Exploring an Ancient Woodland: Home Wood

The United Nations has made 2010 the Year of Biodiversity. This isn't something that is just relevant to the Amazon or other exotic species-rich habitats around the world, its significance is all around us.

One day last week, looking at the plants and animals of Forest Row wasn't on my mind. My intention was to do a long walk to the north of the civil parish of Forest Row and get to the Surrey and Kent borders. However, it didn't quite work out like that. As earlier blog posts testify, I've been exploring the footpaths, woods and landscape around the village for the last few years, and there is always something new and interesting to distract you.

The plan was to start up the footpath at Wallhill, and head towards Gotwick via some of the footpaths I've never walked along. But, barely a mile from the house, I noticed a great flash of colour in Home Wood.



There's still quite a bit of light in these woods, before the leaves block out more of the sun, so the plants make the most of it. The trees here are mostly beech and hazel, with sycamore and some oaks, but what drew me in was the realisation that among the bluebells was a flood of yellow archangels, both classic Ancient Woodland indicator species:



Now, Ancient Woodland is strictly defined as a wood dating back to 1600 or before, on the grounds that it was rare for woods to be planted then, so any that have been around that long are likely to have been older still, though that doesn't mean they've never been managed, of course. I keep meaning to seek out old maps and other sources of the area to see what documentary evidence there is for the historical extent and continuity of these woodland habitats. But, many plant species are also good indicators that a wood is especially old, whether because their seed disperses poorly, or they are adapted to low light and nutrients, among other things. Two other such species are ramsoms and the yellow pimpernel:


Other species may be less of an indicator of an ancient wood, but are still typical inhabitants. At this time of year lords and ladies start coming into flower, rather less noticeably than the great orange berries that are more familiar in the autumn, and the early purple orchids are fairly common around the woods now as well.


Many of the plants common and scientific names also stress their woody homes, such as the wood sedge (above left) and the wood speedwell (below left). Various related plants lurk in slightly different environments in the wood too: the thyme-leaved speedwell was growing in a slightly more open, apparently less damp part of the wood than its relative.

Let's not forget the other plant groups either. Hart's tongue fern is pretty unmistakable, and I didn't need my copy of The Fern Guide to identify it.


Scrambling around in the leaf litter you can't fail to notice the amazing array of insects and spiders too. Every time I wander around a wood I am astonished at the range and complexity of the living world, imagining the interconnections of all its components, be it the physical interactions, the pollinations, or the chemical, the decompositions, and the circulation of gases, foods, elements. No wonder then that the UN feels biodiversity is such an important thing to celebrate and be aware of.

Through the Year of Biodiversity website, there are lists of events that are happening around the country, outlines of why biodiversity is so important to us all, and links to the Facebook group. Nature have put together a free supplement on the subject too, which is worth a read, and we are all encouraged to take part, whether in a small way, which could even be visiting our local rich habitats, or maybe by organising something larger. What shall we do?