Blog - needwood forest

holly tree

Unusual or exotic trees – the holly?

by Chris, 18 October, 2019, 2 comments

Holly is not a ’typical’ tree in a number of ways. For example, it is evergreen but not a conifer. A holly tree is either male or female. Also, holly leaves have spines and a thick, protective and waxy cuticle. The word ‘Holly” derives from the Old English “holen” or “holegn”. Holly was also referred to as ‘holm’, ‘holme’, or ‘hollin’. These names for holly can be useful when examining old maps and ancient texts for references to the historical distribution of holly across the U.K. It is certainly the case that in the past, the distribution of holly was more widespread; this was true for Needwood Forest in Staffordshire. Needwood was a significant and ancient midlands forest but after the Enclosure Act of 1803, large numbers of trees were felled. In his ‘Plant Book’, Professor David Mabberley notes that some 150,000 holly trees were taken from Needwood (about this time or shortly thereafter) to provide bobbins for the cotton mills of Lancashire. (Bagot’s Wood is said to be the largest existing piece of this ancient woodland). Read more...

Holly - a really useful tree

Holly – a really useful tree

by Chris, 8 December, 2011, 1 comments

In various older texts on botany and gardening, it is said that ' … in Germany, Holly abounds in many forests… In France, it is abundant, more particularly in Brittany. The tree appears to attain a larger size in England than in other parts of Europe" Certainly, in the past there were large areas where Holly was abundant. For example, Needwood Forest in Staffordshire. This was a significant and ancient Midlands forest. However, the Enclosure Act of 1803 allowed for the felling of large numbers of trees; this took some time to complete. In his ‘Plant Book’, Professor David Mabberley notes that some 150,000 holly trees were taken from Needwood about this time, to provide bobbins for the cotton mills of Lancashire. (Bagot’s Wood is said to be the largest existing piece of this ancient wood). Read more...

The National Forest

The National Forest

by Chris, 21 April, 2011, 2 comments

The Countryside Commission had the idea of creating a new ‘National Forest’ in 1987 – to give a tangible expression of the benefits of trees and woodlands. It also has a practical role in terms of demonstrating the importance of carbon fixation (through photosynthesis) and the importance of this in the amelioration of climate change. The National Forest was and is a bold project, focusing on some 200 square miles of central England (parts of Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Staffordshire). The area includes farmland and the relics of coalfields & mineral workings, with some pockets of ancient woodland – for example, Charnwood Forest to the east and Needwood Forest to the west. A map of the area of the National Forest can be seen here . Read more...

Wild Flower Guide

Badger

Read our guide to wild flowers of woodland and hedgerow

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