Dead Wood--no, not the series!

To some people trunks and decaying logs covered in fungi suggest disease and neglect rather than part of sensitive woodland management. Far from being undesirable, deadwood provides essential habitat for birds, the insects and beetles they feed on, and a vast array of fungi. Referring to British woodlands, a study by WWF says 1/5th of our invertebrates reliant on dead or decaying wood are now in the International Red Data Book of those threatened with extinction.

   

            this old tree bole is teaming with small wildlife

a beautiful natural sculpture!

 

Cutting back rhododendron is  manual work

British practices of coppicing and pollarding which encourages regrowth, opens up the tree canopy allowing in light that is needed for wildflower glades and insects such as butterflies. Lack of light has a negative impact on biodiversity. Our rhodedendron patches need to be destroyed by continual cutting away at new growth, and in it's place native trees which benefit our wildlife.

Healthy woodland with dappled sunlight encouraging wild flowers

 In ancient times, fallen trees would have created rotting wood for wildlife and allowed sunlight to come through to the ground but now it has to be done by a carefully managed plan which means leaving fallen timber. Roeburndale woods have been managed for centuries and long may they do so.

Bats Waking Up

A colony of pipistrelle bats have always loved to make their home in the spaces between the boarding of elm planks on the farm. Watch the video taken by Stefan on the farm and you'll see one yawning and another preening it's wing ready for the evening flight-feast of midgies. Earlier on in the year a few from another colony under the eaves  found their way into our house and had to be rescued.

photo by Stefan

Bats huddled together- photo by Stefan

A bedraggled pipistrelle rescued from our kitchen sink earlier on in the summer

More on the Forest of Bowland "highly commended" award

                           Here is the summary of Backsbottom Farm's commended award:

Forest of Bowland awards

Thank you Forest of Bowland for awarding Backsbottom Farm the "specially commended" status.