Trees
When we took over the site in 2012, the most common trees by far were Corsican Pines. The records say that 28,000 were planted when the site ceased to be a quarry in the 1970s. This was almost certainly with the idea of stabilising the ground, and possibly in the hope of a commercial crop. The trees have grown tall, but they are planted close together and were not thinned out when they were young. This means that they are not particularly strong, and they are poor indicators for biodiversity. Because they are so closely packed and have dense foliage, they starve the ground underneath of light and water, and almost nothing can grow. It was clear that to fulfil our aims of improving biodiversity we needed to get rid of many of them. Just cutting them all down was not an option, because it would leave the exposed soil vulnerable to erosion, so we have been following woodland management plans, drawn up for us by experts.
With a licence from Natural Resources Wales (NRW), we have completed three selective felling programmes, all of which have included some ‘clear fell’ areas, and about one in four of the remaining trees. This has allowed light and rain into the forest, and the change has been dramatic! It is amazing how many seeds can lie dormant for many years, but still flourish when they are given the opportunity. We now have lots of oak, ash, sycamore and holly appearing, and of course plenty of silver birch, all of which have self-seeded. These are in addition to several hundred saplings across the site which we have planted. Interestingly, the areas which we have left to self-seed have generally flourished much more quickly and productively than the ones where we have planted saplings. A lesson for future management! We will wait to see what the advice is about future felling, but even if we do some more thinning it is unlikely there will be any more clear felled areas.
With a licence from Natural Resources Wales (NRW), we have completed three selective felling programmes, all of which have included some ‘clear fell’ areas, and about one in four of the remaining trees. This has allowed light and rain into the forest, and the change has been dramatic! It is amazing how many seeds can lie dormant for many years, but still flourish when they are given the opportunity. We now have lots of oak, ash, sycamore and holly appearing, and of course plenty of silver birch, all of which have self-seeded. These are in addition to several hundred saplings across the site which we have planted. Interestingly, the areas which we have left to self-seed have generally flourished much more quickly and productively than the ones where we have planted saplings. A lesson for future management! We will wait to see what the advice is about future felling, but even if we do some more thinning it is unlikely there will be any more clear felled areas.
Ash
Recognise by: up to 35m tall; leaves grow in pairs, 3-6 on a twig with a single leaf at the tip; leaves turn in the direction of sunlight, and are unusual in that they fall when they are still green; distinctive black buds and flattened twigs in winter; bark is pale brown to grey, and becomes fissured as the tree ages.
Like most woodlands in the United Kingdom, and across Europe, ash trees in Maes y Pant have suffered from ‘ash dieback’. This is caused by a fungus called Hymenoscyphus fraxineus. It was first confirmed in the UK in 2012, and has spread very quickly. The fungus is blown (sometimes for tens of miles) on the wind, and causes blackened leaves, dead branches and sometimes even the collapse of trees. It is anticipated that up to 80% of native ash trees may ultimately be affected, and that it could cost the British economy £15 billion! It will certainly change the landscape and be devastating for species that rely on ash trees. The good news is that somewhere between 1 and 5 percent of trees seem to have some natural resistance, and it is hoped that by allowing these trees to flourish, the resilience of our woodlands will be improved. We are following NRW advice in our management of our trees, and ask all our visitors to follow the biodiversity guidance of cleaning shoes and bike wheels after visiting the woodland, and avoiding taking cuttings or plant material away.
Like most woodlands in the United Kingdom, and across Europe, ash trees in Maes y Pant have suffered from ‘ash dieback’. This is caused by a fungus called Hymenoscyphus fraxineus. It was first confirmed in the UK in 2012, and has spread very quickly. The fungus is blown (sometimes for tens of miles) on the wind, and causes blackened leaves, dead branches and sometimes even the collapse of trees. It is anticipated that up to 80% of native ash trees may ultimately be affected, and that it could cost the British economy £15 billion! It will certainly change the landscape and be devastating for species that rely on ash trees. The good news is that somewhere between 1 and 5 percent of trees seem to have some natural resistance, and it is hoped that by allowing these trees to flourish, the resilience of our woodlands will be improved. We are following NRW advice in our management of our trees, and ask all our visitors to follow the biodiversity guidance of cleaning shoes and bike wheels after visiting the woodland, and avoiding taking cuttings or plant material away.
Beech
Recognise by: grow up to 40m, with a huge, dense, domed crown. Bark is smooth and grey, often with slight horizontal lines. Young leaves are hairy, and lime green, darkening as they mature, oval with a pointed tip and wavy edge. Leaves are often retained through the winter, falling in spring.
Beech is known as the ‘queen of British trees’ and is home to rare wildlife, particularly butterflies. The seeds (‘beechmast’) are important food source for birds and mammals. There aren’t many beech in Maes y Pant, but we’ve planted some to make the hedges by the car park.
Beech is known as the ‘queen of British trees’ and is home to rare wildlife, particularly butterflies. The seeds (‘beechmast’) are important food source for birds and mammals. There aren’t many beech in Maes y Pant, but we’ve planted some to make the hedges by the car park.
Corsican Pine
Recognise by: in the UK, up to c24m tall; evergreen; long needles, grouped in pairs; dark greyish brown bark which becomes flaky as the tree matures; large shiny cones which are always one-sided. Also called ‘black pine’.
Poor for biodiversity, but good for small mammals and birds, especially goldcrest and coal tit.
Poor for biodiversity, but good for small mammals and birds, especially goldcrest and coal tit.
Elder
Recognise by: up to 15m high, with grey-brown, corky bark. 5-7pairs of leaves, with slightly toothed edges. Easily recognised by large flat ‘umbrellas’ of flowers in May, and bunches of purple-black berries in Autumn.
The flowers are used to make elderflower cordial, berries can be used for cordial, jelly and wine. Elderberries are also used in herbal medicine, and by tradition planting an elder outside your house is supposed to keep the devil away.
The flowers are used to make elderflower cordial, berries can be used for cordial, jelly and wine. Elderberries are also used in herbal medicine, and by tradition planting an elder outside your house is supposed to keep the devil away.
Hazel
recognise by: up to 12m, with blunt oval leaves which are soft and hairy; bark is smooth and grey-brown and peels with age; catkins grow in spring, hazel nuts in autumn.
Hazel nuts are an important food source for squirrels and dormice, as well as being loved by humans!
Hazel nuts are an important food source for squirrels and dormice, as well as being loved by humans!
Holly
Recognise by: up to 15m high; distinctive dark green leaves with prickly edges (though older leaves and those high up the tree may be smooth); bark is smooth and thin with lots of small, brown ‘warts’; male and female flowers occur on the same tree, female flowers develop into bright red berries.
Holly is used for Christmas decorations, and the wood is good for furniture and walking sticks. Seeds are an important source of food for birds and small mammals in winter, and seeds dispersed in bird poo easily grow into new trees.
Holly is used for Christmas decorations, and the wood is good for furniture and walking sticks. Seeds are an important source of food for birds and small mammals in winter, and seeds dispersed in bird poo easily grow into new trees.
Larch
Recognise by: up to 30m tall; deciduous; bright green growth in spring, with needles forming clusters like rosettes (it’s been called a ‘springtime showoff’); bark is pinkish brown, and develops wide cracks with age.
In the third phase of felling in early 2023, contractors thinned the stand of larch in the area between Maes y Pant and Marford Quarry. This was following expert advice to increase air circulation around the trees. The intention is to reduce the risk of them becoming infected with a fungal-like organism called Phytophthora ramorum. This infection can kill the trees (the
Latin name means 'plant destroyer’). At the moment there is no sign of it in Maes y Pant, but it has been found in other woodlands in the area. If infected trees are found, it is a legal requirement to fell and burn them on site, which would be costly and a great loss to the biodiversity and the beauty of our woodland. Larches are deciduous, and the bright green fresh growth they produce in spring is a delight.
In the third phase of felling in early 2023, contractors thinned the stand of larch in the area between Maes y Pant and Marford Quarry. This was following expert advice to increase air circulation around the trees. The intention is to reduce the risk of them becoming infected with a fungal-like organism called Phytophthora ramorum. This infection can kill the trees (the
Latin name means 'plant destroyer’). At the moment there is no sign of it in Maes y Pant, but it has been found in other woodlands in the area. If infected trees are found, it is a legal requirement to fell and burn them on site, which would be costly and a great loss to the biodiversity and the beauty of our woodland. Larches are deciduous, and the bright green fresh growth they produce in spring is a delight.
Rowan (also called Mountain Ash)
Recognise by: up to 15m high, with smooth and silvery grey bark. Leaves grow with 5-8 pairs on a twig, and one ‘terminal’ leaf at the end. Rowan has white flowers in spring, and is easily recognised in autumn by the bunches of bright orange/red berries.
Silver Birch
Recognise by: up to 30m high; drooping branches, white bark which sheds like tissue paper; leaves are light green and triangular with a toothed edge; produces catkins in April-May.
Silver birch are called ‘pioneer’ trees because they will grow on almost any kind of land, including poor soils. It is often one of the first to establish itself in new woodland, and we have lots which are self-seeded in Maes y Pant. If conditions are right - as they obviously are in Maes y Pant! - it can spread rapidly, and in mixed woodlands it can act as a ‘nurse’ tree to protect other saplings which are more delicate. It is also good for wildlife - over 300 insect species use silver birch for food and shelter.
Silver birch are called ‘pioneer’ trees because they will grow on almost any kind of land, including poor soils. It is often one of the first to establish itself in new woodland, and we have lots which are self-seeded in Maes y Pant. If conditions are right - as they obviously are in Maes y Pant! - it can spread rapidly, and in mixed woodlands it can act as a ‘nurse’ tree to protect other saplings which are more delicate. It is also good for wildlife - over 300 insect species use silver birch for food and shelter.
Oak
Maes y Pant has both English oaks, quercus robur and sessile oaks, quercus petraea.
Recognise by: 20-40m high; distinctive leaves about 10cm long with 4 or 5 deep lobes with smooth edges; hanging catkins in spring lead to acorns in autumn. English oak leaves have almost no stalk but their acorns grow on stalks, sessile oaks leaves have stalks but their acorns do not. Oak - ‘the king of trees’ is widely thought of as the national tree of Britain. They are associated with biodiversity - it’s estimated that oaks support more than 2,300 different species, more than any other tree in the UK. They are the only type of tree that has both deciduous and evergreen types. The wood is hard and used for furniture, flooring and many other things, and the bark has been used for tanning for over 8,000 years. It’s not found in Britain, but quercus suber is ‘cork oak’ an evergreen variety which can be carefully harvested without damaging the tree - each tree is harvested by hand once every nine years. Portugal’s cork oak forest contains a third of the cork oaks in the world, and produces 40 million corks a day!
Amazingly, it’s probable that most oak trees in the UK are planted by jays and squirrels.
Jays feed on acorns, but they also make ‘caches’ of hidden acorns which they keep to feed on later. These can be carried for thousands of meters, much further than other creatures. A study of 65 jays found that they planted up to half a million acorns in a season! It’s estimated that about 25% of these caches are forgotten, leaving the acorns to germinate
In a study in Oxfordshire two fields were ‘abandoned’ and left to natural re-wilding.
Thrushes spread seeds of bramble, blackthorn and hawthorn, which then provided protection for oaks that grew from acorns buried in the ground by jays. The first field was studied for 59 years, by which time it was a mature wood with 390 trees per hectare, 52% oaks.
The second field, abandoned 35 years later was studied for 24 years, by which time it was a young wood with 132 trees per hectare, of which 57% were oaks.
Recognise by: 20-40m high; distinctive leaves about 10cm long with 4 or 5 deep lobes with smooth edges; hanging catkins in spring lead to acorns in autumn. English oak leaves have almost no stalk but their acorns grow on stalks, sessile oaks leaves have stalks but their acorns do not. Oak - ‘the king of trees’ is widely thought of as the national tree of Britain. They are associated with biodiversity - it’s estimated that oaks support more than 2,300 different species, more than any other tree in the UK. They are the only type of tree that has both deciduous and evergreen types. The wood is hard and used for furniture, flooring and many other things, and the bark has been used for tanning for over 8,000 years. It’s not found in Britain, but quercus suber is ‘cork oak’ an evergreen variety which can be carefully harvested without damaging the tree - each tree is harvested by hand once every nine years. Portugal’s cork oak forest contains a third of the cork oaks in the world, and produces 40 million corks a day!
Amazingly, it’s probable that most oak trees in the UK are planted by jays and squirrels.
Jays feed on acorns, but they also make ‘caches’ of hidden acorns which they keep to feed on later. These can be carried for thousands of meters, much further than other creatures. A study of 65 jays found that they planted up to half a million acorns in a season! It’s estimated that about 25% of these caches are forgotten, leaving the acorns to germinate
In a study in Oxfordshire two fields were ‘abandoned’ and left to natural re-wilding.
Thrushes spread seeds of bramble, blackthorn and hawthorn, which then provided protection for oaks that grew from acorns buried in the ground by jays. The first field was studied for 59 years, by which time it was a mature wood with 390 trees per hectare, 52% oaks.
The second field, abandoned 35 years later was studied for 24 years, by which time it was a young wood with 132 trees per hectare, of which 57% were oaks.
Sycamore
Recognise by: up to 35m high; domed shape; 5-lobed ‘toothed’ leaves with red stalks; small green flowers hang down and turn into winged fruit called ‘samaras’ better known to generations of children as ‘helicopters’ !
Sycamores are not native to the UK - they were introduced in the 15th or 16th century - and their ability to grow in many different sorts of soil including waste ground means they can be regarded as invasive. Sycamore is the traditional wood for Welsh lovespoons.
Sycamores are not native to the UK - they were introduced in the 15th or 16th century - and their ability to grow in many different sorts of soil including waste ground means they can be regarded as invasive. Sycamore is the traditional wood for Welsh lovespoons.
