dogsma Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 Silver Birch does need managing. Years ago we did not have this problem on the common,there was a lot more heather around and on very cold snowy days grouse used to come and feed. I have walked the common for thirty plus years,seen all the wonderful views it used to have,now being SCREENED by silver birch. If you agree pull up the small saplings which have attached themselves in the middle of the little heather left. Carry on the good work Rangers!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillsbro Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 Well, it's true that the country's lowland heaths are more threatened that its birchwoods - in fact most of the lowland heath that existed a century ago has gone. If the common is left alone it will revert to tree cover - perhaps mostly birch, with some oak and other species. If all the country's lowland heath were left alone, pretty much the same would happen. So it boils down to how much we want to preserve lowland heath as a habitat, with its typical flora & fauna, and as an amenity for people to use and enjoy. As long as some of the trees remain, helping to diversify the flora and fauna, then in my view we won't have lost too much, and with limited, sensitive management the common may return to something similar to the way it was in the 1950s, with lovely views of the Loxley valley etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medusa Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 Silver Birch does need managing. Years ago we did not have this problem on the common,there was a lot more heather around and on very cold snowy days grouse used to come and feed. I have walked the common for thirty plus years,seen all the wonderful views it used to have,now being SCREENED by silver birch. If you agree pull up the small saplings which have attached themselves in the middle of the little heather left. Carry on the good work Rangers!!!!!! Ello! :waves: Molly's doing her own little bit by trampling many small saplings whilst fetching her ball or her frisbee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greybeard Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 however this page on management http://www.walcweb.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/2c.html would seem to support the current work. Looks like a good plan to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greybeard Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 Ello! :waves: Molly's doing her own little bit by trampling many small saplings whilst fetching her ball or her frisbee. The trampling would more useful if applied to the bracken. I tried bracken control on the edge of some woodland in our garden and it certainly works. It needs to be done in June and July and the technique is to just bruise the stem of the bracken so it 'bleeds'. In fact I used my walking stick to beat it down but if everyone out with they're dog on the commons in the summer were to trample a patch of bracken it would likely disappear after a couple of years and give the heather and bilberry a chance to recover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr_busdriver Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 Loxley Common is a good place to go for owners to let their Dogs let rip. I found that out myself after going for a jog, my brand new white trainers where covered in dog poo, I believe the culprit was an Alsation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medusa Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 The trampling would more useful if applied to the bracken. I tried bracken control on the edge of some woodland in our garden and it certainly works. It needs to be done in June and July and the technique is to just bruise the stem of the bracken so it 'bleeds'. In fact I used my walking stick to beat it down but if everyone out with they're dog on the commons in the summer were to trample a patch of bracken it would likely disappear after a couple of years and give the heather and bilberry a chance to recover. We can manage any amount of trampling- it's a true Molly skill That's us busy in June and July then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medusa Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 Loxley Common is a good place to go for owners to let their Dogs let rip. I found that out myself after going for a jog, my brand new white trainers where covered in dog poo, I believe the culprit was an Alsation Not all dog owners let their dogs poo all over without clearing up after them. It's one thing if they're off in the deep undergrowth when they go, it's another when they're close to pathways. Poo bags cost about 1p each. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanman Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 I think mr_busdriver has a point. Whenever I walk up there I'm disgusted by the sheer quantity of dog poo all over. It would seem that those dog owners that clear up after their pets are in the minority. Maybe some areas of the common should be non dog? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greybeard Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 Maybe some areas of the common should be non dog? Difficult to implement without fencing and I doubt there is money available for that. OTOH some no-go areas would be helpful in getting wildlife re-established; snakes and lizards for example. I doubt Curlew will ever nest there again, - it's just too busy, but Skylarks might as they're not quite so shy of people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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