Charles Flower is passionate about restoring the countryside. He has spent many years working on and writing about the restoration of wild flowers to grasslands and has now turned his attention to ancient woodlands, many of which, though derelict, are treasure houses of diversity, an asset unrecognised by almost everyone including those in Government. Yet with a little effort glades and rides, which may represent less than ten per cent of the wood, can be opened up with remarkable results. Once light penetrates some wild flowers will reappear and attract back the insects, birds and animals that once flourished there. What is more, over the last twenty years some 85,000 hectares of new broad-leaved woodland have been planted in England most of it devoid of wildlife, a giant missed opportunity since this land, which greatly exceeds the area of the nature reserves of all the English Wildlife Trusts, is protected from agricultural agrochemicals and would provide the perfect breeding ground for wild flower diversity and the insect, bird and animal life associated with it. Just as introducing the right methods was the key to creating successful wild flower headlands on agricultural land, introducing appropriate methods will establish wild flowers in new woods.<\/p>\n
This book is not only a beautiful record of the ancient woodlands that, thanks to good management, have continued to thrive, it also constitutes a practical manual and provides inspiration for those working to preserve our existing ancient woodlands and those managing recently planted woods and planting the trees that will constitute our future woodland heritage.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A beautiful photographic record of a surviving English ancient woodland providing practical advice and inspiration for those wishing to preserve those that still exist and to create woodlands full of insect, bird and animal life for the future.
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
\nHow to maintain the incredible diversity of an ancient woodland
\nCHAPTER 2: HISTORY OF MAPLEASH COPSE
\nThe fascinating history of the copse managed by Charles Flower and an overview of the woodland clearance since
\nMan’s earliest farming.
\nCHAPTER 3: MEDIEVAL WOODLAND PRODUCTS
\nHow the key species of oak, ash and hazel supplied the essentials of medieval rural life.
\nCHAPTER 4: WOODLAND TREES AND SHRUBS
\nThe most important species of trees and shrubs, their characteristics and dispersal strategies.
\nCHAPTER 5: RESTORING DERELICT HAZEL
\nA detailed account of the techniques required to restore a derelict hazel copse with all the trials and tribulations of
\noutwitting deer and rabbits.
\nCHAPTER 6: DEAD WOOD, CAVITIES AND FUNGI
\nThe vitally important role of dead wood, standing and fallen, with descriptions of some of the extraordinary fungi which
\nhelp convert dead wood into woodland soil.
\nCHAPTER 7: WOODLAND WILD FLOWERS
\nA detailed account of the wild flowers, 90 per cent of which depend on rides and glades for their survival, and the
\neffects of coppicing on the ground flora.
\nCHAPTER 8: FERNS, MOSSES AND LIVERWORTS
\nThe amazing world of ferns, mosses and lichens and how to encourage these often over-looked organisms.
\nCHAPTER 9: INSECTS
\nA photographic glimpse of the fascinating insects that inhabit ancient woodland and their specialised requirements.
\nCHAPTER 10: OTHER OCCUPANTS OF THE WOOD
\nThe rich diversity of animal life in an ancient woodland, much of which is nocturnal, from birds to dormice and
\nbadgers, and the clues to its presence.
\nCHAPTER 11: MANAGING A WOOD FOR DIVERSITY
\nNine practical steps to safeguarding the diversity of the woodland including the detailed management of rides and
\nglades.
\nCHAPTER 12: ESTABLISHING WILD FLOWERS IN WOODLAND AND GARDENS
\nHow to encourage wild flowers in new broad-leaved woodland when shade levels develop and how woodland wild
\nflowers can solve gardeners’ shade problems, while also establishing a vital nectar supply for wildlife.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":51117,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":""},"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[21062],"product_tag":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-50784","1":"product","2":"type-product","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"product_cat-natural-world","7":"author-by-author-charles-flower","8":"publisher-papadakis","10":"first","11":"instock","12":"shipping-taxable","13":"purchasable","14":"product-type-simple"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n