Rogr Parkinson from the Woodland Trust had kindly agreed to lead our tree walk n talk event todayRoger’s years of experience in all things arborial soon showed that we were in good hands for the next couple of hoursThe holly has many claims to fame and there are many folklore tales told about it. Roger said us that farmers used to let a holly grow tall in their hedgerows so they could use it as a marker when ploughing their fields – to make sure they ploughed a straight furrow. Others say it was used to keep witches away!The elder is a common woodland tree, badgers like the soft bark because they can easily claw it to mark their territories. Elder berries are a great source of winter food for birds and the flowers can be used to make delicious elder flower cordial.The hazel can sometimes be mistaken for other species, one key identication guide is its “furry” leaves. Hazel is often coppiced and their long straight rods used to make fencing and other products.Roger informed us that there are between 35 and 39 recognised native tree species in the UK, there are approximately 75,000 worldwide.Some people apparently cut back ivy in woodland to prevent it from killing its host tree, but in fact the resultant rotting wood offers a great home for woodpeckers and many boring beetles, Roger says in the interests of biodiversity, let some of it be.The birch is usually one of the first trees to encroach on cleared land, it grows quickly. Birch can live for 80-100 years, however it is shallow rooting system makes it susceptible to drought and climate change may be a factor that leads to its demise as the weather warms up.The oak is one of our most common woodland species, it provides the most valuable tree habitat we have in the UK. There are an estimated 2,000 spiders, beetles and other life known to live on it. Jays are known to be responsible for spreading acorns around the countryside, they carry them away to store for winter food and uneaten seeds then sprout and grow.Ash dieback is a fungal disease that is killing millions of ash trees, some trees are showing a degree of resistance and it is hoped that these will prevent the species from disappearing completely.The alder is another common species we came across, Roger showed us the male and female cones on a tree beside the main track into the wood.There is a lot of conifer in the wood, most were planted to be harvested for mining pit props.When the pine needles fall they develope a dense mat on the woodland floor, they make the ground very acid and few other plants can grow in it.Pine needles appear in clusters on the branches, the number of needles in a cluster can be used as a means of species identication. Roger told us this is a larch.These beech leaves add beautiful colour to the woodland at this time of year.Wild cherry trees have been planted around the fringes of the woodland compartments in the park, they provide an added element of biodiversity, birds and badgers are among the number of animals that will eat the fallen cherries.The birch is known as a pioneer species which means it is usually one of the first to colonise vacant areas, as their lifespan comes to an end other species such as oak growing amongst them take overAn isolated sweet chestnut growing by Waterton’s Wall, did it come from a tree planted by Charles Waterton?Roger provided us with a great morning walk, Brian shows the appreciation of the Friends group by presenting him with a small token of thanks. We hope you may be able to entertain us again next year Roger.Many thanks to all who attended today’s event, we hope you enjoyed the walk and come back to see us again in the new year.
