Wood Pasture Woodland Sites
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Brockholes Farm (Grid Ref: NT 822643)
Total Area
10.3ha in 2 sites on Brockholes Wood (6ha), and Fawcett Wood (4.3ha)
Site 1
Brockholes Wood. 6ha. Trees were planted in 1.2m tubes to protect from herbivores at an average 1100/ha on grazed land and into areas of gorse. Tree species planted were ash (20%), birch (15%), Rowan (15%). Oak (10%), alder (20%), Holly(5%), Aspen (5%), Bird cherry (5%) Hazel (5%). Desired outcome is NVC type W7 (Alder-ash woodland with yellow pimpernel) /W9 (Upland mixed broadleaved woodland with dog's mercury). The site includes an area of riparian woodland along the Eye Water, with remnant alder. The site is generally north facing with gentle to moderate slopes, and rises from 110m a.s.l. to 160m a.s.l. Adjacent to the site the field has been planted with 50 ash, oak and alder trees in boxes as part of the BFT Wood Pasture Parkland project.
Site2
Fawcett Wood 4.3ha. Desired outcome is NVC type W16, Lowland oak-birch woodland with blaeberry. The site was felled and replanted before 2002, when all FC grant was paid back to FC. The current project deer fenced the area and replanted using 0.6m tubes to protect from herbivores to ensure tree establishment. The area is flat on shallow peat with heathland precursor vegetation and lies at 200m a.s.l. Tree species planted were oak (10%), birch (40%), holly (10%), rowan (30%), aspen (10%).
Cockburn Farm (Grid Ref: NT 776604)
Total Area
8.00ha existing woodland.
Woodland type
National Vegetation Classification type (NVC) W9 Alder-ash woodland on flushed slopes, with more gentle slopes and open stand of NVC W11 Oak-Birch woodland. The woodland slopes down from 160m a.s.l. to 110m a.s.l to the edge of the Whiteadder water. The woodland was open to grazing by sheep and cattle up to December 2006, and there was concern that grazing was preventing natural regeneration.
General description
North facing slope of 20-40% with full canopy of mature native trees with under storey species and previously grazed throughout by sheep and cattle. The wood is divided into two sections by a wall, running north - south, which is mostly broken down. The eastern section is fenced and the western section is very steep in places and is largely unfenced. Livestock have access to the whole wood. A burn enters the western section of the wood from the south and this is where sheep and cattle have had easy access to the wood and drinking water.
Physical Aspects
Wildwood forms part of Abbey St Bathans SSSI, designated for its ancient woodland interests and as such has a high ecological value. The wood is situated on the south bank of the Whiteadder River and has an area of approximately 8 Ha and an altitudinal range of 130m - 170m. The Whiteadder Water also forms part of the River Tweed SSSI and SAC.
Key Features
The eastern section of the wood has relatively gentle slopes with open stands of Betula pubescens (Downy birch) with a grassy field layer at the top of the slope. The lower slopes are inundated with Pteridium aquilinum (Bracken). This is Quercus petraea - Betula pubescens - Oxalis acetosella woodland. A large stand of wet Alnus glutinosa - Fraxinus excelsior -Lysmachia nemorum woodland (Alder woodland) with a rich field layer occurs on flushed slopes and along the river. There is also an area of open sward between the Alder and Birch woodland with tall vegetation associated with flushing.
The western section of the wood is much steeper and the slopes above the river support a stand of Fraxinus excelsior - Sorbus aucuparia - Mercurialis perennis woodland with a closed canopy and veteran ash trees. The upper slopes also support mature stands of Quercus - petraea - Betula pubescens - Oxalis acetosella woodland. The grassland adjoining the woodland is mainly species poor Festuca ovina -Agrostis capillaris-Gallium saxatile in mosaic with Bracken dominated Pteridium aquilinum-Gallium saxatile grassland. The grass has a closed short sward and small areas are included in the woodland boundary in the western section of the wood.
Laidlawsteil Hill (Grid Ref: NT 418366)
Total Area
23.50ha
Woodland type
5.9ha of existing Ancient semi-Natural Woodland (ASNW) W8g (Lowland mixed broadleaved woodland with dog's mercury). An unusual northern example of this rare community which includes Teucrium scorodonia (Wood Sage). The remaining area consists of calcareous grassland, dry heath, rush pasture, acid grassland and bracken. Bracken areas were planted with native broadleaves in 2005 with 1.2m tubes to protect from deer and other herbivore browsing. Altitudinal Limits; 150-280m a.s.l.
General description
South facing slope of 20% with thin soils at top, merging into remnant native ash woodland. 40% bracken dominated. Grazed by sheep up to January 2005, with no woodland regeneration evident. The area was fenced off in January 2005, using rabbit fencing and incorporating 10 rabbit 'drop' traps. There are large numbers of rabbit holes on the site, and roe deer are regularly seen. The bottom boundary of the site is a disused railway, with numerous young sycamore and birch self-sown.
Physical Aspects
South facing 30-40 degree slope and drought-prone in summer towards the top of the site where soils are thin. Rainfall is 800-1000mm per annum. Soils are skeletal developing as Brown Earth to the base of the site. Significant areas of bare scree are present. Hydrology: The site is freely drained with no obvious watercourses, but with small herb-rich flushes towards the base of the site.
Key Features
5.9ha ASNW ash woodland remnant now protected from grazing and managed through FC SFGS contract by BFT on behalf of the owner. The woodland will be allowed to expand by natural regeneration and planting, with rabbit grazing reduced, but not eliminated so as to conserve the NVC CG10 calcareous grassland, with Rock Rose as a key species. A Deer Management Plan (DMP) has been agreed as part of the SFGS, and roe deer will be shot in season, with monitoring of their effect on natural regeneration. The owner coordinates rabbit and deer control. The existing woodland includes ancient veteran ash trees and a significant understory of holly in patches, with hazel, hawthorn and birch. Sycamore trees occurring on the lower parts of the site were ring barked and treated with 'Roundup' herbicide (Deadwood Management) in October 2005, as part of the prescribed SFGS management. This will create more standing dead wood for insects and woodpeckers. There are some remains of dead elm trees on the lower part of the site.
The Dod Farm (Grid Ref: NT 474057)
Total Area
There are two sites with a total area of 9.35ha
Area 1. On both sides of the Dod Burn, 8.1ha. of which 3.8ha is New Native Planting, 0.9ha is open ground for Natural Regeneration, and 3.4ha of Existing Woodland.
Area 2. 1.25ha of which 1.00ha is New Native Planting and 0.25ha is Existing Woodland.
Woodland type
Following guidance from existing vegetation precursors, the desired woodland types are in area 1 NVC W7 (Alder-ash woodland with yellow pimpernel) and in area 2, NVC W9 (Upland mixed broadleaved woodland with dog's mercury. The existing woodland in area 1 consists of a mixture of naturally occurring native species (ash, elm, alder, hawthorn, oak) and planted species including beech and Douglas fir, which were probably planted around 1900. The trees form a fringe along the Dod Burn. Planting in area 1 was carried out using a stock fence and 1.2m tubes, and in area2 with 0.6m tubes and a deer fence. Altitudinal Limits; 220-280m a.s.l.
General description
Area 1 is a riparian strip of ancient semi-natural woodland with occasional beech and conifer planting dating from 1900. The valley runs South to North and has steep sided slopes with some flatter wet areas towards the burn. It was grazed by sheep and cattle up to 2006. Soils are generally heavy and gleyed. There was some regeneration of alder in wet patches, but no other tree species were recorded prior to fencing off. The river is the main watercourse with seepage into it from damp areas above.
Area 2 is on an east facing gentle slope on unploughed land surrounding 5 old ash trees. The area was deer fenced and planted on bracken land with free-draining brown-earth soils. There is a drainage ditch crossing the site.
Key Features
Riparian woodland strip now protected and enhanced by protection from stock and enlarged by native tree planting. On area 2, the ancient ash trees have been protected from stock and deer and enhanced by planting the surrounding area. There is a badger sett in use in area 2. Bracken will be a challenge to tree establishment in area 2 as it will tend to smother young trees. There are some remains of dead elm trees on the lower part of the site. The site has not been formally surveyed for birds, but could be attractive to woodpeckers among other species.
Nether Moneynut (Grid Ref: NT 731640)
Woodland type
NVC type W11 (upland birch-oak woodland with bluebells). Heavily grazed by sheep and cattle up to Spring 2006, which had led to a loss of natural regeneration and advanced senescence of the remaining birch and rowan trees. Altitudinal Limits; 100-270m a.s.l.
General description
South and West facing steep to very steep slope with sparse old birch trees on approx 9.00ha of the site with close grazed turf and ferns on the rest of the site. Soils are skeletal towards the top, with a free draining brown earth forming down the slope. An area of Yellow Meadow Ant hills was avoided, though there are some ant hills within the site. (The reason for avoiding including most of them was that without grazing the ant hills may become shaded out and the ant colony could desert the site.) The woodland noted as Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland (ASNW) and is part of a larger area of ASNW which follows the NE bank of the Monynut water downstream to Abbey St. Bathans. The whole area was fenced of with stock fence in June 2006, and trees planted with 1.2m tubes to protect the trees from rabbits, brown hare and roe deer.
Physical Aspects
South facing 30-40 degree slope and drought-prone in summer towards the top of the site where soils are thin. Rainfall is 650-800mm per annum. Soils are skeletal developing as Brown Earth to the base of the site. Small areas of bare scree are present. Hydrology: The site is freely drained with no obvious watercourses.
Key Features
9.0ha ASNW birch-oak woodland remnant now protected from grazing and managed through FC SFGS contract by BFT on behalf of the owner. The woodland will be allowed to expand by natural regeneration and planting, with rabbit grazing reduced. The owner coordinates rabbit and deer control.
Airhouse Farm (Grid Ref: NT484533)
Total Area
5.82ha (2 areas, both subdivided into a,b,c)
Woodland types:
Area 1a (0.6ha) is an existing upland alder woodland (NVC type W7) on a flat, wet flushed area with occasional birch, hazel, grey willow and hawthorn.
Area 1b (0.47ha) is coarse leaved grasses and is now planted with native trees, protected by 1.2m tubes.
Area 1c (0.40ha) is an area of fine leaved grasses and herbs and will be allowed to regenerate as woodland under the SFGS contract. There is a further area to the north of this site which will continue to be grazed to conserve the interesting herbs and will also have individual parkland trees in boxes.
Area 2a. (2.40ha) is open grassland which has now been planted with trees protected by 1.2m tubes.
Area 2b ( 1.25ha) is existing mature mixed woodland which has now had grazing removed.
Area 2c (0.60ha) is designed open ground where no trees will be planted to safeguard the existing wetland habitat.
Altitudinal Limits; 280-330m a.s.l.
General description
The land on both sites slopes gently and is East facing. There is approx 30% woodland cover existing on these sites, consisting of mature trees of natural and planted origin, with planted trees probably dating back to the 1900's. The land has been grazed by cattle until this SFGS scheme was initiated, with very little natural regeneration in evidence.
Physical Aspects
East facing 5 degree slope, with wet hollows and a small stream in area 2, running East. Soils are varied according to microtopography but are generally fertile with some impeded drainage on gley soils merging into brown earths. Hydrology. Area 1 is gently sloping with the lower part occupied by the alder woodland and is often waterlogged, with some drainage to the East. Area 2 has a natural narrow watercourse draining to the eats. An occupied badger sett exists at the East end of the sites.
Key Features
4.2ha native woodland restoration site with existing alder woodland, and mature sparse mixed woodland plantings. Now protected and planted with locally native trees protected from rabbits, brown hares and roe deer with 1.2m tubes, and domestic livestock excluded by a stock fence.
Mountbenger Farm (Grid Ref: NT314257)
Total Area 4.2ha
Woodland type:
Desired woodland type is NVC type W11, (Upland oak-birch woodland with bluebell). Before entering the SFGS the site was grazed by sheep and cattle and had one alder and some hawthorn and willow bushes remaining, with a variety of wet grassland vegetation straddling the Mountbenger Burn.
Altitudinal Limits; 260-280ma.s.l.
General description
The woodland is a steep sided gulley on both sides of the Mountbenger Burn, which at this point is considered to be important Atlantic Salmon spawning habitat. The burn runs from NW to SE, and the planting land is both on the top of the site on flat ground, and on the steep sides slopes, with open ground left on riparian strips. The trees have been planted with 1.2m tubes to provide protection from rabbits, roe deer and brown hares.
Physical Aspects:
SE facing steep sided gulley with soil types depending on slope and aspect and including freely drained upland brown earth, gleyed soils, skeletal soils and some made-up soil on the old road edge. Rainfall is 800-1000mm, with low probability of droughting during the summer. There are occasional small flushes on the site with the main watercourse diving the site in two.
Key Features
4.2ha new native woodland planted in steep gully with active burn running through. The watergate at the top of the site may be vulnerable to damage from floods. Some natural regeneration of alder, willow and rowan is expected, but initial tree cover will be established by tree planting. The river is thought to be ideal for salmon spawing, and it is likely that otters use the river and associated habitat.
