Topic: blean wood

[kentish cob]

Lying to the north of Canterbury, "almost all the woodland comprising the Blean complex is classified as ancient woodland. Its value for wildlife is recognised at a national level with over half of the Blean being designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest and approximately one third is also designated as a Special Area of Conservation.

"The Blean Wood National Nature Reserve is one of several woods that cover eleven square miles, and includes Thornden Wood, East and West Blean Woods, and Clowes Wood".

These were taken in Clowes Wood, which is owned by the Forestry Commission, hence the "management" through felling.

All Olympus XA - Fomapan 400 - D-76.

[Bryan]

Nice set, it makes for an interesting landscape with all that cut wood on the ground.  I do a lot of restoration work where we will place woody debris on the ground for erosion control but not so much on flat ground and so dense like that.  Seems kind of odd to me what they are doing unless they plan on picking up all that wood later. 

[kentish cob]

Thanks Bryan... it was the chaotic nature of the cut timber that encouraged the XA out of my pocket...

We think of forest areas as natural, but in reality, at least here in the UK, they're anything but, being actively managed and shaped by the hand of man.

I guess the felling team must move onto another area and leave the cut logs for someone else to come in and stack (as pic 3) prior to collection. (I really should have subtitled this thread "dere were dese tree fellers"...)

The forestry commission "about" page for Clowes Wood lists among it's objectives:
•Maintain and enhance remnant ancient woodland features, with the most shade casting conifers prioritised for management.
•Ensure a sustainable harvest of timber for the continuing maintenance of programmes to deliver an enhanced environment, secure the woods for the future and provide employment opportunities.
•Supplement natural regeneration of native broadleaves with planting as necessary to maintain the wood’s productivity

The focus of the long term management plan seems to be clearfelling of plantation conifers for gradual restocking with native broadleaved varieties.