HI All,
As previously mentioned the Vera model is a compelling theory and is at least
part of the story. Living in the Lake District and observing where our trees
and woods are I think that it needs adapting for different environments.
Vera is Dutch and its fairly flat over there, we could call it a homogeneous
landscape. I suspect that the plains of Europe and parts of the UK may also
be similar but once you start to introduce variables things change. The
variables I'm thinking of are gradient, soil type and depth, rockiness and
aspect. These are the variables that affect how easy it is for grazing
mammals to travel and the quality of their forage. There is a Forestry
Commission Information Note
(http://www.forestry.gov.uk/PDF/fcin040.pdf/$FILE/fcin040.pdf - paragraph 12)
that indicates that naturally regenerated trees are more likely to occur on
less fertile sites where other vegetation is less able to out-compete them.
The more fertile sites
also grow the better forage and will be preferred by the grazing animals.
The more extreme the variables are the more 'fixed' the woodlands become in
the landscape.
In addition to the above the factors that cause drops in the populations of
the grazing animals such as diseases, parasites and weather etc. are likely
to allow pulses of regeneration to occur and 'fixed' woodlands expand or, in
the homogeneous landscape, the number of spiky shrubs and copses to increase
whereas when their populations are high the spiky shrubs won't increase as
their young soft shoots that are less than a year old will be eaten.
I was in the Triglav National Park in Slovenia a few years ago. It is a
fantastic place and I managed to drag my fat carcass up Triglav, the highest
hill in Slovenia. In that area they are suffering a depression in
agriculture and the numbers of cattle grazing the mountain meadows is reduced
from what it once was. Berberis vulgaris is colonising the steeper parts of
the meadows and trees are coming up within them but the flatter areas are
still has closely grazed as they ever where. The area of forest is expanding
and the meadows are contracting.
I could say a lot more on this but I've a job to do. If anyone is
particularly interested in this subject I would love to discuss it further.
I'm aware that my observations probably don't tell the whole story and need
to be tested/challenged further to allow them to develop or be shot from the
sky if they are whimsical balderdash.
Regards
Luke
________________________________
From: Burke Nick (DEL) <Nick.Burke2@xxxxxxxxxx.gov.uk>
To: UK Tree Care <uktc@xxxxxx.tree-care.info>
Sent: Thursday, 4 December, 2008 8:21:32 AM
Subject: RE: Grazing in Woodlands and habitat value [Scanned]
opps sorry mammoth rather than mammal dam spell check
Nick Burke
Planning Officer - Arboriculture
Environmental Planning,
Development Services
Sheffield City Council,
Howden House
1 Union Street,
Sheffield,
S1 2SH
T: 0114 XXXXXXX
F: 0114 XXXXXXX
nick.burke2@xxxxxxxxxx.gov.uk
-----Original Message-----
From: Burke Nick (DEL) [mailto:Nick.Burke2@xxxxxxxxxx.gov.uk]
Sent: 04 December 2008 08:19
To: UK Tree Care
Subject: RE: Grazing in Woodlands and habitat value [Scanned]
Didn't Peterken write something up as well im sure ive got an article in
an RFS journal somewhere. Ill dig it out and have a read but I seem to
remember being at a conference at Hallam here in Sheffield when the book
came out and it did cause a bit of a ripple. I think the thought was
that in theory it works but the evidence to back it up was a but woolly
(mammal). Hows the snow down there then Edmund
Nick Burke
Planning Officer - Arboriculture
Environmental Planning,
Development Services
Sheffield City Council,
Howden House
1 Union Street,
Sheffield,
S1 2SH
T: 0114 XXXXXXX
F: 0114 XXXXXXX
nick.burke2@xxxxxxxxxx.gov.uk
-----Original Message-----
From: Edmund Hopkins [mailto:Edmund.Hopkins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.gov.uk]
Sent: 04 December 2008 08:10
To: UK Tree Care
Subject: RE: Grazing in Woodlands and habitat value [Scanned]
Tim I wanted to reread Rackham on Vera before replying. Certainly he
believes it (the Vera model) remains theory. I agree it is compelling
stuff and the old notion of wall to wall woodland is now supplanted, but
as you say, black and white it ain't
Edmund
Edmund Hopkins
Tree Officer
Planning Services
Nottingham City Council
________________________________________
From: Tim Scott-Ellis [office@xxxxxxxxxxxx.co.uk]
Sent: 01 December 2008 15:27
To: UK Tree Care
Subject: RE: Grazing in Woodlands and habitat value [Scanned]
I don't think the theories in the book are universally accepted but
there is much that is and it has certainly challenged many people. I
think there is lots of good stuff in there though it cannot be applied
wholesale to all of the UK.
Like nearly everything we deal with, it's not just black and white.
Registered to vote yet? Easy as 1 2 3...
All city households need to register to vote this year and every year -
call us on 0115 XXXXXXX
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