Ancient – Reviving the Woods That Made Britain
Luke Barley is not afraid of tackling the more contentious issues involved in restoring Britain’s ancient woods to their former glory. Starting by referencing Oliver Rackham’s call to consume more venison in order to reduce deer numbers he moves on to address other threats to our most valuable woods. Development (intensive forestry and farming as well as urban expansion) Disease and Decay – the three “D’s” we agitated about in the 1980s – are joined by climate change and, perhaps as important, the continued misunderstanding of the cultural and historical importance of the few remaining ancient woods (those in England and Wales and Northern Ireland deemed to have been in existence since 1600ad and 1750ad in Scotland). No amount of replanting will replace an ancient wood once destroyed.
All is not lost though, during this century many Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS) have been replanted with native trees and organisations like the National Trust, the Woodland Trust and even the Forestry Commission are leading the way. However, financial incentives encourage less sympathetic owners to harvest any remaining broadleaved trees along with the mature conifers. The use of heavy equipment can damage the precious soil structure that the old ways prevented and the writer describes how horse drawn extraction techniques avoid this.
As a past ranger and now a senior adviser with the National Trust, Luke Barley is well placed to tell this tale and he weaves his personal experience between informative aspects of woodland conservation as well as any woodlander producing a hurdle. He recalls childhood games in the remnants of wood in south Manchester and hints at a failed relationship that required a new start in forestry. Before training as a forester he took a degree in American Literature, like me it was an extended visit to the Californian Redwoods that inspired him to seek pursue a career in conservation.
We learn much about his work as he guides us through his conservation projects and hardly notice when he wonders off the path and introduces us to a tightly argued case for the conservation of our most precious woods. His book is full of up to date information and he is not afraid to raise issues such as land ownership and right to roam that concern all of us who share his “eco-anxiety”.