Meeting 1. Tuesday 16th May 2023 Bentley Wood nr Salisbury.

Theme: Challenges of Managing Areas of Open Space for Biodiversity

By Kind permission of The Trustees of Bentley Wood Charitable Trust

Invited Guest: Jonathan Spencer

Bentley Wood is one of the largest and most wildlife rich ancient woodlands in southern England. The wood was almost entirely cleared of trees during and after the Second World War and was then replanted shortly thereafter with a crop of native broadleaved trees, mostly of beech and oak, and with exotic conifers, notably Douglas fir and Corsican pine, with Norway spruce interplanted with oak, and a number of other minor conifer species. It continues to support a wealth of species and wildlife habitats associated with ancient woodland. In recognition of this the woodland has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Management of this 660ha woodland today is aimed at restoring the majority of plantations to native woodland through the gradual removal of exotic conifers and subsequent replanting with native trees. Beech plantations are being similarly treated though with some areas earmarked for long term retention. Areas of coppice and other small-scale fellings create and maintain existing clearings and glades which, along with the wide rides, support the rich diversity of butterflies, moths and other insects cited in the SSSI notification. Periodic moth surveys and an extensive butterfly monitoring programme going back to the 1980s have recorded the changes in the distribution and abundance of individual species across the wood over time.

The visit will look at the challenges posed by managing often quite small and discrete areas of permanent open space for a diverse range of species both with, and without, grazing animals and the response of these species to management. We will also look at the importance of maintaining an extensive ride network to facilitate the connection of special features and habitats and to enable the movement and expansion in population of target species.

The post war replanting has resulted in even-aged uniformly structured stands of relatively low diversity across much of the woodland which, particularly in the case of beech dominated s tands, is anticipated to pose problems in the context of future climate change. We will discuss methods to diversify these stands with benefit to biodiversity as a key objective.

Bentley Wood is a private woodland owned and managed by the Trustees of the Bentley Wood Charitable Trust. The Trust’s aims include sustainable timber production for local markets, the conservation of the woodland’s wildlife and the provision of local public access.

Pre-meeting notes:

Meeting 2. Wednesday 21st June 2023

Newhouse Farm Partnership (nr. Winchester)

Theme - Establishing a New Native Woodland on Former Arable Land

By Kind permission of Ian and Victoria Cammack

Invited guest Ian Willoughby (FR Tree shelters)

Newhouse Farm Partnership manages 800ha of land between Itchen Stoke and Alresford and is predominantly an agricultural estate. The key objectives for the business are to farm well, deliver high quality produce, enhance the land and to share their experiences with others.

During the winter of 2022/2023, a 10ha former arable field has been deer fenced and planted with a range of native trees and shrubs chosen for their compatibility with the site. There are a number of challenges as well as opportunities when establishing woodland on this type of land and the visit will provide an opportunity for the group to discuss a range of topics to include -

• Species selection
• Nursery stock (bare root/root trainer/provenance)
• Ground preparation
• Tree protection
• Site layout
• Spacing
• Maintenance

It is hoped on the day that the owner and/or the estate manager will be able join us and talk to the group about how this woodland creation scheme impacts the farm business. There is also an opportunity to view a recently established Agroforestry area covering 10ha of planted fruit and nut trees amongst arable crops.

Pre-meeting notes:

Meeting 3. Wednesday 19th July 2023

Weston Common nr Alton

Theme: Species Choice for Resilient Woodlands

By kind permission of Forestry England

Invited Guests: John Trimble, Chris Reynolds, Dr Jo Clark

During this visit we will have a chance to see three research sites:

1. An operational research experiment planted in 2018/19 comparing four native broadleaved species with 12 non-native species. This is a large experiment (>10 ha) that was established on a site that was previously Nothofagus but this had to be clearfelled as it became infected with Phytophthora pseudosyringae.

2. The National Archive of Tolerant Ash. This will be presented by Dr Jo Clark, Head of Research at the Future Trees Trust.

3. A series of species and provenances trials established by the Forestry Commission between 1950 and 1980, known as the ‘Weston Common Old Trials’. The experiments contain many of the species that we are now considering as part of efforts to diversify species composition and include Acer macrophyllum, Abies amabilis, Abies magnifica, Abies grandis, Sequoia sempervirens, Sequoiadendron giganteum, Quercus faginea, Quercus canariensis, Castanea crenata, Tilia platyphyllos and Alnus cordata.

Pre-meeting notes:

Meeting 4. Tuesday 12th September 2023

Ringwood Forest

Theme: Establishing a Second Rotation

By Kind permission of Forestry England

Invited Guest: Chris Reynolds

Ringwood Forest was planted largely in the 1950s and 1960s on poor soils with Mire and Heathland elements. It had a very uniform age structure which has been broken up through clearfelling and restocking over the last few decades.

Dothistroma needle blight and the uncertain future of climate change has prompted the need for further diversification of species and structure and this visit will seek to explore the options available at this time.

We will revisit the “species trial site” planted in 2013/2014 which the WSG previously saw when it was just a year or so old. This will be an opportunity to look at what has been successful or otherwise a decade after the first visit and discuss the reasons behind those results and lessons that can be learned.

Other stops will include newly planted restocks including alternative Conifer species and the restocking of a p2009 site that was lost to a forest fire in 2020. We will discuss methods of ground preparation, species selection and maintenance challenges on a site of this nature.

If time allows there is also some underplanting in Moors Valley which we also visited last time the WSG came to Ringwood Forest

The AGM will be held at Moors Valley Country Park Visitor Centre

Pre-meeting notes: