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This topic provides a comprehensive overview of woodlands, focusing on their definition, and classification using specific examples of wooded areas found in near Sidmouth. It explains how a woodland is defined, including distinctions based on canopy composition (broadleaved, coniferous, mixed) and origin (semi-natural, plantation, scattered trees), whilst also touching upon their structural layers and historical context (primary, secondary, ancient).
A significant portion of the topic explores the Sidmouth Nature project's methodology for identifying local woodland sites, combining observational attribution with vegetative analysis to justify their designations. It specifically highlight the prevalence of the NVC W14 Beech-Bramble woodland type in the Sidmouth area, detailing its features, environmental conditions, and ecology, and provides an extensive historical account of its origins and transformation, including the impact of conifer plantations.
Finally, the topic offers detailed descriptions of various Sidmouth woodland sites, including their management and unique characteristics, whilst considering future management strategies given the maturity of many conifer plantations.
The articles in this thread address the following questions:
According to the Phase 1 Habitat Survey System, what is the primary criterion for defining a woodland?
What percentage range of either broadleaved or conifer trees in the canopy defines a mixed woodland under the Phase 1 system?
What are the key difference between semi-natural woodland and plantation woodland based on their origin.
What is the typical height range for vegetation dominated by shrubs or bushes in a scrub habitat, as opposed to woodland?
How were sites designated as 'woodland' within the Sidmouth Nature project, and how did this differ from a strict scientific approach?
What was the primary purpose behind the establishment of large-scale conifer plantations in Britain during the 20th centuary
Which two native tree species occur most frequently across woodland sites in the Sidmouth area?
What does the presence of Dog's mercury in locations like Harcombe Lane and Milltown Lane suggest about the history of these areas?
Which woodland site surveyed in the Sidmouth Nature project is unique among the listed sites for appearing to be absent of introduced conifer plantation species?
Why is classifying sites like Greystone & Lydes Hill, Harpford Wood, and Riverside Wood as NVC W7 (Alder/Ash - Yellow Pimpernel) considered inappropriate despite the presence of yellow pimpernel?
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Explore how woodlands are defined and classified. Learn about Phase 1 habitat survey standards, the difference between ancient and secondary woods, and woodland structure.
A guide to woodland distribution in Sidmouth. Discover why sites like Core Hill and Riverside Wood are unique, and how plant dominance helps identify ancient habitats.
How do we classify Sidmouth's woods? Learn about the NVC system, the dominance of Beech and Ash, and why Dog's Mercury is a "ghost" of ancient forests.
Discover the characteristics of NVC W14 woodland. Learn why Beech and Bramble dominate Sidmouth's woods and how to identify this habitat in the field.
Trace the 6,000-year history of Beech in England. Discover how medieval management and 20th-century conifer planting shaped the woodlands of Sidmouth.
Explore the 20th-century history of Sidmouth's conifer plantations. Learn about timber production, the impact on ancient woods, and modern efforts to restore native habitats.
A guide to the three distinct woodlands of Salcombe Hill. Learn about the ancient indicators of Bluebell Wood and the accessible paths of Combe Head.
Explore the western woodlands of Sidmouth. Discover the commercial legacy of Bulverton Hill, the nature corridors of Greystone, and the garden history of Peak Wood.
Discover the northern woods of Sidmouth. Walk the old railway line in Harpford Wood, see the Fire Beacon grazing project, and explore the veteran trees of Core Hill
Explore Riverside Wood, Sidmouth's most natural broadleaf wood, and discover why Milltown and Harcombe Lanes are "ghosts" of ancient forests.
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