Part 2 of 2
The management advice provided by James McGill following this survey is intended to retain and enhance features that have been identified as valuable for invertebrates. Overall, the site is well managed with light grazing across most areas in late summer. This gives disturbance to the ground, removes old growth, and leaves plants and ground undisturbed during the main growing season.
Management of the flush in the eastern compartment requires particular care. Ideally grazing should be excluded until the flowering of Wild Angelica, to retain an important nectar source for invertebrates in late summer. Some grazing of the flush is necessary to maintain open conditions. Alder saplings have colonised the flush and some of these have been removed. This should be continued as although scrub transitions are valuable for invertebrates, the flush is too small to support much woody vegetation without losing its open character or drying out, and the area is already surrounded by trees on three sides.
Photographs: James McGill
The structure of the broadleaved woodland also shows the effect of grazing. There are reasonably open conditions where cattle have access around two veteran oaks on Offa’s Dyke. These trees are not particularly well-lit but have still been colonised by some interesting lichens associated with old dry bark. Where grazing has been excluded in the wood, the veteran oaks are surrounded by dense understorey. This could be cleared to the edge of the canopy around the oaks to improve light levels for lichens, although without grazing this will only temporarily suppress the understorey.
Another conspicuous issue is that without grazing tree trunks tend to become covered in Ivy Hedera helix. Ivy is valuable for wildlife, providing structure for nesting and hibernating animals, as a larval foodplant and a source of pollen and nectar for adult insects, and the berries are eaten by birds. At the same time Ivy destroys lichen and bryophyte communities as it blocks out sunlight, dries out bark, and changes bark acidity. Young Ivy growth on oaks at Cutt’s Orchard should be removed before this overgrows or shades any lichen interest, although mature stems can be left.
Oak being colonised by young Ivy which should be removed, as it will shade out any lichen interest on the tree trunk.
Photograph J.McGill 2025
Another important feature of the woodland is dead wood. All forms of decaying wood can have value for invertebrates, fungi, or lichens. Standing and fallen deadwood are different microhabitats, as are decaying heartwood, sapwood, branches, twigs, and bark. The simplest rule is that dead wood should be left undisturbed to undergo natural decay processes.
If tree felling is necessary for safety reasons near the public footpath, the trunk should be left standing as a monolith at least 6 feet high. Senescent or dead Hawthorn in the open grassland should also be left standing, as these are likely to be colonised by a variety of saproxylic insects.
There has been tree planting around the edges of the woodland in several locations at Cutt’s Orchard, and thought should also be given to establishing perhaps five oaks as successors to the current mature trees. Oak prefers open conditions and the lower parts of the slope in the western compartment are probably the best location for this. The canopy of a mature open-grown oak can span 30 metres, which should be considered when planning where to plant trees.
Wider implications of the survey
The results of the survey have wider implications for the protection and management of woodlands, grasslands and wet areas within the locality.
The first point is the diversity of unseen and unknown wildlife within habitats that are widespread locally – veteran trees, wet field corners, springs, stream margins, unimproved grassland, scrub and old hedgerow trees. Within just a small part of our parish the survey found a huge diversity of invertebrate and lichen species dependent on particular features and associations with other plants and animals. Some of the species had not previously been recorded in Gloucestershire and lie at the edge of ranges that are variously expanding and contracting. Knowing what we have and what it needs is a first step in conserving it for future generations. With thanks to funding from the Parish Parish Grassland Project we now know a bit more and this information has also been made available to specialist groups and national databases.
The second point that the survey brings home is that some really important features for biodiversity can be very easily lost, often without intent or much thought. Veteran trees, remnants of the once extensive Hudnalls woods and the continuity of native woodland cover, including within field boundaries and garden plots, are now under threat from disease (ash dieback in particular), concerns about safety, powerlines and competition with other vigorous trees (and ivy). A 250 year old oak takes 250 years to replace (ten generations of local people) and in the meantime the invertebrates and lichens that depend on it may have nowhere to live. Wetlands can easily be damaged as convenient dumping grounds, areas to be drained or just abandoned to brambles. Grasslands are especially vulnerable to either unnecessary agricultural or cosmetic ‘improvement’ overgrazing, mowing or abandonment. Subtle differences in grazing regimes can be a matter of life or death for some species which depend on a host plant or source of nectar that has just been eaten. Tidy hedges and hedges of exotic or locally unsuited species may be a preference to the scraggy old hawthorn bush that supports a whole web of wildlife.
The third point is that we can all make a difference by discovering, sharing knowledge and appreciating our local biodiversity. Knowing what is important, understanding the pressures and management options and possible outcomes can help us to make the best decisions. There is no simple answer or blueprint, there are many facets to biodiversity, many uncertainties and a balance to be struck with other interests. For Gill and I this survey has helped us understand what matters, in particular for invertebrates and lichens, at Cutt’s Orchard and has given us some simple guidance on what we can do.