A cleared area 2001

Christina Bows, seen here with Tullgren funnels

A dormouse in its nestbox

Module Book                Essential Information          Suggested projects                      back to Peter Shaw's work page

This module concerns a privately owned woodland in Devon, Morganhayes Covert.  This is ancient woodland, originally dominated by oak and hazel, with ash on the clay soils.  In the 1960s the site was partly cleared and replanted with alien conifers; sitka spruce and Douglas fir.  The current owner, Christina Bows, is engaged in a long-term programme of conifer removal.  Once the conifers are cleared the land is simply left to undergo natural succession, giving us a mosaic of habitats to explore including traditional coppice woods, dense conifer monocultures, and various stages of woodland recolonisation of cleared ground.  (It is amazing how quickly brambles and birch scrub clog up a cleared site).

We have data going back to 2001 on the vegetation and environmental conditions at defined points in the wood, and one of the project aims is to continue to monitor the successional changes in cleared sites.  We have a full GIS covering the study areas in the wood, so are in a good position both to continue existing projects within the site, and to initiate new ones.

Timetable:
Morning of Monday 14 September: You must arrive at Whitelands by 0830.  Departure time 0900.  I don’t wait for you if you’re late, and don’t give refunds if you miss the course because you missed the lift!  If you are travelling directly to Devon, please let me know in advance, and aim to arrive 2pm at the wood.
Afternoon of 14-9 we will meet Christina, explore the wood and familiarise ourselves with the habitat and major species.
Tues 15-9 will be the day when you undertake your main project work in the wood. 
Weds 16-9 We will return to the wood in the morning, for final data collection and helping with whatever conservation work needs doing. We should return to Whitelands by 1700.

There will be follow-up sessions, when I will call individual groups in for a tutorial or for help with data analysis.  Some projects may need some informal laboratory time to identify insects or other organisms: I will sort these out early in the term when demand becomes clearer.

How to get there:  You need OS Landranger map 192: Exeter, Sidmouth & Surrounding Area (2cm:1km), which covers the site.  OS 193 Taunton & Lyme Regis is also very helpful as it covers the region between the main A303 road and Seaton.  Follow the main road A303 (that runs past Stonehenge) west from the M3 all the way until you get to the roundabout at Ilminster (ST343154), then follow the A358 south to Chard,  continue on the A358 to Aminster and Seaton. 

How to get to the wood, Morganhayes covert At the junction with the A3052 (SY263927) turn right = west towards Colyford and Sidmouth. Carry on past Colyford up the hill, then take the second lane on the right (to Colyton) turning left at the crossroad at SY226929 (signposted a camp site). Follow the track north-east until it enters the wood at SY SY226935, where you park (take care not to block any trackways).

Any digitised photos that you have going spare I'd be grateful to receive - might even put them on the web for all to admire!

Last updated 27 July 2009

back to Peter Shaw's work page