Rare birds to benefit from woodland work
February 2013. Work to improve habitat and
protect declining woodland birds is about to take place at two Worcestershire
nature reserves.
Funded largely by a Woodland Improvement
Grant, Worcestershire
Wildlife Trust is about to undertake thinning and ride widening works
in two woodlands. Trench
Wood (near Sale Green) and Monkwood (near
Grimley) have both been the focus of previous forestry work and wildlife gains
have been recorded.
 |
| Lesser spotted woodpecker. Photo credit Pete Walkden. |
James Hitchcock, conservation officer for the Trust,
explained "The work we're undertaking is part of the long-term restoration
of both these woodlands. Visitors to the woodlands have become used to work of
this sort over the last few years. The areas we're working in and the type of
work we're doing this year, however, are very much focused on trying to halt
the decline of woodland birds like spotted flycatcher, marsh tit and lesser
spotted woodpecker."
Marsh tit and spotted flycatcher
As we have lost woodlands and our traditional woodland management methods have faded, numbers of woodland birds have declined. Once common, birds like the marsh tit and spotted flycatcher now have red status - severe decline in numbers and whose population is globally threatened.
While there are a number of factors contributing
to this decline, re-instating coppicing in woodlands can help. Coppicing
involves cutting down trees almost to their base - the trees spring back to
life with strong new growth, which can be cut again on a constant cycle. By
managing on rotation, woodland managers can ensure there is always a range of
habitat for wildlife.
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