Drought!
- 21 February 2012 18:27154815"Complete undergrowth clearing resulted in the almost complete disappearance of three Warbler species (Subalpine Warbler, Sardinian Warbler and Garden Warbler). Partial clearing also led to a marked reduction in the numbers of these three species, but the presence of Sardinian and Garden Warblers was maintained in the treated forests. Complete undergrowth clearing accompanied by tree thinning also led to a decrease in amount of undergrowth species and involved additional negative effects for species such as Wren, Robin, Blackbird and Blackcap. Only one species, the Nightjar, appeared to benefit from undergrowth clearing, while many others increased their numbers only when clearing was applied together with tree thinning: Turtle dove, Mistle thrush and Cirl bunting. Undergrowth clearing brought about a significant simplification in the vertical structure of the forest, which probably reduced foraging opportunities and breeding resources for most undergrowth species. These effects became more pronounced when tree thinning was applied together with undergrowth clearing."Been nice knowing you :)
- 21 February 2012 19:07154827But undergrowth clearing as I proposed doesn't include tree-thinning, Paul.
So that would exclude Kent's warblers from becoming extinct.
It would all depend on whether there is sufficient rainfall or if we have protracted dry periods ahead. In this latter case we'd have to choose between burning woods and protected woods.
Protected woods have a financial cost, but mean employment, and the earned money being reinvested in the economy.
Burned woods, well... just takes a flash of lightning and tonnes of smoke go billowing in the air.
How many warblers will become extinct then?Chanters, Drums and Drones Potty Time http://youtu.be/99fMqpjnXYA
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Kent First http://youtu.be/04F3mAP3fV4 Keep banging on http://youtu.be/qYCU_SKmkGQ - 21 February 2012 20:54154877Not sure sure why we are discussing spring cleaning forests, it has no benefits and will never happen....Been nice knowing you :)
- 21 February 2012 21:42154884Paul, as you and I have both lived in Hampshire, and have both been to the New Forest, we both know that forest management is important. The following extract is from June 2011 after a fire broke out in the New Forest:
Prevention manager Steve Trevethick said: "With an exceedingly dry spring, a lot of our
beautiful countryside is very dry and very susceptible to fire.
"[Heath fires] can have a major consequence for a local community, tourism and local and regional infrastructure," he added.
Forest and woodland management is essential, Paul, as can be seen in thus extract from: Our New Forest, new forest centre.org.uk
"Bracken is a vigorous and dominant plant that can create a tall, dense canopy up to six feet in height.
When it collapses each autumn, the understorey plant species can be smothered. It encroaches onto the open heathland areas and it is here that the Forestry Commission controls the growth by swiping it down, chemically treating it or cutting the foliage and turning it into garden mulch which is sold in local nurseries and garden centres. All bracken control takes place during the summer.
Much of the vegetation actually benefits from cutting or burning as vigorous new growth helps to create a diverse Open Forest environment"
So it does happen, and it benefits, at least according to our common Hampshire bretheren.
Chanters, Drums and Drones Potty Time http://youtu.be/99fMqpjnXYA
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Kent First http://youtu.be/04F3mAP3fV4 Keep banging on http://youtu.be/qYCU_SKmkGQ - 21 February 2012 21:52154887whether you are right or wrong alex i have to hand it to you that you certainly do a lot of research.
- 21 February 2012 21:53154888Google is everyones friend.....
Been nice knowing you :) - 21 February 2012 22:02154893Kent and Hampshire are among the four Wealden counties, the others being Sussex (E&W) and Surrey. Weald is a word of ancient origin, meaning wood, or forest.
The Weald is an area of Kent and Sussex.
I am satisfiedChanters, Drums and Drones Potty Time http://youtu.be/99fMqpjnXYA
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Kent First http://youtu.be/04F3mAP3fV4 Keep banging on http://youtu.be/qYCU_SKmkGQ - 21 February 2012 22:19154905Actually Alexander is on to something here. In areas where rainfall is scarce and forest fires are high risk it does indeed make sense to take precautions. After all if fire takes hold whatever considerations for wildlife go up in smoke - literally!
This is exactly what happened a few years ago in Australia where beleaguered residents who knew that trees close to their homes presented a high risk to life and property were forbidden to crop or chop down trees presenting this risk. Of course we all saw news footage of the dire result.
But, once again, Gaia worshipping freaks hell-bent on pursuing their vision of a diverse and carbon free, ecologically correct utopia were to blame. For it were they who forbid intelligent action to avoid this accident waiting to happen.
Roughly 200 people died. Of course not all of those deaths can be attributed to the banning but many were.
Environmentalists eh? Don't you just love 'em? - 21 February 2012 22:25154907I'm just watching 'how to grow a planet' on BBC2 where they showing how the deliberate lighting fires in South Africa is being used to manage the land.
- 21 February 2012 22:30154912Let's torch the lot of it - starting with the damned buddeliea on the Western Heights !!Been nice knowing you :)
- 21 February 2012 22:34154914Let's get rid of the buddleia in town first.I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
- 21 February 2012 22:39154919It will spread via Burlington House....
Been nice knowing you :) - 21 February 2012 22:42154921... and the good news... they do bring a lot of butterflies, and bees like them...---------------------------------------------------
Lincolnshire Born and Bred - 22 February 2012 00:25154943Philip makes a good point there, bush fires are caused through lack of rain, and dry vegetation igniting and setting fire to trees that otherwise wouldn't have caused fire.
Forest fires in the Mediterranean are common, they cause immense damage to the natural forest reserves, sometimes spread as far as cities, as happened in Athens a few years back, and require enormous aerial interventions with canadairs and helicopters.
These fire-extinguishing operations are expensive indeed.
Paul, when I was going to Saint Mary's school, I used to see sometimes from the window the Fire Brigade light controlled fires on Western Heights to burn away the shrubbery and so-by prevent uncontrolled fires.
This was before they introduced cattle to regulate the vegetation on the Heights.
So there are a few points worth considering!Chanters, Drums and Drones Potty Time http://youtu.be/99fMqpjnXYA
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Kent First http://youtu.be/04F3mAP3fV4 Keep banging on http://youtu.be/qYCU_SKmkGQ - 26 June 2018 17:41345422I did wonder about this when I was mowing the straw earlier.
DON'T PANIC
https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/water-companies-urging-people-swap-1714478 - 26 June 2018 18:38345423The amount of water that flows through the town and out into the sea is where the water companies should be looking.Jan Higgins likes this
- Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
26 June 2018 19:00345424and that's quite low as well. - Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,895
26 June 2018 19:07345425My water butt ran dry ages ago. I now collect the water from the hot tap in the kitchen prior to it running hot, I get about two litres every time that goes on my tubs and pots.
Oh for some proper rain, not drizzles that evaporates almost straight away.-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
------------------------------------------------------------------- - 26 June 2018 19:21345426Brian Dixon wrote:and that's quite low as well.
Really? Been looking the opposite recently I thought.