detectives but we may consider restricting further access to both humans and dogs in the future. We would ask people to keep their dogs under control so that ground nesting birds are not disturbed during breeding seasons and are left to flourish. The dense hedgerows will be resting areas for wildlife away from humans and dogs to remain safe. We are monitoring the access and the use of the land, and as we close certain areas to help support wildlife habitats, I hope local walkers will support us in this by observing changes.
Whilst humans enjoy the wood our prime reason for preservation and enhancement is for the other creatures we share our space with to make their mark on the woodlands.
There is a strip that runs from the river to the wood which includes a large proportion of open ground, now managed as a wildflower meadow and glade which acts as a transition zone from the village and creates a gradual change in structure so the woodland is not too overbearing! This also allows the wildflowers which were already present to be retained and increased adding another layer of habitat and for the vital insect populations to flourish.
Trees planted within the buffer strip near the river include wetland species such as willow and aspen to try and compliment the setting, whilst the wider open spaces found to the south and west (near the pond) are designed to blend in with the more open landscape characterised by the heath and open fields moving down from Black Hill. The edges of the wood are planted with a variety of minor tree species and shrubs which provide nectar and pollen for bees.
The long term aim is to create a well-balanced and dynamic woodland environment and habitat that will support and sustain local wildlife species. Few could of predicted the way in which our landscape has changed in the last 100 years and the enormous loss of ancient woodland. The increasing number of trees nationally that are crops meaning the volume and speed of change plays havoc with wildlife communities.
We are hoping to keep this oasis for wildlife flourishing for a long time to come. It will not form part of an offset area for development or be used primarily for humans. The woodlands will remain a protected wildlife haven and an asset for the village. We hope visitors will continue to enjoy their time in the woodlands and support and respect the creatures that make it their forever home.
