Beechwoods

Vast areas of the western South Downs are covered in Beech plantation. Beeches are among my favourite trees, but, as in any plantation there is limited wildlife interest. Lovely as Beech trees are, these single age monocultures provide limited habitat for other species. Maturing trees like these at Eartham Woods cast a lot of shade and there is little ground flora over most of the forest. Here there is Soft Shield fern Polystichum setiferum and Bracken and Brambles. You will see and hear few birds in these woods, but wrens, robins and dunnocks inhabit the rides and we saw blue and great tits. You will occasionally see deer and we saw a young Roebuck sprint across the path just a few yards from where this photo was taken.