Last weekend, we visited our woodland for the first time since officially completing.  Although it’s May and the forecast had promised sunshine, the day dawned cold and gloomy. Undaunted, we packed up the car for the 45-minute journey and rolled into Lamberhurst around half nine in the morning. Our biggest fear was that we would have missed the bluebell peak entirely during all the wrangling over conveyancing across two counties (the boundaries between Kent and Sussex neatly bisect our wood). But we needn’t have worried – as we drove down the shared track to our new purchase, the entire woodland was a sea of blue punctuated with hard fern and last year’s brambles. It was almost painful crushing them under our boots as we made our way from the car to the central clearing, but it couldn’t be helped. Although some animals had left faint traces here and there, it only took one or two passes back and forth for us to create a blatantly visible path – I felt like a big, brutish human, moulding the land irrevocably. I hoped that our footprint would not ever be heavier than that. The seasonal creeks were full and rushing after so much recent rain. For us, having running water was one of the non-negotiable criteria for our purchase. Owning a woodland has long been our dream, but it was only recently made possible due to the inheritance of my late father, the man who taught me how to love camping and being outdoors. But these ancient English woodlands were nothing like what I grew up with in America; there is something magical about the stillness in that sea of unearthly blue. I am certain that my father would approve – though as a keen fly fisherman, he would be disappointed to learn that the creeks dry up in the heat of summer and no trout could survive there. The first thing we did was to dig out a large firepit and ring it with stones we’d brought from home. Everything was quite damp, but our son, aged nine and an enthusiastic Cub Scout, helped us to coax a blaze from his ferro rod, and sawed his first logs. The warmth was welcome, and we used our Storm Kettle (a kind gift from Ruth at woodlands.co.uk) to make hot chocolate. A pair of fallow deer – clearly surprised to see us – bolted past, and the canopy was full of birdsong. I didn’t want to leave when other chores and obligations eventually called us away – the sun had come out, making the bluebells glow, and there was no place I’d rather be. Our next step is to build a compostable toilet so that we can camp overnight. We’ll let you know how that goes!  

Across the UK, there are several types of deer to be found in woodlands and rural areas namely : Red deer Sika Deer Roe Deer Reeves Muntjac Deer Fallow Deer Chinese Water Deer In recent times, the number of deer has increased and it is thought that there might be as many as two million wild deer in the UK - the highest number for many hundreds of years.  Unfortunately, deer can cause substantial damage to trees and woodlands.  Their feeding can cause a range of problems, which can include [caption id="attachment_34910" align="aligncenter" width="650"] Deer damage - bark removal[/caption] Stripping shoots, flower buds and foliage from plants Damage to woody stems, where a deer has bitten part way through the stem and then the shoot is tugged off - leaving a ragged end Eating the bark from younger trees. This mainly happens in winter when other food sources are scarce In addition to the damage associated with their browsing / eating activities, there is also the damage done by male deer who rub their heads / antlers against the trunks of younger trees.  This rubbing may be for scent marking or to remove the outer skin (velvet) present on a new set of antlers.  The antler rubbing results in cuts in the bark. [caption id="attachment_34415" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Remnants of birch woodland near Loch Muick are subject to browsing by red deer (especially in the winter), so temporary fences have been out in place to allow for regeneration and tree guards in place[/caption] Deer numbers are reduced by culling in order to supply restaurants, farm shops, and the hospitality sector with venison.   However, with the onset of the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns / restrictions  the demand for venison dropped significantly (as has price) so very few deer were culled.  Consequently, the number of deer is increasing.  Deer have probably gone through one or two breeding cycles since the first national lockdown,  and numbers are set to increase.   The increase in deer numbers not only affects the trees in a woodland but also plants of the herb and scrub layer.   The loss of plant species and aspects of the structure of the woodland means that particular microhabitats are lost so that species such as nightingales and warblers are at risk. Without careful management of deer numbers, woodlands could become much more ‘uniform’ as deer have no natural predators (in the UK).  It is important that deer numbers are monitored  as they will do significant (most) damage to woodland in Spring as there’s not much food elsewhere for them. Young trees are particularly at risk, unless they are protected.

Wind, fire and frost can seriously damage or kill trees.   Animals also wound them when they feed on bark tissues, and when they rub their bodies or antlers against tree trunks. Insects, like bark beetles can cause significant damage damage to woodlands and forests. The extent of damage to trunks and the bark of trees varies considerably in relation to the nature of the ‘attack’.  If the damage to the bark is severe and the vascular cambium is exposed then neither new water nor sugar conducting tissue can be formed.  Damage to the (outer) cork cambium (phellogen) will limit the trees ability to form the outer tissues of the bark - which protect the tree.  If the damage is restricted to the outermost bark layer then this will render the tree more susceptible to further damage (be it from herbivores or temperature extremes). Read more...

In recent years, countryside oaks have been subject to a survey (co-ordinated by the Woodland trust - working with the Ancient Tree Forum, the Tree Register and the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew.   This survey has identified some 1200 previously unknown veteran oak trees. In consequence, the total number of veteran / ancient oaks in England now stands at 3400. Approximately four fifths of these trees are estimated as being between 400 and 600 years old, and a tenth date back some 600 to 800 years - and a few may be a thousand years old.  England is ‘rich’ in terms of its ancient or veteran Oaks - the whole of continental Europe has only two thousand such trees (approximately); most of which are in Sweden. Read more...

The wholesale destruction of ancient woodland through farming and forestry has diminished but new roads,  bypasses and the installation of infra-structure & services (such as utilities & power lines) can still be a problem.  In recent times, new or different threats to ancient woodlands have emerged to upset the balance of woodland ecosystems. In the 1960’s and early 70’s concern focussed on the effects of air and acid rain pollution .  Such pollution was characterised by the deposition of sulphur dioxide and its derivatives (sulphuric & sulphurous acid), plus various nitrogen oxides. Read more...

Man has created the necessity for deer management by eradicating the natural predators of deer - the wolf, bear and lynx.  Escapees from deer parks introduced several non-indigenous varieties into the wild.  During the two World Wars, when manpower was limited, deer parks were left in disrepair and escapee deer spread.  With the formation of the Forestry Commission, land owners were encouraged to plant trees.  The aim was to create a national reserve of timber against future conflicts, but also created an ideal habitat for deer.  Improvement in farming practices provided more food. Deer Damage Deer are responsible for forestry and crop damage and, as they increase in number and range, more damage is now seen in gardens in urban areas. The damage they do to trees and plants are as follows: Fraying is damage done by territorial behaviour when deer rub and trash antlers on trees and shrubs. Browsing this is caused by the deer’s natural feeding and can kill or inhibit the growth of trees (note in the image below, small trees are the same age as the larger ones).  Has the effect of creating 'bonsai'. Control Measures There are numerous so called effective deterrents i.e. lion dung, sweaty socks, chemical agents and mechanical worriers, these are all short term solutions.  The only effective control is proper deer fencing put in by qualified persons, bearing in mind that roe deer can get under an 8” gap. Proper fencing is expensive and is not cost effective on large woodland areas therefore most areas have deer culling taking place in some form or another. [caption id="attachment_34415" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Remnants of birch woodland near Loch Muick are subject to browsing by red deer (especially in the winter), so temporary fences have been out in place to allow for regeneration.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_40967" align="aligncenter" width="675"] Fencing in place[/caption]   Culling This is done these days more and more by trained personnel who have obtained qualifications like DSC Level 1 and 2 from Deer Management Qualification.  These qualifications mean that all culling should take place in a professional, safe and humane manner enabling  field post-mortem to be carried out to confirm the health of the deer and its fitness for human consumption and carried out under strict hygiene  procedures The gralloch (Scottish word for evisceration i.e. removal of internal organs) must take place within 30 minutes maximum or less in the summer, after being culled the carcass must be bled immediately to stop the carcass becoming unfit for human consumption, by law. This generally has to be done in the field depending on how far one has to travel and disposal of the head, feet and gralloch should be by burial in the field (ensuring it is not near a water course).  Thus, taking other countryside users into consideration. Venison  Venison is one of the best meats to eat (recommended by the heart foundation) it is free-range meat with approximately 60% less cholesterol. The purchasing and eating of venison helps promote good deer management as they are looked at as a natural renewable resource,  instead of a pest. All six species of deer in the uk produce good quality venison,  although there is a slight difference in taste between them depending on what the deer have been eating and this can produce quite a unique taste.  It is recommended that a carcass be hung for at least three days to help venison mature, hanging for longer would produce a stronger taste (this should always be in a fly and vermin proof area and at 7 degrees C). Deer Species in the UK Red Deer                        One of our indigenous / native deer and the largest Sika Deer                        Introduced by the Victorians into deer parks and collections, medium sized. Fallow Deer                   Introduced by the Normans for food and hunting. Roe Deer                        The second indigenous / native deer, nearly wiped out in the Middle Ages  Muntjac Deer                Introduced by the Victorians. Chinese Water Deer  Introduced by the Victorians.   [caption id="attachment_557" align="alignleft" width="202"] Fraying[/caption] [caption id="attachment_563" align="alignleft" width="451"] effects of browsing[/caption]