The woodland of Coombes Valley is beautiful, extensive and diverse. It remains that way partly due the ways in which it is managed.
One aspect of the management at Coombes involves a single plant species, and not a very exciting one some might say. When our volunteer work party arrive on a Tuesday morning at this time of year they can more or less predict it, one word; bracken.
Young bracken, taken by Andy Hay
Found in most countries across the world, bracken is an incredibly successful member of the fern family (fossil records have shown its presence as far back as 55 million years!).
It can reproduce by spore dispersal, but its most successful colonisation technique is through the use of its rhizomes – creeping stems which spread out under the soil surface.
It’s fairly non-descript and, other than its height, not overly offensive but left alone it can take over an area. Its rapid growth means that it often out-competes plants such as bilberry, cowberry and heather by preventing sunlight from reaching them. It is also thought to suppress plant growth by releasing toxins.
Taken by Peter Cairns
Crucially though, when bracken growth becomes widespread across an area in this way, it can lead to the loss of the original habitat, ultimately reducing biodiversity.
That said, it can support some species and in small areas of growth it poses less of a problem.
Some moth and butterfly larvae such as the threatened pearl-bordered fritillary find homes amongst its leaves, and it is a food plant for other invertebrates, including caterpillars and sawflies. Birds such as stonechats or whinchats can also find cover in the bracken canopy, using it for nesting, feeding or roosting.
Pearl-bordered fritillary on emerging bracken, taken by David Kjaer
In order to reduce the negative impacts of bracken upon biodiversity there are several methods of bracken management including cutting, pulling, rolling, grazing and herbicide use.
Here at Coombes Valley we use a mixture of pulling by hand and ‘bashing’ – a simple method whereby bracken stands are hit with sticks to damage the stems. These methods are less harmful to the surrounding plant and animal life than some other options.
Coombes work party out bracken bashing, taken by Mark Day
To ensure minimal disturbance to any wildlife living amongst the bracken an assessment of possible impacts is carried out beforehand and it’s important to avoid any management during the breeding bird season.
By reducing the amount of bracken on the reserve in this way, the original habitats can be re-established. This makes room for a greater diversity of plants and wildlife, ensuring Coombes continues to flourish year after year.
So, next time you’re on the reserve, if you see a group of people who appear to be taking their anger out on an innocent looking plant with a great big stick, you know why. It’s actually very therapeutic!