20 a Day (2) Flashcards
(200 cards)
1
Q
Why exactly does chainsaw kickback occur?
A
- When the cutter is facing downwards, the depth between the tip of the cutter and the depth gauge is essentially deeper.
- The cutter is trying to remove too much wood and can suddenly get caught in it. The momentum is converted into kickback.
2
Q
Give one biodiversity-related reason as to why growing timber is important.
A
Growing timber helps to create a variety of trees with different ages.
3
Q
What habitat management technique is practically required for hazel dormice?
A
Coppicing
4
Q
Name the four different types of coppicing
A
- Pure coppicing
- Stored coppice
- Coppicing with standards
- Short-rotation coppicing
5
Q
What is (usually) the coppice rotation length of hazel?
A
Seven years
6
Q
What is pure coppicing?
A
Where a coupe contains a single species. All individuals are cut at the same time.
7
Q
When managing a bunch of coppice coupes, what do you need to remember regarding the size of each coupe?
A
They should all be roughly the same size so that the amount of material produced each year is consistent (remember that one coupe is cut each year).
8
Q
If you’re only going to coppice hazel within a woodland, how many different coupes do you need?
A
Seven (the rotation length of hazel is seven years, so you’ll need one coupe for each year).
9
Q
What is stored coppice?
A
Where you retain a single stem while coppicing a stool. This stem lives longer than the associated coppice cycle length (e.g., if it’s hazel then it’ll live longer than seven years).
10
Q
Give two reasons why you would perform stored coppicing
A
- If you want to produce large, thick timber.
- If you want to create old wood (useful if there are no standards).
11
Q
Most broadleaves can be coppiced as long as…
A
…They’re larger than 5cm in diameter when they’re first cut.
12
Q
Why should coppice cuts slope outwards?
A
So that rainwater doesn’t build-up inside the stool.
13
Q
How far apart should coppice stools be?
A
1.5-2.5m
14
Q
What process can you use to create new coppice stools? Why is this method ideal? (Hint: adaptation)
A
- Layering
- It’s ideal because the stools will alrady be adapted to the environment
15
Q
Why shouldn’t you coppice coupes that are next to coupes that were cut the previous year?
A
To help prevent the spread of certain harmful species, namely bracken (canopies and their shade help to stop its spread).
16
Q
You enter a wood to survey birds. How long do you need to wait before you start surveying? How long should you then survey them for?
A
10 to 15 minutes (this is because birds will shut up when you enter because they’re scared of you). You should then survey bird noises for 20 minutes.
17
Q
At what time of the day should birds be surveyed?
A
Dawn.
18
Q
If you’re going to survey anything, what should you check beforehand? (Hint: data)
A
Check any secondary data to see if populations have improved or decreased since the last survey.
19
Q
What is the coppice rotation cycle length for sweet chestnut?
A
Fifteen years.
20
Q
What wood makes for awful fencing material?
A
Hornbeam - it rots very quickly when placed in the ground.
21
Q
How many bird surveys should you do a year?
A
Two - one in summer and one in winter.
22
Q
How can you use a belt transect to survey birds?
A
- You want to walk along a metaphorical belt that’s 100m wide (not long).
- Sample every bird you see within the belt - anything outside the belt shouldn’t be sampled due to accuracy concerns.
23
Q
Within which habitat are belt transects really good for sampling birds?
A
Grasslands - because of how good your visibility will be.
24
Q
When doing coppicing with standards, what percentage of a coupe can be occupied by standards?
A
40%.
25
Do coppice standards need to be the same species as the species being coppiced?
No - you can have a hazel coppice with oak standards.
26
Why would you need funding to cut an overstood coppice?
Because you're highly unlikely to make a profit from the materials you produce.
27
Can you profit from coppice materials?
It's very unlikely that you'll profit from the materials alone.
28
Since coppice materials are unprofitable, what else may be required when managing a bunch of coppice coupes?
Some sort of way to make profit other than selling materials. (e.g., guided walks),
29
How can you tell if a coppice stool is overstood? What material will you produce if you cut one?
If it has a swept/curved butt. If you cut this, you'll received low-quality, curved timber.
30
What's the only native conifer species in the UK?
Scots pine.
31
Which species of conifer is by far the most popular plantation species?
Sitka spruce
32
When surveying mammals, what's superior: box traps or camera traps?
Camera traps - there's no limit to the amount of things you can catch (unlike with box traps).
33
How do you perform a step cut?
* Cut the compression side first
* Cut both sides of the compression cut so that you know where the compression cut is when doing the tension cut.
* Perform the tension cut (slightly above the compression cuts).
34
When coppicing, you shouldn't cut ____________ from where the stem starts.
More than 6 inches from where the stem starts (so cut close to the base).
35
A compression cut shouldn't cut more than ___________ into the wood.
More than 1/3 into the wood.
36
How can you avoid splitting when cutting a branch (Hint: with more cuts).
Perform a separate cut higher up the branch first (to reduce the weight of the branch).
37
What broad group of species is coppicing not suitable for?
Species that prefer to dwell within tree cavities.
38
Is coppicing great for birds? Why?
Yes - birds are very dependent on the structure of woodlands as opposed to the species within it.
39
When opening-up a forest, what two species may you expect to become dominant?
Bracken and brambles - they love light.
40
When pollarding, why must you never cut on the trunk-side of a branch's collar?
Because the wound you've created won't heal over, and the tree will rot.
41
How can you tell if woodlands need thinning?
* Look up while the leaves are still on their trees.
* If the canopies of trees are touching and you can see very little sky, then thinning is required.
42
Give three trees that you should remove while thinning (not three species).
* Trees that are alive, but are too weak to reach the canopy.
* Trees that are misshapen (assuming they pose a risk to people).
* Diseased trees.
* Non-native trees (e.g., turkey oaks).
43
Two trees are growing very closely together. Give two reasons as to why you should remove one of them.
* One tree may develop crown bias (the crown grows mostly on one side in an attempt to get some sunlight).
* If the trees rub together, they may get diseased.
44
Why might you want to remove a lovely oak tree?
Because you can convert it into timber - one oak tree could provide you with funding for the next five years.
45
Why is cutting down oak trees for cash morally wrong?
Because oak trees are grown in abundance in France.
46
Why might you want to keep some non-native trees in a forest?
To help "future-proof" forests against climate change.
47
What sort of non-native treesmmight we want to plant in the UK? Give an example.
* Those that grow in areas that are south of the UK.
* Chinese maple is an example that can help future-proof UK forests.
48
Should stumps be cut high, or short?
Cut them high - high stumps are a great source of dead biomass.
49
The larger and thicker a piece of timber is, the longer it will take to...
...Start rotting.
50
Should thinning be a gradual process?
Yes - thinning should be gradual to help avoid windblow. Any sudden influx of light will also cause epicormic growth.
51
What are "snags"?
Dead, hollow trees. They're great for wildlife.
52
What are the five main animals that attempt to eat saplings?
* Voles
* Rabbits
* Hares
* Muntjac deer
* Roe deer
53
What creates "lollypop plants".
Tree guards.
54
How can lollypop plants be avoided?
Through topping - this is where the terminal bud is cut-off to encourage lateral growth (it creates knuckles that split into two new shoots).
55
How long does a tree guard have to be to protect against muntjac deer and roe deer?
At least 120cm (anything less won't protect the sapling).
56
How long are plastic tree guards supposed to last before they degrade?
Five years - although they can last a lot longer if they're left alone.
57
Why must the grass around tree guards be continuously removed?
Grass will begin to grow inside the tree guards, creating microclimates that can encourage rot.
58
Where will you find wooden tree guards?
In pastures (to help protect the tree against cattle and sheep).
59
Metal tree guards can be found in urban areas. Why must they be eventually removed?
If they're not removed, the tree will grow around them.
60
How long does a tree guard have to eb to protect against voles?
At least 40cm.
61
How long does a tree guard have to be to protect against rabbits and hares.
At least 75cm.
62
When can't heavy machinery be used?
In the winter (because ground conditions are so bad).
63
How much of a pond should you dredge at a time?
You should dredge at least 1/3 of a pond at a time.
64
Where should dredged pond material be left?
By the side of a pond (only for a few days so that anything inside the material can crawl back into the pond).
65
When is the best time to conduct a thinning survey?
During the summer - it's a lot easier to do when trees have leaves.
66
Give four species of timber that must be removed shortly after they've been cut. Why do they need to be removed?
* Ash
* Beech
* Sycamore
* Cherry
Timber from these species needs to be removed quickly because they rot very quickly.
67
On what sort of land does rewilding pretty much always occur on?
Marginal land (land that isn't very productive).
68
What do drains in woodlands help to prevent? Why is this important?
* They help to prevent waterlogging
* Waterlogging kills trees
69
On what sort of soil will you need to dig-out more drains?
Less permeable soils (e.g., clay and peat based soils).
70
When will drains never be required (usually)? (2 Points)
* When working on very sandy soils that are very permeable.
* When working on slopes.
71
What tool can be used to help with drainage?
Ploughs
72
When ploughing furrows to help with drainage, what do you need to remember?
Remember that the furrows need to be connected to a network of main drains.
73
When will you expect a forest's water table to rise considerably?
After felling.
74
Give three reasons why tree felling causes a forest's water table to rise.
* There's less transpiration by trees.
* Soils become compacted during the felling process.
* Drains become blocked by brash.
75
What sort of culling is rarely effective? What does this emphasise the importance of (two things)?
Rabbit culling is rarely effective. Therefore, mesh fencing and/or 75cm tall tree guards are very important to help prevent damage to saplings/regeneration.
76
If fencing and tree guards aren't an option, how else can deer damage be prevented?
Through the use of chemical repellants that are applied to plants.
77
What's the primary downside of chemical deer repellants?
They won't protect any new growth that forms after the repellants were applied.
78
What should the height of a sapling being planted depend on? (Answer plus 2 points).
How weedy a site is.
* Normally, saplings are 15-25cm tall.
* But if a site is weedy, they should be 45-60cm tall to prevent competition with weeds.
79
Why should you never bother planting saplings that are taller than 60cm (3 Points)?
* They'll require staking
* They're more expensive than shorter ones
* They'll have worse survival rates compared to shorter saplings
80
What should be wrapped around bare-rooted sapling roots to prevent them from drying out?
A polyethene bag.
81
If bare-rooted saplings are wrapped in a polyethene bag, what do you need to remember?
They must be kept out of the sun to prevent them from overheating.
82
What's the most vulnerable part of a bare-rooted sapling?
The roots - it's extremely easy for them to dry out.
83
When should you never plant bare-rooted saplings? (2 Points)
* When the ground is frozen
* When there are very strong cold or drying winds that can damage roots
84
On what type of soil are herbicides rarely effective?
Peaty soils
85
What do you need to remember when applying granular herbicides?
That they don't touch the stem of the sapling you're trying to protect.
86
Between which two months should granular herbicides be spread?
February and March
87
What are the three safety rules when using herbicides?
* Always read the label
* Always keep a herbicide **concentrate** within its original container
* Dispose of all surplus **dilutions** after you've finished using them; never store them
88
When is beating-up never necessary?
If 15% of saplings or less have died.
89
The rate of which management process should decrease as saplings get older?
The rate of beating up should decrease.
90
If you find yourself beating up the same number of saplings each year, what may be an issue (2 Points)?
* Weeding may be inadequate
* Herbivore defences may be insufficient
91
Ancient coppice systems may exist within conifer plantations. How should they be restored?
They're restored by allowing light to **slowly** return to the coppice through thinning.
92
When was the Forestry Commission set up?
In 1919.
93
What was the original purpose of the Forestry Commission?
Its original purpose was to provide the UK with 3 years worth of timber to withstand another war (the FC was formed shortly after WWI).
94
What can a simple hessian mat be used as?
Mulch!
95
When erecting rabbit-proof fencing, the wire mesh must be buried underground. Which direction should it be folded towards?
It should be folded away from the area being protected.
96
Why is rabbit mesh folded away from a protected area when it's buried underground?
If it's folded towards the area being protected, then rabbits will still be able to bury under it.
97
What sort of mesh has hexagonal holes?
Rabbit fencing mesh.
98
What sort of mesh has rectangular holes?
Stock fencing mesh.
99
On stock fencing mesh, are all the squares the same shape?
No - the squares towards the bottom of the mesh will be smaller to help stop baby animals from putting their heads in.
100
When putting rabbit mesh on a fence, what don't you have to do?
Tension it.
101
How tall does a fence have to be to stop deer from jumping over it?
9 feet tall (2.75 metres).
102
What sort of fencing is sufficient to prevent horses from escaping?
Post-and-rail.
103
What sort of fencing do sheep and cattle require?
* Sheep - stock fencing
* Cattle - stock fencing with electrical wires or barded wire to them from resting against it.
104
How are gates rabbit-proofed?
Wood is placed along the bottom of a gate. Rabbit mesh is then attached to this plank and is folded underground away from the fenced-in site.
105
Give two types of fencing that require tensioning.
* Stock fencing (cattle and sheep fencing)
* Deer fencing
106
What are these?
Chestnut pailings - they form a **temporary** fence.
107
Give two benefits of using chestnut pailings as temporary fencing.
* They can be rolled-up easily
* They don't have to be tensioned
108
When fencing, how often should you place an intermediate post?
Every 3m (or every 2m when fencing-in cattle).
109
When fencing, how far into the ground should an intermediate post be placed?
1/3 of its length.
110
What are the two different types of fence post? Which is longer?
* Straining posts (longer)
* Intermediate posts (shorter)
111
How far into the ground should each straining post be placed?
Half its length into the ground.
112
Does hazel make for a very good fencing material?
No, it doesn't last very long.
113
When using two strands of barbed wire, how far apart should they be? Why?
* They should be 20cm apart.
* If they're closer, they can seriously injure any deer that try to jump over. If the deer only gets caught by the top wire, at least it can still walk away.
114
How high should stock fencing be?
110cm.
115
How high should the wire mesh be on a stock fence? What about the barbed wire?
* 80cm (mesh)
* 20 cm (barbed wire)
The remaining 10cm of a fence should be un-wired.
116
Stiles use the 30cm rule. How does this rule work?
* The first step of a stile is 30cm high
* The second step is 60cm high
117
How far apart are straining posts placed?
Between 50 to 100m.
118
Where do you place struts on a fence?
In the corners of a fenced-in area.
119
How much of a strut should be buried into the ground?
About 1/3 of it.
120
What are the two main parts of a strut?
* The strut itself
* The thrust plate (which gets buried into the ground and is placed at the end of the strut).
121
What's the purpose of struts?
They push against the tension of the fence wires.
122
Where would you never use barbed wire? Why?
* Horse enclosures
* This is becauses horses can bolt and easily injure themselves against the wire
123
Without weeding, what height will trees grow to?
One-sixth of their adult height.
124
Give two unusual forms of tree mulch.
* Sycamore leaves
* Sheeps' wool
125
If you're using woodchippings as mulch, what do you need to be aware of?
If the woodchippings come from coniferous trees - these acidify the soil.
126
How high should mulch be? How wide?
* It should be 2-3 inches high.
* It should be 3 feet wide (don't forget the clearance).
127
When staking saplings, should the stakes be long or short? Why?
* They should be short
* This allows the sapling to sway in the wind, which strengthens the tree
128
What percentage of a sapling should be allowed to sway?
* 66.6%
* The other 33.3% should remain completely still
129
What saying is used in regards to watering saplings and hedges?
"Water less, water well." (So that saplings develop strong roots).
130
What is the definition of a primary woodland?
Any woodland that has been around since after the last ice age.
131
What exactly are semi-natural woodlands (3 Points)?
* Trees appear natural and not planted
* They have been managed over a period
* They consist primarily of native trees
132
What invasive species needs to be managed as soon as it arrives?
Rhododendron - if it's not managed ASAP then it's removal will take up an incredible amount of time).
133
How high is the herbaceous layer in a woodland?
1-2 metres.
134
What is included in the shrub layer of a woodland?
Anything that's between 2 to 6m tall.
135
What are wolves?
Any tree with a deformity (e.g., crown bias).
136
What is the edge effect?
The edge effect includes any sort of outside influence on a habitat.
137
How can the edge effect be reduced?
By increasing the size of a habitat.
138
What is a shaw?
Just a strip of woodland (often found between fields).
139
What species is especially common in coppice woodlands?
Woodland anemone, it can be found in blankets :3
140
What are thickets?
Impenetrable woodlands!
141
When sweet chestnut is coppiced, what are the materials often used for?
Post and rail fencing.
142
Are oaks often coppiced today?
No - we rarely coppice oaks nowadays.
143
What sort of deadwood is ideal for stag beetles?
Logs that are 20cm wide and 2m long.
144
Is it easier to cut down a young tree or an old tree?
A young tree - the older a tree is, the harder it is to cut down (especially if it's rotten).
145
How long do stag beetles live in the ground for?
Six years (before emerging).
146
What sheet material allows water to pass through, but not soil?
Terram sheets.
147
How do you make a footpath? There are seven steps!
## Footnote
Ditches, digger, terram, rubble, terram, DoT, woodchips
* Make some ditches either side
* Scrape off material with a digger
* Lay a terram sheet
* Add a 6 inch layer of rubble
* Add another layer of terram
* Lay some "DoT type one" crushed concrete from the Department of Transport
* Add woodchips
148
Where within a ride should you create scallops?
On parts of a ride that run from east to west.
149
Ride maintenance can be divided into three processes. What are they?
Mow, cut, and coppice!
150
How often should the centre of a ride be mowed?
Every year (during August).
151
Are ponds on the decline?
Yes - one third of our ponds have been lost over the past 50 years.
152
Do you need a lot of space to build a wildlife pond?
No - even a small, water-filled bucket that's been buried in the ground can have benefits for wildlife.
153
What is the most common newt species in the UK?
The smooth newt.
154
What's the problem with pre-formed ponds (like the ones in the garden).
They're often designed exclusively for ornamental fish, and they contain slopes that animals cannot climb up. Make sure to add rocks and stones to help them climb up.
155
What's the main downside of pond liners?
They can be punctured, sometimes for reasons beyond your control (e.g., animals may tear through).
156
Since pond liners can be punctured, what should you lay beneath them?
An extra protective layer underneath - an old carpet or a layer of sand will form a protective barrier under your liner.
157
Even though a pond can be any size to attract animals, how big should they be to attract a significant number of amphibians?
At least 1 metre in diameter.
158
Do frogs prefer to spawn in deep or shallow ponds?
They prefer shallow ponds that warm up quickly.
159
Ponds need lots of sunlight, but some shade is still okay. What important thing do you need to remember in regards to shade?
Don't put ponds beneath big trees, the falling leaves can clog up ponds in the autumn.
160
Is it better to have straight or curved ponds?
Curved ponds - these have more microhabitats.
161
Ideally, how deep should a pond be and why?
They should be 60cm deep. This is so that frogs have somewhere to hide from extreme weather (especially during the winter).
162
Before you add some pond liner (and the associated protective layer) what should you remove from the excavated pond?
Anything sharp that may puncture the liner (even though you have a protective layer).
163
Ideally, why should a pond have shallow areas?
So that invertebrates and tadpoles have somewhere to bask.
164
What does it mean when you "level off your pond"?
It means you use a spirit level to check that the edges of your pond are level!
165
What should your pond be bordered by?
Pond liner (this can be covered with turf).
166
How wide should a pond liner border be around a pond?
30cm.
167
How do you secure a pond liner border?
By building a small trench that the pond liner sits in. This trench can be filled with rocks to keep the liner extra secure.
168
Can you fill a pond with tap water?
Yes, but it must be treated first. Chlorine will naturally dissipate over time but chloramines need to be removed (inexpensive products are available).
169
You can top-up a pond with extra water, but what do you need to be careful of?
Adding too much water can cause temperature shock.
170
Is pond evaporation during the summer a big deal?
Not really, ponds can naturally top themselves up during the winter.
171
Is it necessary to add plants to ponds?
No, plants should colonise a pond over time (although you can add them youself to speed things up).
172
Can you add non-native plants to ponds?
No - they could be detrimental to wildlife.
173
What should you wrap plants in when adding them to a pond?
A hessian bag filled with soil (this is environmentally friendly and it helps to help weigh the plants down).
174
If you're going to add soil to a pond (e.g., in hessian bags that plants are wrapped in) what should you be careful of?
Be sure that the soils haven't been treated with fertilisers - they can cause algal blooms.
175
Other than for helping animals get out of ponds, why else are rocks good in ponds? (Hint: algae)
Rocks can become covered in algae. If they're placed in shallow areas, then tadpoles will feast on the algae!
176
Why should at least one side of a pond be densely planted with plants?
To give a place for frogs and tadpoles to hide.
177
The best wildlife ponds often have no _____ in them. Give two reasons why.
They have no fish in them.
* They eat other animals.
* Their excrement has to be regularly removed from ponds.
178
How can you attract newts to ponds?
By putting plants with thin, easily folded leaves in the ponds for egg-laying.
179
Name three plants that newts love to lay eggs on.
* Water forget-me-not
* Water-mint
* Marsh-marigold
180
How far are amphibians willing to travel to get to a new pond?
One kilometre.
181
Give two plants that are really annoying in ponds.
* Blanket weed
* Duckweed
182
During which season are blanket weed and duck weed really annoying?
Spring.
183
How is blanket weed removed? What about duckweed?
* Blanket weed: twist a cane/stick in the weeds and pull them out.
* Duckweed, just skim a net across the surface of the water.
184
What should you do with pond weeds after you've removed them? What will happen if you leave them for too long?
* Place them next to the pond for a day or so.
* This is so that anything inside the weeds can crawl back into the pond.
* If you leave them for too long, then their nutrients will return to the pond as well.
185
What shouldn't you leave around a pond? Why?
Slabs of rock. During the summer, amphibians may crawl onto them when they emerge from the pond, causing them to quickly dry out (because the rocks are hot).
186
When dredging a pond, why shouldn't you remove too much silt? (You should only dredge 1/3 of a pond at a time).
Because silt contains invertebrates!
187
Can you put a net over a pond to stop leaves from falling into it during the autumn?
No - vulnerable animals (e.g., grass snakes and hedgehogs) may get caught in the net.
188
What's the only amphibian you're likely to see in a pond during the winter?
Common frogs (adult males lie at the bottom of ponds during sunny winter days).
189
Is it okay if ponds freeze over?
No - ice causes a build-up of toxic gases that kill any animals within!
190
What's the best way to create a hole in pond ice?
By filling a pan with boiling water (and then placing it onto the pond).
191
Give two reasons why you should never smash pond ice
* The shockwaves may kill wildlife
* The shattered ice could puncture the pond liner
192
What's usually the true cause of algal blooms? (Hint: not nutrient imputs)
The lack of water fleas! (*Daphnia*). These eat phytoplankton and can significantly reduce their numbers in a few days.
193
How can you add water fleas to ponds?
* By transferring silt from a different pond (this may result in unwanted species entering your pond).
* By purchasing them.
194
If you have large amounts of blanketweed and duck weed in your pond, what is this a sign of?
That your pond has too many free nutrients.
195
How can you deal with an excess of free nutrients within a pond?
By planting larger plants - these will absorb the free nutrients to prevent problem plants (like blanketweed and duck weed) from growing.
196
You've added large plants to a pond with lots of free nutrients, but blanketweed and duck weed are still growing strongly. What will you have to do?
You'll have to give your pond a nice, deep clean during the autumn.
197
During which season should you clean-out a pond? Why?
Autumn. This is because many of the plants and animals are dying back and frogs are not yet returning to ponds to lie dormant through winter.
198
How often should a pond be cleaned? (2 Points)
* Every three years if maintenance is average
* However, if you do a good job when it comes to consistently removing dead vegetation, then you may only have to clean them every decade
199
When cleaning a pond, how much water should you remove?
Remove the water until there is only a small layer of water on the bottom, along with the pond silt.
200
You're cleaning a pond and you've removed most of the water from it. What do you have to do next? Why?
You need to remove the top layer of silt and place it into a bucket. This layer is where most invertebrate eggs and larvae are lying dormant, so this will need to go back into the pond once re-filled.
