Telling Woods from the Trees

Ten practical activities focusing on observation, comparison, and analysis of habitat types:

To turn this learning series into a practical "Nature Academy," here is a list of ten field activities designed to build your skills in ecological observation, data collection, and landscape analysis.

1. The "Canopy Coverage" Challenge (Article 1)

Objective: Master the Phase 1 definition of woodland.

• Action: Find a boundary where a wood meets a field or park. Walk toward the trees and stop where you believe the tree cover officially hits 30%.

• Measurement: Look straight up. If you were to take a photo of the sky, would more than a third of the frame be obscured by leaves? If yes, you are officially "in the wood."

2. The Vertical Layer Hunt (Article 1)

Objective: Identify the structural complexity of a forest.

• Action: Choose a single spot and try to find a physical representative of each layer:

  • Canopy: A tall tree branch.

  • Understorey: A shrub like Holly or Hazel.

  • Herb Layer: A fern or flowering plant.

  • Ground Layer: A patch of moss or a fungus.

3. The 90/10 Composition Audit (Article 2)

Objective: Classify woodland type by canopy composition.

• Action: In a 50-meter radius, count the first 10 large trees you see.

• Analysis: If 9 or 10 are broadleaved, it's a Broadleaf Wood. If 9 or 10 are conifers, it's a Conifer Wood. If it's 5 of each, you’ve found a Mixed Wood.

4. The "Standard" Detective (Article 5)

Objective: Identify evidence of medieval timber management.

• Action: Search for a Standard—a tree with a single, massive, straight trunk that towers over the others.

• Clue: These were often left to grow for decades while the smaller trees around them (coppice) were cut regularly for firewood.

5. Searching for "Woodland Ghosts" (Article 3 & 10)

Objective: Use indicator species to find "lost" forests.

• Action: Walk along the verges of Harcombe Lane or Milltown Lane.

• Goal: Try to find Dog’s Mercury. Since this plant spreads very slowly and hates open fields, finding it in a hedge suggests that the hedge is a remnant of a forest cleared centuries ago.

6. The NVC W14 "Deep Shade" Survey (Article 4)

Objective: Test the characteristics of Sidmouth’s dominant wood type.

• Action: Find a patch of Beech trees.

• Investigation: Look at the ground. Is it mostly bare with just a few Brambles? If so, you’ve confirmed the W14 signature. Use a trowel to see how thick the "duff" (un-decomposed beech leaves) is compared to an Oak wood.

7. The Conifer Micro-Climate Test (Article 6)

Objective: Understand the environmental impact of plantations.

• Action: On a sunny day, stand in a Douglas Fir plantation (like Bulverton) and then move to a broadleaf area.

• Sensory Check: Note the temperature drop and the change in light. Notice how the thick carpet of acidic needles feels "springy" but prevents almost all wildflowers from growing.

8. The "Indicator" Percentage Calculation (Article 2 & 9)

Objective: Conduct a simplified version of the Sidmouth Nature Project survey.

• Action: In a 10m x 10m square, count every different plant species you see on the ground.

• The Math: Identify how many are "Woodland Specialists" (e.g., Bluebells, Wood Anemone, Ferns). Divide that number by the total species found. Does your site hit the 70% "Established Wood" threshold?

9. The Railway Corridor Census (Article 9)

Objective: Observe how man-made structures create new habitats.

• Action: Walk the flat path in Harpford Wood (the old railway line).

• Focus: Look at the "cuttings" (the steep banks on either side). These often have higher moisture and less wind, leading to a different variety of mosses and liverworts than the forest above.

10. The Regeneration Watch (Article 6 & 8)

Objective: Predict the future of Sidmouth’s landscape.

• Action: Find a gap where a large tree has fallen or has been felled for timber.

• The Race: See which plants are "winning" the race for the new sunlight. Is it Brambles? Young Beech saplings? Or invasive species like Himalayan Balsam? This is a preview of what the wood will look like in 50 years.