20 a Day (5) Flashcards
(200 cards)
1
Q
What five things should you consider before felling a tree (Two wind related, two environment related, two tree related)?
A
- Wind direction
- Wind strength
- Slope
- Obstacles around the tree
- Decay
- Lean
2
Q
Before you fell a tree, what can you do to make sure that delimbing it is a bit easier?
A
Try to make it land on something that will raise it up (e.g., a rock or a stump).
3
Q
A tree is decaying. How should you fell it?
A
Make sure it falls in the easiest direction (e.g., towards its lean).
4
Q
- Where can you find the most biodiverse woody communities in urban areas?
- What three things are missing from these environments?
A
- Abandoned sites that have been left to scrub encroachment.
- Despite being the best, they often lack very mature trees, deed leaf-litter rich soils, and wildflowers
5
Q
Why aren’t parks as good as abandoned urban sites for biodiversity (2 Points)?
A
- They rarely have shrubby understoreys
- Dead wood and leaf litter are also removed as part of “tidying-up”.
6
Q
Why should extensive areas of old scrub not be allowed to develop?
A
Because many of the more interesting bird species, such as warblers and nightingales, prefer varied stages of scrub development.
7
Q
What does the ideal breeding habitat look like for nightingales (3 Qualities)?
A
8
Q
Where do nightingales like to forage for their food?
A
Nightingales like to forage on the ground, picking through low vegetation, or turning over fallen leaves as they hunt for small insects and other invertebrates. They frequently use the bare areas under the scrub canopy.
9
Q
What would a grassland that suffers from heavy rabbit grazing look like?
A
Rabbits create a low browse line with a very tightly grazed sward right up to the margins of scrub patches.
10
Q
Why is it difficult to create new habitat for nightingales (3 Points)?
A
- Male Nightingales appear to be site faithful.
- It is also thought that birds may be ‘guided’ to suitable breeding habitat by the nocturnal singing of male Nightingales.
- This means that the potential for newly created scrub to be colonised could depend heavily on whether or not there are already Nightingales in the general area.
11
Q
Why will nightingales only use scrub that’s in the early stages of development?
A
Because scrub is often at its most vigorous and dense when it’s only a couple of years old.
12
Q
When cutting scrub on a rotational basis, what’s the one thing you want to ensure?
A
That some part of it is in its thicket/impassable stage.
13
Q
How often will a patch of scrub need to be cut?
A
Every 12 years.
14
Q
How do you manage scrub on a rotational basis (2 Points - what you want and how you achiece it)?
A
- It is better to maintain a coarse-grained mosaic containing reasonable-sized blocks of woody growth of similar age rather than many small patches of different growth ages.
- This is best achieved by cutting adjacent patches of scrub in two or three consecutive years rather than widely dispersed patches.
15
Q
At what age is scrub at its most vigorous and dense?
A
For the first few years of its life.
16
Q
What percentage of UK agricultural land is devoted to livestock?
A
85% - this includes the land that the animals live on, plus the land that’s used to grow their food.
17
Q
What’s the first step when it comes to arable conversion?
A
You want to roughen up the field a bit, since purely flat fields aren’t great for wildlife.
18
Q
Why are completely flat fields bad (2 Points - both water related)?
A
- They dry-out very easily, leaving no habitat space for aquatic invertebrates.
- On the otherhand, they also become waterlogged very easily and this can very quickly kill ground-dwelling fauna.
19
Q
- What’s one thing you can do (followed by another thing) to roughen-up an ex-arable field?
- What must you do first?
A
- By creating scrapes that will hold water, creating a habitat for aquatic wildlife
- You can use the soil from digging-out the scrape to create a hillock or two (a hillock is a tiny hill).
- But first, you have to remove any artificial drains that have been created by mole ploughs.
20
Q
- What will happen if you destroy or block an artificial drain that’s been created by a mole plough?
- What can these be converted into?
A
- You’ll create patches of waterlogged ground upstream.
- If you dig into these patches, you’ll create some great ponds!
21
Q
When should pond liner never be used?
A
In areas with a high water table (it may float up during floods!)
22
Q
What animal could you introduce to an ex-arable field to increase the amount of freshwater habitats?
A
Pigs! They naturally create scrapes!
23
Q
If you leave an ex-arable field to succession, why would this be bad (3 Points - the last one involves bison)?
A
- You’ll get closed-canopy forest.
- All the undergrowth will be nibbled away by deer.
- Without bison to stop grasslands from turning into forests, you won’t get any wildflower meadows or edge habitats.
24
Q
What’s the main difference between rewilding and land abandonment (2 Points, the second relates to intervention)?
A
- Rewilding the land is taking it back to a wild state where natural processes can allow biodiversity to recover
- So you’re either going to need livestock, or a lot of manual labour!
25
Glade creation can be seen as a form of rewilding. Why?
Because extinct straight-tusked elephants used to knock-down large trees, creating natural glades!
26
Why is hunting a form of rewilding?
Because wolves and lynx used to be responsible for keeping deer populations in check.
27
Why is coppicing a orm of rewilding?
Beavers and bison used to fell small trees, which would then regrow more vigorousl from their bases.
28
Why is grazing a form of rewilding?
Because aurochs used to graze grasslands, creating flower-rich meadows.
29
What is the definition of a mosaic habitat?
Mosaics are patchworks of different habitats with plenty of edges.
30
Give two examples of habitat mosaics
* Coppiced woodlands
* Woodland pasture
31
Plantations have linear rows of trees. What sort of community does this favour?
Linear tree planting favours communities that are dominated by predators.
32
You're trying to plant a woodland in a way that looks natural. Give two ways you can do this.
* Plant at a low density, and then allow for natural regeneration via seed rain to fill in the spaces between saplings.
* Plant trees in clumps!
33
How many species will many new woodland planting projects use? Is this number enough?
* They'll often use five species.
* But ancient woodlands have as many as 20 tree species!
34
True or false: UK soil seed banks contain many tree species.
False, there are acutally very few tree seeds within seed banks.
35
Why do coppice with standards woodlands produce such high quality timber?
Because the coppice growth often encourages the standard trees to grow tall and straight.
36
Give a tree species that does well on well-drained soils.
Elder!
37
What two things are usually required when planning a new woodland?
* Planning permission
* An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
38
When do you not need planning permission and an EIA when planting a new woodland (2 Points)?
* When the proposed woodland is smaller than 2 hectares
* When the woodland is going to be in a "low risk" area
39
Grants are available for planting forests. How can you ensure that you'll get funding (3 Points)?
* If you're going to afforest on public land
* If you're a farmer
* If no forestry operations are going to take place within the forest for at least 30 years
40
Roughly how much does it cost to buy bare-rooted saplings?
£1-2 (depending on the rarity of the species).
41
How much would you expect to pay for a quality tree guard (one that's 1.2m tall to protect against roe deer)?
Roughly £5
42
When will a mulch mat almost always be required?
When planting on very dry soils (this is when mulch mats are at their most effective).
43
Just how disastrous can poor-planning decisions be when planting saplings?
It's possible to lose up to 90% of your saplings if you don't do things properly.
44
* When planting bare-rooted saplings, should the soils be dry or moist?
* Why?
* Moist
* This will help you with digging
* It will also give the tree the water it needs to get going
45
Why is bare-root sapling planted generally unrecommended from March onwards?
Because the ground may be too dry.
46
When planting bare-rooted saplings, why must you be absolutely sure that the gap you've created is firmly closed (Two similar reasons)?
If you leave the gap open, the roots may dry out or they may succumb to frost.
47
What's the maximum amount of time a bare-rooted sapling's roots can be exposed to air?
30 minutes (any longer and they'll dry out).
48
Before planting a sapling, what should you quickly do first?
Give the bark on the little trunk a little scrath to see if the underside is green - this will tell you if the sapling is alive.
49
When bare-rooted saplings arrive, what should you do with them?
Submerge their roots in water for at least 6 hours.
50
When using woodchips as mulch, what do you need to be certain of?
That they are actually woodchips (and not bark chippings!)
51
What's a hidden benefit of using woodchippings as mulch (Hint: community).
Woodchippings help to create soil communities that are associated with fungi-dominated forests (as opposed to bacteria-dominated grasslands).
52
* What's widely regarded as the best tree mulch?
* Give three reasons why
Woodchippings!
* They can usually be delivered for free
* They create beneficial soil communities
* The more you use, the better (up to 1 foot).
53
Other than protecting from herbivory and making a sapling's presence known, why else is a tree guard good?
It acts as a miniature greenhouse, boosting the growth rate of the sapling!
54
Deer fencing becomes more difficult to install the...
...Smaller the area being fenced (e.g., if the area is only a few hectares big, then fencing may not be worth it).
55
Is it difficult to get enough people to partake in a tree-planting day?
No - there are actually parts of the country where there are an excess of willing volunteers.
56
If you're planning a tree-planting event, what do you need remember to tell people?
Tell people to bring their own spades - it's unlikely that you'll have enough for everyone!
57
You shouldn't have to water bare-rooted saplings. When may you need to?
You may need to water them if you planted them late in the winter.
58
* What's more vulnerable to drought: a sapling or a bigger sapling?
* How can you apply this information?
* Smaller saplings are more resistant to drought
* Therefore, if you're planting on free-draining, dry soils, make sure that you're planting short and stubby trees.
59
Give one reason why watering saplings is bad (Hint: burrowing)
Watering saplings can attract badgers which like to dig in moist soils (they may uproot the sapling!)
60
You have a lot of excess brash. Why might you want to pile a bunch of it around the base of a tree?
To stop deer from rubbing their antlers against the tree.
61
When is a good time to check tree guards (Hint: weather)?
During windy weather - this will allow you to identify any guards that are loose.
62
What is the penalty for not having the correct felling license?
An unlimited fine
63
Who issues felling licenses?
The Forestry Commission
64
* Name four woodland edge species that you can plant to diversify an edge.
* Which one is toxic to livestock?
* Dogwood
* Guelder rose
* Alder buckthorn
* Privet (toxic!)
65
At the edge of the woodland, trees typically form a gradual decline into the next habitat. Give two ways you can artificially create this ecotone.
* By felling
* By planting woodland edge species
66
The removal of mole drains will have a positive effect on _____________, but a negative effect on ________________.
* A positive effect of biodiversity
* But a negative effect on productivity
67
When might mole drains be essential?
In areas with high livestock density, to prevent soil poaching.
68
* What is soil poaching?
* Give one thing it can result in
* Soil poaching is the damage to soil caused by heavy animals walking on wet ground.
* This can lead to waterlogging.
69
Why can mole drains be bad for local water bodies?
Because they enable harmful substances to be drained off of sites (e.g., lime from liming and nitrogen from fertilisers).
70
What is a "gripe" (also known as a grip).
A hand-dug hand dug trench that runs across a field like a miniature valley.
71
A mole drains simply underground tunnels that have been dug-out by a mole plough?
Yes, but they're reinforced with plastic or terracotta piping.
72
Mole drains can increase an ecosystem's vulnerability to...
Drought!
73
* How are mole drains destroyed?
* Do they need to be completely destroyed?
By simply crushing a section of one - this causes them to silt up. There's no need to dig up the whole drain.
74
How are mole drains located before they're destroyed?
By simply digging a trench across a field's margin.
75
* You're managing a field that doesn't experience a lot of foot traffic. What's the best option for a footpath?
* Why?
* Simply mowing a footpath.
* You'll help to boost floral diversity by reducing the dominance of grass.
76
* During which month of the year should you never cut grass?
* Why?
May - you need to allow any flowers to set seed.
77
An unwanted footpath that has been created by lazy members of the public who can't be bothered to take the official route is called...
...A desire path.
78
Is gravel usually applied on its own when creating a footpath (Hint: you apply two other things)?
* Typically you would lay a foundation layer of aggregate before applying the gravel.
* A weed membrane is often used between the two (terram sheets), to keep the gravel in good condition.
79
You've put gravel over a pathway. Give three things you can add to make sure that the gravel stays in place.
Note that you'd only want at least one of these things:
* Logs
* Planks
* Gravel grids
80
At what path does a brushcutter become insufficient to keep a footpath maintained?
On projects less than 1.2 hectares in size.
81
A pile of woodchips has been dumped. Why does it need to be moved quickly?
Because it will turn to compost! (Although it will be very high quality).
82
An area has become infested with ticks. What must be done?
Keep vegetation alongside footpaths well-maintained to stop people from contracting Lyme's disease.
83
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
84
* What do sheep prefer to eat: grass or scrub?
* Is this generally true?
* They prefer grass over scrub.
* But remember that some breeds will prefentially target scrub.
85
Do sheep like eating trees?
Yes - but only very small trees (they'll prevent natural regeneration).
86
* What effect do sheep have on scrub at high densities?
* Why?
* While sheep typically won't eat scrub, they will prevent it from spreading at high densities as they'll eat any new growth on the ground.
* This is because they graze grasslands very tightly.
87
* Name two breeds of sheep that love eating scrub.
* What do they look like?
* What does one of them love to eat?
* The British Primative (brown and horned)
* The Soay Sheep (this one loves brambles - they are also brown and horned)
88
How many sheep per hectare would be considered a high density?
3 sheep per hectare.
89
How many sheep per hectare would be considered a medium density?
1 sheep per hectare.
90
Will sheep help to stop scrub encroachment (Yes/no and two points)?
Not really
* Only specific breeds like eating scrub
* Without these breeds, sheep need to occur at high densities to stop scrub encroachment (e.g., 3 sheep per hectare).
91
Acid grasslands have a pH of...
...5.5 or lower
92
Neutral grasslands have pHs between...
5.5 and 6.5
93
Calcareous grasslands have pHs that are...
...greater than 6.5
94
Name the four different types of grassland
* Acid
* Neutral
* Calcareous
* Modified
95
There are four different types of grassland in the UK. Give the amount of area for each one.
* Acid: 300k hectares
* Neutral: 800k hectares
* Calcarerous: 700k hectares
* Modified: 3m hectares
96
What creates more biodiversity: mowing or grazing?
Grazing!
97
A grassland is nice and healthy. How often should you cut it?
Every year.
98
* Give one reason why you would want to cut early in the year (April)
* Give one reason why you would want to cut later in the year (August)
* Cutting earlier is the year produces higher quality silage (in terms of nutritional value for livestock)
* Cutting later in the year is better for wildflower biodiversity
99
Give one reason why it's good to plant trees in the autumn (Hint: roots)
Most root growth occurs in the autumn, as plants have spent all summer gathering energy.
100
How often should you check saplings during the first year after planting them?
Every week
101
If you water a sapling too often, the roots will be very shallow. Why is this bad?
The sapling will become exceptionally vulnerable to drought.
102
* Should you give saplings lots of fertiliser (or very little)?
* Why?
If you give saplings too much fertiliser, then their roots won't grow out and seatch for nutrients within the wider soil.
103
When managing a hedge, you should cut one side one year, the other side the next year, and then do nothing during the third year. What's an alternative to this?
* Cut one side of the hedge one year
* Then cut the other side the next year
* **And then** cut the top of the hedge during the third year.
104
* Can you fill in a gappy hedge with more saplings?
* Why?
Of course you can - saplings don't have canopies, so saplings will still get enough sunlight.
105
* What's the main upside of spiral guards?
* What's the downside?
* Upside: they won't damage the sapling as it grows.
* Downside: they don't create a growth-enhancing microclimate.
106
What's the minimum length of time for a tree aftercare plan?
Five years
107
Without mycorrhizae, trees will be limited...
...In terms of their growth (they can only grow to a limited size without mycorrhizae).
108
When slot planting, how do you insert sapling roots?
You swipe them into the slot!
109
* On what sort of soil should you never perform slot and T-notch planting?
* Why (2 Points)?
Clay-based soils
* These dry-out very easily during hot weather
* This will cause the gap created during the digging process to open-up, exposing the roots to the elements
110
If you're ever in doubt, what sapling planting method should you use?
Pit planting!
111
Why are stakes necessary when using tree guards?
Because tree guards can act as sails, causing saplings to be knocked over by strong winds.
112
Do sapling stakes need to be removed after a while?
No - they won't harm the tree and they'll eventually decompose.
113
Why do containerized saplings have lower survival rates than container-grown saplings?
Because their roots will likely be damaged after being transferred from the ground and into the pots.
114
* When planting an older tree, what direction should it face?
* Why?
* It should face the same direction it was facing when it was originally dug up (before being sold to you).
* This will help to prevent shock.
115
Would you use sheep to maintain high or low nutrient conditions within grasslands?
Low nutrient conditions
116
What's an insufficient barrier to prevent sheep from straying?
A hedge (sheep are notorious for escaping - stock fences are required).
117
* On what sort of land should you not keep sheep?
* Why?
* Wet land with ponds.
* Having access to lots of water increases the risk of sheep contracting liver fluke parasites and foot rot.
118
* What sort of grass do sheep like to eat?
* What about cattle?
* Sheep: short grass (just above ground level)
* Cattle: long grass
119
What are the two main giveaways that grasslands are modified?
* The fields will be a lush, emerald green colour
* They'll be dominated by rye grass
120
* What does perennial rye-grass look like?
* What feature does it lack?
* What is rye grass characteristic of?
* It lacks awns
* Rye grass is characteristic of modified grasslands
121
Give the technical definition of a pollarded tree
A tree that has had branches that were 1.8m up the tree or higher removed.
122
Is it better to coppice or pollard beech trees?
It's better to pollard them - beech trees don't respond well to coppicing.
123
Give two tree species that are routinely pollarded in urban areas.
* Lime trees
* London plane trees
124
How is rhododendron treated (2 Points)?
* All woody growth should be cut and chipped
* Any new regrowth should be sprayed with herbicide
125
During which months should rhododendron be managed?
* Cutting and chipping should take place in April
* Herbicide application (to any regrowth) should take place in June, July, and August
126
How do rhododendron seeds spread?
By wind (this is why rhododendron is so problematic, especially if it occurs in a neighbouring woodland).
127
What's the main product that can be extracted from an overstood coppice?
Charcoal!
128
Why is beech so useful in continuous cover forestry?
Because it is incredibly shade tolerant.
129
Are oak bark tannins (which are used for tanning) valued anymore in the UK?
No, there's only one tannery left in the UK (it's in Devon).
130
* Give three tree species that shouldn't be felled in great numbers (Hint: winter food).
* Why?
* Rowan
* Holly
* Elder
These three trees provide valuable food sources for wildlife during the autumn and winter months.
131
What's the one quality that soil must possess if oaks are going to grow on it?
It must be very deep (roughly 5 feet)!
132
Oaks will not grow on soils that are ____________, _____________, and/or ____________.
* Calcareous
* Sandy
* Shallow
133
What soils do English oaks prefer?
* Deep, heavy clay soils.
134
* Why can'tyou grow oak trees on calcareous or sandy soils?
* What even is this?
* Is it possible to tell when this happens?
* Because "shake" can occur
* This is where the wood inside a tree internally splits
* It's impossible to tell if a tree has suffered from shake
135
* What's the least environmentally damaging confierous tree you can plant for timber?
* Why?
* Is it completely perfect?
* European larch
* It's a deciduous conifer, meaning it doesn't completely shade-out the ground below at all times, meaning it has less of an impact on ground flora
* But it still acidifies the ground with its needles
136
Why is it so difficult to remove PAW sites?
Because the coniferous timber is usually of poor quality due to poor management, so it cannot be sold to make-up the costs of felling
137
You've felled the conifers in a PAW site. What should you do next?
Wait and see what happens - you don't want to replant as the trees won't be adapted to the environment.
138
Give one butterfly species that loves brambles
White admirals - they love the flowers
139
Give one butterfly species that loves honeysuckle
White admirals - the caterpillars love to eat them (almost as much as the adults love bramble flowers!)
140
* Which butterfly frequents coppice coupes?
* Why?
* Silver washed fritillaries
* They use violets as food plants - and violets grow well within the dappled sunlight that coppicing creates
141
What's better: having lots of little ponds, or one great big pond?
Lots of little ponds: you'll create more habitat diversity this way!
142
Although it's better to have a bunch of smaller ponds, why might having one large pond be good?
You'll be able to house larger prey species, which will attract larger and more interesting predator species, such as herons.
143
What are dew ponds lined with (2 Points)?
* Puddled clay
* Concrete
144
Why can't you put any sort of aquatic plant in a pond?
Because the roots of the plant may penetrate the pond liner - do your research!
145
* People get concerned that ponds will increase the amount of mosquitos living in an area. How can this be avoided?
* What important thing **won't** these beings do (assuming what)?
* By introducing sticklebacks into the pond.
* They won't prey on tadpoles and newt efts if there are enough shallow areas to escape predation.
146
Why are dogs bad for ponds?
They can churn up the sediment and uproot plants. Conditions will then become eutrophic (rich in nutrients).
147
What will have more biodiversity: a deep pool with steep edges or a pond of the same depth with shallow, sloping sides?
A deep pond with shallow, sloping sides
148
Why are gentle slopes important within a pond (Hint: plant rooting)?
Because plants like to root at the transition zone between warm water and cold water.
149
Should all pond slopes slope gently?
Nope - some species like steep slopes (they like the security of nesting in banks that are adjacent to steep edges).
150
Is having a combination of steep slopes and gentle slopes good within a pond?
Yeah
151
Give one reason why it's good for a pond to mostly dry-out.
Wading birds love to forage in partially dried-out ponds.
152
Is it vtal that ponds exist in some capacity at all times?
No - have a mixture of temporary and permanent ponds to bolster habitat diversity.
153
Why is planting a pond risky (and should be avoided if possible)?
There's always the possibility of introducing an invasive species that's attached to the roots and/or leaves of the plant that's being planted.
154
Before you add a plant to a pond, what should you do first?
Wash the plants to remove any invasive fragments (this isn't 100% effective).
155
* What will happen to a pond once its construction has finished?
* Give three reasons why this happens.
It will likely suffer from an algal bloom.
* Blooms happen because of the sudden influx of nutrients
* The water chemistry is also unbalanced in a new pond
* There will also be very little plant life to compete for nutrients with algae
156
What's a good way to avoid algal blooms in a brand new pond (Hint: by planting something)?
If rushes are transplanted into the water from the surrounding grassland when a pond is created.
157
* What else can you add to a pond to stop algal blooms (Hint: fruit squash)?
* How much do you need?
* When does it become effective?
Barley
* You'll need one bale of barley for every 1000m2 of pond.
* Barley starts to work once it begins to decompose.
158
A silted-up pond can be quite good for wildlife. Why should they be desilted anyway?
Because if they gain enough silt then they'll turn into swamps (which stink!)
159
* How can you get a pond for free?
* Why?
* By requesting a great created newt pond.
* Land developers will build the pond for you - they'll do this because they want to offset the ecological damage that comes with development.
160
Is a little bit of duckweed okay?
No - remove it immediately. It only takes a single leaf for a pond to become dominated!
161
Ponds have the opposite effect of drainage ditches. How so?
They increase the wetness of the surrounding land, as opposed to drying it out.
162
What erodes more easily: compacted soils or loose soils?
Compacted soils - these experience more surface run-off, resulting in more erosion.
163
Why are clay soils compacted so easily?
Because clay soil separates are the smallest (out of clay, silt, and sand). Therefore, they pack tightly together.
164
Give a hypothetical example that shows the importance of using multiple survey techniques.
If you only do torch amphibian surveys, then you may detect a decrease in amphibians over a number of different surveys. However, the decrease is only due to vegetation becoming more dense over a season, causing amphibians to become harder to detect.
165
What can dead hedges be augmented with?
Climbers, like honeysuckle.
166
You can add peat to ponds to reduce their pH (make them more acidic). Give two reasons why you should only add small amounts of peat.
* Peat releases toxins that are harmful to plant roots.
* Peat dyes pond water black, preventing photosynthesis.
167
Are new plants that are asexually produced from layering always bound to their parent plant?
No - it may only take two months before new saplings can be transplanted.
168
When does layering occur naturally?
When a branch touches the ground, causing it to grow adventitious roots.
169
Give a simple layering procedure (5 Points).
* Cut the branch 3/4s of the way through so you can bend it towards the ground
* Scrape away a bit of bark where the rod will be in contact with the ground
* Dig a trench a few inches deep
* Bend the branch down and peg it to the bottom of the trench with suitable forked sticks cut beforehand
* Cover up, firm up and hope for the best
170
When layering hazel, how far away should new stools be?
Roughly 7 metres.
171
Which part of layering is optional?
The part where you put the scraped bit of branch into the soil - as long at it's pegged down it will grow new adventitious roots.
172
What is a maiden tree?
A young tree that hasn't been pruned.
173
* Which tree species was coppiced for use as fuel?
* What quality of this wood made it good for use as fuel?
* Hornbeam
* Hornbeam wood burns really slowly!
174
When a coppice becomes overstood, the poles become long and thin in the search for light. What's the technical term for this?
It is said that the trees are etiolated!
175
How can you use layering on a hedge (3 Points)?
* Cut hedge branches 3/4s of the way through
* Push the branches so that they're leaning over at a 45 degree angle
* Weave the poles between stakes
* The branches will then send up shoots to create a stockproof hedge
176
* Which age estimating process can you not use on coppice stools?
* Why?
Ring counting (because the stools constantly produce new shoots).
177
Give a particularly disease-resistant tree.
Hawthorn
178
* Name one disease that hawthorn trees can catch
* Where did it come from
* When did it arrive
* Fireblight
* It came from the USA
* It arrived in 1957
179
What does fireblight look like?
180
How many solitary bee species are there in the UK?
200
181
On what sort of soils will you expect to find solitary bees?
Sandy, well-draining soils
182
Give three reasons why hedgerows have been decimated over the past 50 years
* To create larger fields
* Hedges block out the sun
* They harbour fungal pathogens
183
If a flail is going to be used on a hedge, how should it be done?
* Hedges should be flailed to form an A shape, with a wide base at the bottom.
* This should be achieved with two sweeps of the flail.
184
When are flails especially bad for hedges?
When they're swept back and forth, causing young trees to be lost.
185
When and why did the government fund the removal of hedges?
* During the 1970s
* They wanted to boost agricultural efficiency by making fields larger
186
If a hedge is cut in the same place repeatedly, what will happen?
Stems become twisted and gnarled with the hedge becoming unhealthy.
187
When can you lay a hedge (Hint: r!)
September to April (all the months you can lay a hedge in have an r in their name).
188
When laying a hedge, how far apart should the stakes be?
18 inches
189
How high should a freshly-laid hedge be?
4 feet.
190
* What runs along the top of a laid hedge?
* What are their dimensions?
* Binders
* These are normally 8 feet long and an inch wide
191
The process of weaving hedge branches through stakes during laying is called...
Pleaching!
192
What does hedge laying help to reduce?
The number and size of gaps in the bottom of a hedge.
193
If you get a contractor, how much will it cost to lay a hedge?
£10 per metre of hedge.
194
* Which elm trees are at risk of catching Dutch elm disease?
* Why?
* Trees (or branches) that are 2 to 4 years old.
* This is because elm bark beetles like to target young, healthy parts of trees.
195
* What are these?
* What are these a sign of?
* Feeding "galleries" created by elm bark beetles.
* They're a sign of Dutch elm disease.
196
* To stop dutch elm disease from spreading through the xylem, what will a tree do?
* Why does this make the tree stupid?
* It will create tyloses, which are bladder-like extensions of the xylem cell wall.
* It stops water and nutrients from reaching the top of the tree, eventually starving it.
197
Why can bluebells be hazardous?
Because they're very slippery after they've flowered and have started to decay.
198
What two things do you need to get right when planting a coppice with standards (Hint: space and time)?
* The spacings between the trees
* That you create a diversity of different standard ages
199
What will happen if you have too many standards within a woodland?
They'll create too much shade, causing coppice poles to grow poorly.
200
What's a common problem with coppice with standard woodlands?
* Coppice workers are usually not equipped to deal with the standards
* This means that the standards will overgrow and outshade the understorey below
