Silver Birch
This little stand of Silver Birch and Goat Willow is one of the very few areas of broadleaved trees at Dronley Wood.
About This Stand
Broadleafs and soil
Wood. Silver Birch, Downy Birch, and Willow are valuable for biodiversity and beneficial to the soil. The leaf litter decomposes very well and improves the soil conditions. This is particularly important in conifer woodlands as the leaf litter conifers produce causes increased acidification of soil and drinking water. Developing Dronley Wood towards a mixed wood by increasing the percentage of broadleaves will improve the biodiversity of the woodland and protect the soil and water.
Nurse Species
Silver Birch and Downy Birch are known as excellent nurse species. Research shows that Oak (for example) grows better with Birch as Birch forms mycorrhiza in symbiosis with more than 100 fungi species. Birch coppices very well and used to be grown in Coppice Woodlands. Garry often wondered about the origins of the stand and if it had been coppiced before?