PRACTICAL CONSERVATION THEMES

All our practical work is focussed on one thing “A better environment” and below we explain in a bit more detail how and why we do these things. Much of our work is seasonal and this is illustrated below.

January and February

WOODLANDS
3936 workdays in 2009

Why do we manage woodlands?

Woodland management is done for a number of reasons; these can include taking out diseased specimens or thinning self sown saplings to create healthier woodlands. Sometimes we need to take out less beneficial species like Sycamore and plant up with more wildlife friendly native trees such as Oaks, Hawthorns, Ash etc . Woodland management also includes the removal of invasive species such as Rhododendron and the Knotweeds that choke our native woodlands and in turn out compete the native woodland plants and animals.

Most of this type of work is done during the period of September to March in the dormant stage of the woodlands life.

March and April

ACCESS FOR ALL!
3372 workdays in 2009

On the face of it footpaths, stiles, bridges, fences and gates seem to have little to do with “conservation”. But every year there are at least 120 million visits to the countryside which involve a walk of some sort. This results in pressure on some of the country’s most important landscapes and does serious damage to plant and wildlife habitats. In order to protect these habitats it is crucial that we maintain the fabric of our footpath routes and help stop people straying off them. But its more than that…we want people to experience at first hand the magnificence of our wildlife and landscape and we want as few barriers as possible. Good footpaths, gates and stiles attract a much wider range of people than open and “wild” landscape.

May and June

DRY STONE WALLS AND BOUNDARIES
2117 workdays in 2009

It might appear that dry stone walls are a barren, hostile environment for wildlife, but this is not the case. Although the range of plants and animals which make use of walls is fairly limited, walls have considerable habitat value for those species, and often provide an important habitat in otherwise inhospitable upland areas. Stone faced banks are even more valuable, because the soil core increases the range of plants and animals which can be supported. Stone walls of all types are particularly important habitats for lichens, mosses and ferns, and allow these plants to thrive in areas where there are few or no natural rock exposures.

Rebuilding a wall, like laying a hedge, is initially destructive, but within a few years the wall starts to be recolonised. If a wall is left to become derelict through not wanting to disturb the wildlife it supports, there will eventually be little wall left.

July and August

INVASIVES AND NATIVES
9086 workdays in 2009

Natural ecosystems are all about peaceful coexistence, but humans have knocked this out of balance. By bringing plants into this country from other parts of the world, we allow them to threaten to over-run the wildlife that has lived here for millennia. Without their normal predators, these invasive plants out-compete, leading to species extinctions, soil erosion, and reduced water quality.

In summer, BTCV volunteers make a positive impact on their environment by pulling Himalayan balsam, slashing and burning Rhododendron, and cutting Japanese knotweed.

September and October

PONDS
1605 workdays in 2009

Its difficult to think of a more valuable wildlife resource than a pond. Not only do they have their own complex and diverse animals and plants but they also act as a “service station” for other, land based, plants and animals. In the last 50 years we have lost 50% of our ponds so managing what we have left sensibly is crucial for our biodiversity.

Most ponds are artificial and have been formed as a result of human and animal activity, and as a result they are in a state of constant change. Most ponds left to their own devices will dry out and each stage of this process (known as succession) is valuable to wildlife. The trick for us, by and large, is to retain as many different stages as possible and therefore protect as much wildlife as possible.

November and December

HEDGEROWS
1636 workdays in 2009

Hedgerows are more than just an effective barrier denoting ownership of land or a system to stop wondering stock. They are an historical and important feature of our landscape. Caesar found laid hedges when he invaded Briton in 54BC and they are still with us today. They provide a windbreak for crops and shelter and shade for stock. They help prevent soil blow.

They provide a habitat for flowers, birds, insects and other wildlife. Many of the insects, notably beetles, are valuable for control of aphids and other pests. They are permanent and with proper maintenance they can remain stock proof indefinitely. Well-maintained hedges are people-proof and difficult to vandalise. The art of hedge laying once practiced by most farm workers is currently undergoing a renaissance as more and more people become interested in the natural and historical world around them.

So after the summer sun has started to wane why not join a BTCV group near you and learn about your heritage at the same time as preserving a unique habitat and visiting a bygone way of life.

and when we are not doing that!

15968 workdays in 2009

When we are not undertaking the above activities there’s a lot more to keep us busy, Food Growing projects, Grassland and Heathland management, building school gardens, creating new habitats and educational activities amongst many others.

This gives an overall total of 37720 workdays for 2009.

Thanks to all concerned!