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Habitat Management News

Woodlands by natural colonisation

Creating new native woodland cover by natural colonisation is perceived as having a number of advantages over planting, including: the use of appropriate species of tree of local genetic stock; a final woodland of natural appearance; and low establishment costs. However, it may also prove difficult to achieve for reasons including poor site conditions, limited seed availability, poor germination of seeds and poor seedling survival and growth. An Information Note has been produced by Ralph Harmer of the Forest Research arm of the Forestry Commission which describes some results from field trials on natural colonisation in southern England. It was found at the four fenced study sites that only a small proportion of the potential parent species colonised within the first two years. The greatest number of parent species at any one site was 17, but only five species were present as seedlings. Three-quarters of these were Ash, colonising the former grassland on a clay soil. It was also found across the sites that most seedlings were growing within 20m of parent trees and the number of species declined with distance from the potential parents.

The Note also provides information which should help to identify sites where natural colonisation is likely to succeed, and gives guidance on some procedures which may be necessary to improve the chances of success. Information Note 23, Using Natural Colonisation to Create or Expand New Woodlands, is available from the Forestry Commission.

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