A collection of articles designed to help you get started with practical conservation in no time at all.
Printed from: https://conservationhandbooks.com/how-to-build-a-fence/
Fences are sometimes used to protect newly planted trees or to enclose areas which need to regenerate. They control access of people, wildlife and grazing livestock and are often built in conjunction with footpaths or other forms of access work. Different types of fences have been devised to suit particular habitats and functions. Hands-on techniques […]
Printed from: https://conservationhandbooks.com/why-plant-trees/
In recent decades there have been a number of important stimuli for tree planting, including the loss of hedgerow elms to disease, the millennium and, perhaps most dramatically, the estimated 15 million trees uprooted during the storm of 16 October 1987. Native tree species blend in most effectively into the rural landscape. However, the most […]
Printed from: https://conservationhandbooks.com/how-to-improve-access-countryside/
Access work makes it easier for people to get around in areas of open space or countryside. It includes building and repairing paths and trails, waymarking, constructing steps, stiles, bridges, gates, boardwalks and doing drainage work. Much access work consists of maintaining these features to keep the rights-of-way network open. Hands-on techniques for improving access […]
Printed from: https://conservationhandbooks.com/laying-hedges-ancient-craft/
In the post-1945 period of agricultural expansion, many thousands of miles of hedgerow were destroyed to enlarge fields, and for building development. The rate of destruction has now slowed, and between 1990 and 1993 the length of new hedges being planted outstripped that being removed. The Hedgerow Regulations of 1997 have provided some protection for […]
Printed from: https://conservationhandbooks.com/manage-sand-dunes/
Dune management involves restoring eroded areas and stabilising others using vegetation and fencing. The idea is to help, not obstruct the dune-forming processes to conserve the dune ecosystem. Access work, building boardwalks to steer people away from sensitive sites, is also important. Hands-on techniques for managing sand dunes Dune Stabilisation The most useful species to […]
Printed from: https://conservationhandbooks.com/select-trees-new-native-woodland/
If you’re planting a new native woodland, you’ll need to decide what species to plant. With native trees, some may be readily available from a local nursery, while others may not – but you could always choose to grow native tree species from seed. The species chosen should be native to the local area. You […]
Printed from: https://conservationhandbooks.com/plant-native-trees-local-provenance/
Ancient woodlands represent our closest link with the ‘wildwood’ of prehistory. The small fragments of ancient semi-natural woodland that still exist in Northern Ireland provide a home for our natural flora and fauna; the birds, mammals, invertebrates, mosses and lichens, fungi, and plants that are associated with them. The ice age ends and climate warms […]
Printed from: https://conservationhandbooks.com/manage-ponds-wetlands/
Neglect is the main reason for the loss of wetlands in the UK. Managing them to halt the succession processes that will change them, involves clearing ponds and ditches, repairing and maintaining banks and, sometimes, digging new ponds to create habitats for wildlife. Pond clearance Generally, to avoid the risks of manual handling, consider using […]
Printed from: https://conservationhandbooks.com/create-wildflower-meadow/
Most of our wildflower meadows have been lost since 1950, mainly due to changes in farming practice. With a little bit of space, time and patience you can create a wildflower meadow in your own garden. Imagine the peaceful sound of buzzing bumblebees. The pleasure of little butterflies, scurrying from one colourful wildflower to another. […]
Printed from: https://conservationhandbooks.com/how-fell-trees/
Felling non-native species to retain the character of a woodland can involve anything from pruning and removing saplings to full-scale felling of a mature tree. The trunks are snedded before being logged up to provide usable timber. Hands-on techniques for felling trees Basic Felling Techniques Note: on this page, ‘front’ and ‘back’ are arbitrary terms, […]
