Charnwood Forest
(Further fallout from the forestry selloff musings, the more general points of which I'm starting to switch over to the more general (and considered) collection I'm starting on at findantonia: relevant bits to date there at journal items 2815 and 3024).
Charnwood Forest
With highly distinctive geology, Charnwood Forest is the most important site for wildlife in Leicestershire (93 bird species recorded in the 1990s, not to mention 'Charnia' being one of the few parts of England where there are exposures of fossil-bearing ‘basement’ rocks dating back to Precambrian (Ediacaran) time). It is an example of UK woodland I can focus on easily because I have a strong personal attachment; the area was a much loved element of my childhood and for years my dad (a botanist) has done voluntary work on species surveys for the various SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) listings. Broken up by, among other developments, the M1 running through its middle, trees have occupied the remaining woodland sites continuously for more than 900 years (the Outwood far longer) so there are many ancient trees, particularly oaks. However it is now a series of forest fragments scattered across the area and these were (as this 2007 conference shows) facing management issues before this threat came on the horizon.
A 1997 profile, done before some areas were further broken up, or management practices altered: http://www.english-nature.org.uk/science/natural/profiles%5CnaProfile39.pdf The map on the Wildlife Trust's page here http://lrwt.org.uk/wildlife/living-landscapes shows the boundaries within which the pockets fall, not the extent of the forest and the number of breeding bird species has already dropped by 10 in just a decade and oaks are threatened by disease. The recent County Council statement recent statement (the ultimate outcome of the conference) is undermined by the government announcement and hardly solves the existing problems.
SSSI's only apply to small pockets but conservation of a wider area than is protected is essential for the local ecosystem networks supporting the SSSI to be maintained; once the unprotected bits have been sliced gradually away, there is insufficient buffer between sensitive species and the pressures they can't cope with. They soon start to degrade or grow more precarious as birds and animals range outside the protected area, more pollutants range closer, and visitor-impact is concentrated and can prove too small to cope with further changes to land use in the vicinity.
Any any sell-offs in this area, or others, will leave whatever remains in further trouble.
Though not Forestry Commission land, they do a lot of work supporting the effective management of the historic woods and the loss or diminution of their services will make it even more hard to conserve what remains rather than just being left with parkspace.
October 2010 update
http://www.leics.gov.uk/charnwood_forest_october_2010_stakeholder_update.pdf
Charnwood Forest
With highly distinctive geology, Charnwood Forest is the most important site for wildlife in Leicestershire (93 bird species recorded in the 1990s, not to mention 'Charnia' being one of the few parts of England where there are exposures of fossil-bearing ‘basement’ rocks dating back to Precambrian (Ediacaran) time). It is an example of UK woodland I can focus on easily because I have a strong personal attachment; the area was a much loved element of my childhood and for years my dad (a botanist) has done voluntary work on species surveys for the various SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) listings. Broken up by, among other developments, the M1 running through its middle, trees have occupied the remaining woodland sites continuously for more than 900 years (the Outwood far longer) so there are many ancient trees, particularly oaks. However it is now a series of forest fragments scattered across the area and these were (as this 2007 conference shows) facing management issues before this threat came on the horizon.
A 1997 profile, done before some areas were further broken up, or management practices altered: http://www.english-nature.org.uk/science/natural/profiles%5CnaProfile39.pdf The map on the Wildlife Trust's page here http://lrwt.org.uk/wildlife/living-landscapes shows the boundaries within which the pockets fall, not the extent of the forest and the number of breeding bird species has already dropped by 10 in just a decade and oaks are threatened by disease. The recent County Council statement recent statement (the ultimate outcome of the conference) is undermined by the government announcement and hardly solves the existing problems.
SSSI's only apply to small pockets but conservation of a wider area than is protected is essential for the local ecosystem networks supporting the SSSI to be maintained; once the unprotected bits have been sliced gradually away, there is insufficient buffer between sensitive species and the pressures they can't cope with. They soon start to degrade or grow more precarious as birds and animals range outside the protected area, more pollutants range closer, and visitor-impact is concentrated and can prove too small to cope with further changes to land use in the vicinity.
Any any sell-offs in this area, or others, will leave whatever remains in further trouble.
Though not Forestry Commission land, they do a lot of work supporting the effective management of the historic woods and the loss or diminution of their services will make it even more hard to conserve what remains rather than just being left with parkspace.
October 2010 update
http://www.leics.gov.uk/charnwood_forest_october_2010_stakeholder_update.pdf