One good way to learn about trees and woodlands is to get amongst them yourself. Phil visited 5 woodlands in D&G one after the other in one day to see how they differed. Travelling north to south these were: The Hills (FLS), Mabie Forest (FLS), Kirkconnel Flow (Nature Scot), Auchenfad (privately owned), and Shambellie (privately owned).
The Hills.
This site of semi-natural ancient woodland is being left to allow the site to naturally regenerate, and it’s working well. There were so many healthy ash trees both large and small, as well as resurgent saplings of oak and birch, masses of hazel and berry-heavy alder all along the route. The highlight of the walk was the section running along the old railway line where several tenacious Wych elm were growing directly out of the surrounding bare rock face, their strong roots dug tightly into the cracks and crevices. Nuthatch, greater spotted woodpecker and chiffchaff were all calling loudly in the clear morning air, accompanied by the thrum of buzzing bees and hoverflies busy in the brambles. It will be interesting to see how this one develops over time.
Mabie Forest.
Keen to see the management undertaken here for Nightjar I headed up the purple “Dalshinnie Glen” route. This route initially took me through dim, closed canopy woodlands of beech, oak and sycamore, and up to the spooky headless “ghost stane” statue before reaching Dalshinnie Loch. Here the woodland opened into one of dappled shade from various aged oak, birch and alder. The path onwards was via a series of boardwalks, passing through wet woodlands interspersed with pools and waterways and a fantastic circular balcony overlooking the loch. Moving on the forest continues to open up into birch scrub and sapling oaks; busy with butterflies on a sunny September afternoon.
Nightjars, a nocturnal, migratory UK breeding bird species, need early scrubby stage woodland in which to make their nests. This habitat has been largely lost causing a decline in the species, something FLS have been working to change by undertaking habitat work for the birds near the western end of the loch. The second half of the walk saw me drop back down the hill eventually circuiting the Chimney field, here another distinct change in woodland where massive hulking sequoia trees are in charge, yet they are remarkably soft and squishy if you give them a poke.
Kirkconnel Flow.
Next, a quick 5-minute drive down the road got me to Kirkconnel Flow, managed by NatureScot. I thought I’d be getting bored of woodland by this point, but despite myself I fell in love with this place. A very different type of woodland once again, bordering a recent peatland restoration site, the woodland and peatland edge was hoatching with wildlife; the paths were humming with the thurm of insect wings as dragonflies and hoverflies chased, ate and mated in amongst the plentiful shallow pools and piles of deadwood. Masses of heather and blaeberry was thriving in the vibrant bright understory. Littered amongst this were regenerative oaks, birch, rowan and Scots pine with the great-grandmother trees themselves looming large in the canopy above. Buzzards, kites and crows cawed overhead, and Whirligig beetles performed dizzy dances in the ponds while spiders busily filled every nook and cranny with sticky webs. The path is a wee bit boggy in places as would be expected of such a site, no problem with sturdy boots or wellies. This was my favourite woodland of the day.
Auchenfad.
On to woodland number 4, this one was a short walk up a steep hill. It didn’t take long to pass the lower wood of mostly Alder, before emerging into the open with regenerative oak, beech, ash and rowan springing up either side along with masses of hedgerow plants spilling their tangly branches out across the path. Marching up alongside the mature spruce plantation ahead I took the right turn and went uphill, higher and higher with a fantastic uninterrupted view over to Criffel and the Solway beyond.
Shambellie.
Last one, back down the road towards New Abbey. The main excitement here was to be found off the main stony path following some of the well walked/biked paths in between the trees. I followed a muddy path just beyond the car park gate walking parallel with the road. Large oaks, beech, and some great big Scots pine were in this section with regen thick on the ground. The path continued through a dyke and up into the conifer plantation some of which had been thinned allowing light into the understorey which was blooming as a result. Rough and tough pioneering ferns, larch, holly, blaeberry and even oak made appearances, and the copious amounts of rotting wood provided the perfect conditions for a variety of fungi. I’m especially keen to see how the understorey develops in time here.
A really insightful day in all, what I really liked was seeing such a variety of woodland in a relatively small area of D&G, I recommend having a go at visiting these, or several closely linked woodlands, on the same day and seeing how they compare in terms of tree species, management, and biodiversity.
Phil Dowling, September 2024.