ALL YOU'VE EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT WHY WE BASH SCRUB AND CUT TREES

Scrub is the term used to describe small trees and shrubs that occur as a phase in the development of woodland from open habitat.

For most of the year, autumn, winter and early spring, the DCV spends its time cutting trees of various kinds and many volunteers have asked "Why?"

The answer for those who don't want to read too much further is this.  Trees and shrubs are very invasive and will if not controlled become woodland.  Nothing wrong with  woodland and yes we probably need more trees and woods, but what we don't need is woodland on special sites such as chalk downland, heathland or wetland bogs. These sites have unique flora and fauna that have taken thousands of years to adapt and establish themselves.  Neglect of these sites for as little as ten years can see the loss of a wonderful and diverse habitat.

 Want to know more? . . . .

Heathland becomes taken over by pine, gorse and birch, shading out the sun loving heather resulting in loss of reptiles and insects.  Downland is taken over by hawthorn, blackthorn and ash, shading out the grass and enriching the soil.  Wetland bogs and fens become drier as willow and birch invade and suck out the moisture.  So we cut down trees where they are not wanted.

This is very valuable conservation work because the loss of habitat may only take ten years but to revert it back again with the diversity of plant and animal life may take three times as long. 

Much of the DCV scrub bashing on chalk downland such as Hod Hill and Hambledon Hill is cut on a cycle, different blocks each year, before the ground flora is completely shaded out. All broad-leaved species will regrow once cut. Some scrub on downland is a useful habitat for birds and insects. Some areas, especially on the southern slopes where there are more species of plant and animal, will be kept permanently clear of scrub and other areas cut on a rotation. Sheep and cattle are used to maintain the short grass and areas of young scrub under control..  Rabbits were one of the main sources of control until they were affected by the disease myxomatosis which has killed a great many of them.

  On heathland we cut gorse on a rotation to maintain it as a valuable habitat for birds and insects, but once it becomes leggy it looses its usefulness.  The cut gorse regrows but cut pine won't.

  All of the cut wood needs to be burnt or removed from these sites because if left to rot down it enriches the soil too much and different plants can invade upsetting the delicate balance.  Chalk downland and heathland are rich in species that have adapted to the nutrient poor soils. This is why we have big bonfires when we are scrub and pine bashing.

  It may look very destructive but it is in fact very valuable conservation work.                                                                                            Don Simcock