Pioneers of the Ancient Wildwood
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
In 2022, we planted our own native woodland from scratch on one of our fields. This year, we’ve identified a few sparse areas that need a little help, so we’ve planted some silver birch and rowan—two “pioneer species” that create ideal conditions for a new wood! Dr. Orton investigates…
Around eleven thousand years ago, as the ice sheets retreated, trees arrived in Britain’s arctic grassland. These trees— birch, pine, aspen and hazel—were the pioneers that would create Britain’s ancient wildwood.
We noticed that two common pioneer species in our newly planted native wood were doing particularly well. The silver birches (Betula pendula) are the fastest-growing trees—some of these grew by over 50cm between May and September. Our rowan trees (Sorbus aucuparia) have also been thriving!
We Need Pioneers
Pioneer trees have short life spans and need a lot of light, but they disperse seed widely, can thrive in difficult conditions and grow quickly when young. That’s why they are usually the first to colonise new environments.
They also create the ideal conditions for other trees to live, as their roots increase soil fertility and stability. Pioneer trees and shrubs can be used to increase canopy cover and shade, which helps with keeping temperatures cool, reducing water loss and creating diverse conditions.
Waldwissen.net, which advises on forestry issues, says that pioneer tree species such as goat willow, aspen, silver birch, bird cherry and rowan are “the engine of ecological succession in the forest.” They particularly like the goat willow (Salix caprea), which adapts to succession areas in forests or on the edges of forests.
Many pioneer trees have developed a strategy known as soil seed banks (buried seed reserves) which means they can “choose” when to germinate! A review in Biogeosciences and Forestry showed that rowan and birch seeds can remain viable in soil for five years!*
This is important when an ecosystem is disturbed, for example by a storm and when an area needs reforesting**—or when we want to turn a commercial plantation into native woodland.***
Pioneer trees have different strategies in colonizing new areas. A study on differences in colonization strategies of three common pioneer woody species in post mining heaps in the Czech Republic found that, whereas birch establishes a dense stand of trees by seeds blown over large distances, willow spreads massively over short distances. Over large distances, willow establishes individual scouts which propagate locally using seeds or by clonal spreading. Aspen produces individual scouts over all distances by seeds, which then spread around in colonies.
All this is a win for wildlife as new habitats are established. We have plenty of established trees in our historic Victorian spinney, which hosts all kinds of woodland animals. Click the link to see our wildlife highlights from last year!
Our New Pioneers
This winter, we’ve added a mix of silver birch and rowan trees to our new wood. Both of these have important connections to our cultural, as well as natural, heritage.
We’ve also noticed that a lot of new trees of various species are self-seeding, so our pioneer strategy is working!
Find Out More
If you’re interested in conservation and wildlife, we have a blog series on British wildlife and a series on the people and wildlife of South Asia, from the altitudes of the Himalayas to the dense mangrove forests of Bangladesh!
We also offer online private tuition in our interdisciplinary course, Culture and Conservation, in which you can explore the links between our natural and cultural heritage and study wildlife and cultures from across the world! This is a template of a possible study route and can be combined, adapted, or designed from scratch to suit your interests and goals.
Dr. Orton will work with you to design a course of private tutorials tailored to your needs, ability and schedule. Click the link to find out what it’s like to work with her and contact us to find out more!
Do More
For those who would like to take action to preserve our wild spaces, there’s plenty you can do. If you're lucky enough to have some land, you could plant a woodland from scratch (click the link to read about how we are planting our own native woodland). Even if you don’t have a big garden, there are plenty of things you can do to help biodiversity in your area. Why not put up a solitary bee nesting box or insect home, create a woodpile as a habitat for small creatures or leave small areas of your garden to go wild? You can also read about how we created our own wildlife pond!
Think about your own area and how you can protect vulnerable but important parts of your own environment. You might even want to start your own project investigating the cultural importance of wildlife in your area. Dr. Orton works with independent scholars undertaking their own research for an independent project, people writing a book or simply those who have a personal interest. Click the link to find out what it’s like to work with her and contact us to get started!
Reach Out
We’d love to see what you’re doing to help wildlife in your area. Follow the Conservation highlight reel on the Orton Academy Instagram to see what we’re getting up to and tag us in to any snaps you put up!
*A review in Biogeosciences and Forestry found that birch seeds in particular remain viable in deeper soil layers, persisting in the soil for between one and five years.
**A study in Poland found that short-lived, fast-growing species (pioneers) play an important role in accelerating habitat restoration.
***An article in Forestry: An International Journal of Forest Research found that direct seeding of birch, rowan alder can be used in the conversion of commercial conifer forests to native woodland.
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