Atlantic woodlands: our temperate

rainforest
Mention Atlantic woods and many folk think of oakwoods but
there is much more to our temperate rainforest than oak, as
Richard Thompson and Sandy Coppins explain.

W hile the oakwoods are a key

component of our Atlantic
woodlands, they are joined
by a range of other types including
high elevation birchwoods, species-rich
extent. However, the severe terrain
that occurs in parts of this region
(cliffs and gorges) offers scope for the
highest degree of naturalness that we
are likely to encounter in any British
showed a flotilla of charcoal boats
under sail down Loch Etive. Within
80 years, advancing technologies
meant the collapse of the coppice
market. Although short-lived, this
pinewoods, cliff-side upland mixed woods. Historic management was period of industrialisation left its mark.
ashwoods and wind clipped coastal no doubt complex and varied but It is interesting to note that many of
hazelwoods. These collectively are our the following describes some general our designated oakwood sites went
‘temperate rainforest’. On a global patterns of development. Prior to the through this brief industrial phase.
scale, this is a very restricted habitat, 18th century, most woods were used to
found elsewhere in places such as the shelter livestock and there was ad hoc Another world
Pacific north-west and cloud forests of use of timber for domestic purposes. Most Atlantic woods are exquisite
the Canary Islands. The Atlantic woods Pasture woodland was dispersed in a places characterised by deep, endless
of Scotland and west Ireland (and to mosaic with small arable fields. There carpets of mosses of different textures
a lesser extend north-west Wales and is evidence of pollarding in some and shapes; a mosaic of colours
south-west England) are therefore a woods, no doubt for small roundwood from warm ginger to emerald green.
really valuable resource of international but also for ‘tree hay’ to feed livestock. Epiphytes hang in curtains and add
importance. Holly was a popular species for this in to the feeling of serenity. With the
various parts of the uplands of Britain aid of a hand lens, a whole new
These woods are characterised by their and fine examples of such ‘hollins’ world appears. Take a look at the
luxuriant growth of bryophytes (mosses can be seen within the steep, wooded grey scaly patches on an ash stem and
and liverworts), lichens and ferns. hillsides above Loch Etive and Loch you may see bright orange ‘jam tarts’
They experience an equable climate; Creran. In other Atlantic woods, surrounded by silver halos. These are
in general warm and wet although centuries of grazing by livestock and lichen fruits. Behind them will be
droughts and severe winters are not deer have led to the fragmented scatter coral-like fingers and white whiskers
unheard of. How far from the Atlantic of old trees that we see on many – more lichen characteristics. This is
can they be found? Well, woods that western hillsides today. the stronghold of lobarion lichens (the
bear some similarity to those in the far lungworts), big showy species for the
west can be found in the Trossachs and The Napoleonic wars (1803–1815) most part, of greys, greens and browns.
south Loch Ness. Indeed, outliers as saw a change in fortune for many Take a closer look at smooth stems
far east as Newcastleton in the Borders Atlantic woods. Whereas, further east, of hazels and rowans and you will
and Cawdor in Nairnshire have the practice of coppicing in oakwoods see another community of dots and
fragments of Atlantic-like woodland had been underway for some time, ‘scripts’ or scribbles.
in sheltered humid gorges. However, demand for iron and leather saw a
core territory for this habitat is in west brief period of industrialisation in Many stems are covered in a complex-
Argyll, the west Highlands and north- what we would think of today as looking plant with round overlapping
west Sutherland. The Index of Climatic remote peninsulas. Charcoal for iron leaves of a translucent magenta colour
Oceanicity (Averis et al. 2004) has smelting and tannin-rich bark for and, interspersed among these, may
been used to define boundaries more leather tanning were in demand. This be apple green strap-like leaves. These
precisely with the real Atlantic woods led to enrichment of woods with oak are Frullania and Metzgeria - both
beginning in index 20. and cyclic exclusion of livestock by liverworts found frequently in Atlantic
dykes topped with wattle fencing. The woods. Boulders are amongst the
Shaped by use scale of operations was brought home richest places for the rarer bryophytes
Like all other Scottish woods, our to me when standing in the grounds of that this habitat is so important for,
predecessors have shaped those around the Bonawe furnace, in Taynuilt. The especially shaded faces and those that
the Atlantic coast to a greater or lesser charcoal sheds are huge and a painting occasionally get washed over by river

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 The West

spates. Here there is little competition with birch. There is increasing interest task and ultimately relies on the
from the aggressive, more common in managing this resource to yield removal of neighbouring seed sources.
species. Atlantic woods are also known fuel wood and, ultimately, some However, much progress is being made
for their sheets of bluebells interspersed sawn timber. Targeted respacing and and habitats are beginning to recover.
with greater stichwort and primroses. thinning will not only yield wood
Characteristic birds include wood products but should also benefit People
warbler (with its rich “tuw tuw tuw” biodiversity. In other places, such as An article on Atlantic woods would
call) and redstart. It has to be said that the evocatively named Faery Isles, we not be complete without mention of
midges and ticks are also significant are using Highland cattle to manage some of the experts and characters
features of these woods and visits are the birch thicket. Managed grazing is a that we associate with these wonderful
best timed in early spring or mid to useful tool where mosaics of woodland habitats. Peter Quelch is the first
late autumn to avoid the worst! and open ground are the aim (for person who comes to my mind. He
example, to maintain habitat for the has an uncannily understated ability
Restoration management rare chequered skipper butterfly, now to read landscapes and interpret their
There is a resurgence of interest restricted to Lochaber and north-west past management. Every hour in a
in managing Atlantic woods for Argyll). It is also a great opportunity to wood with him is an education and
timber. I have had some involvement integrate and adapt traditional livestock a privilege. Similarly Bob Black, an
in oakwood thinning trials and husbandry into forest management excellent ecologist who has a deep
workshops to demonstrate approaches and begin to break down the perceived understanding of how these ecosystems
to stem selection and alternative barriers between the two land uses. function and a practical approach to
forms of extraction. The latter aspect their management. The list goes on.
is very important and So, all is well with our There is a small group of lichenologists
I have sadly seen a few Atlantic woods? Sadly, no. and bryologists who are deeply
cases where, despite Two factors are having a fascinating people and give their
the best intentions of dramatic negative impact in time and expertise willingly to help
the local community, many cases: over-grazing by us mortals to appreciate the wonders
felled trees have stayed deer (and in some cases feral of this miniature world. There are
in the wood because goats and sheep) and dense also a handful of fellow advisors who
the correct equipment thickets of rhododendron. expend countless hours debating how
was not available. Use The Native Woodland Survey to achieve conflicting objectives and,
of chainsaw mills, of Scotland found that 38 perhaps most importantly, there are
mini-forwarders, horses percent of Atlantic woods the folk who earn their living grafting
and winch tractors were substantially over-grazed. away to clear rhododendron and
all have their place. It is not hard to find such a patiently stalk deer - enduring midges
The designation of an wood, and not easy to find and rain day after day. Working in
oakwood as a Site of shelter within on a winter’s an Atlantic wood definitely has its
Special Scientific Interest day as the wind has neither compensations though. On more than
or Special Area of understorey nor field layer to one occasion, a brightly lit early spring
Conservation does not automatically hinder it. Such open woodlands are day has momentarily gone dark as a
exclude it from thinning operations if unsustainable and some regeneration white tailed eagle has skimmed the
these can be shown to have a positive within the adjoining landscape is low canopy of an oakwood above my
impact on the designated features. essential. The composition of that head. And there can’t be many places
However, in such sensitive woods, regeneration is also important and in the world where you can stick your
SNH is likely to require a strong should ideally include species such head out of the wind clipped canopy
rationale for management and detailed as oak, hazel and goat willow if we to enjoy the spectacle of grey seals
surveying for lichens and bryophytes, are to pass on robust woods that porpoising through the turquoise sea.
together with control and monitoring will deliver a range of objectives in
of herbivore impacts on subsequent the future. However, the density of Richard Thompson is Native Woodland
regrowth. The products from these that regeneration influences lichens, Ecologist for Forest Enterprise Scotland.
woods can include crucks and beams bryophytes and butterflies and He worked previously for Forest Research
for traditional house building, knees achieving regeneration together with as their Upland Native Woodland project
for boats and characterful ‘pippy’ craft the maintenance of open glades is leader.
wood for cabinet making. It is not the biggest challenge to managers of
just oak that is of interest for its wood these woods. On the NFE, we are References:
products. working hard to tackle over-grazing Averis, A.M., et al. (2004). An illustrated
and have recently published a deer guide to British upland vegetation.
On the National Forest Estate management strategy that places as Peterborough: JNCC.
(NFE) and elsewhere, large areas much importance on the enhancement Coppins, A.M. & Coppins B.J.
of Planted Ancient Woodland Site of priority habitats as it does on the (2012). Atlantic hazel - Scotland’s special
(PAWS) are being restored to native protection of restocked conifers. woodlands. Atlantic Hazel Action
woodland and felled areas frequently We are undertaking landscape-scale Group, Old Poltalloch, Kilmartin,
regenerate densely, predominantly clearance of rhododendron with the Argyll, PA31 8RQ (E: gordon@
long-term aim of eradicating it from nativewoods.co.uk). Also obtainable
Above: Remains of an ancient holly. Photo: Richard the NFE. This is a hugely ambitious from NHBS - search using ‘Hazel’.
Thompson.

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Most ancient habitat:

Atlantic hazelwoods
S ome pure stands of Atlantic
hazel are thought to be remnants
of post-glacial colonisation;
land constantly wooded for over
9,500 years. The mechanism for this
coppiced in a particular hazel wood.
The second clue lies with the lichens.
Where hazel has been coppiced,
the range of lichens on them will
be few, and tend to be of common,
early arrival may have been floating widespread species. However, in
hazelnuts, drifting on sea currents stands of hazel that have not been
from Ireland and washing up on coppiced, you can expect to find a
the western shores of Scotland. A richer range of lichens, including
woodland with 75 per cent hazel the real hazel specialists. Of course,
cover in the canopy is defined as Atlantic hazel woods were used by
a pure stand of hazel. In the past, people in the past, but this tended to
hazel was believed to be a naturally be low key - folk simply cutting the distinguished by minor differences
occurring understorey shrub, found individual stems they needed, rather in leaf shape and orientation. To
only within woods with tall trees such than coppicing the whole stool. see the whole plant at all needs a
as oak or ash. This was largely based hand lens and to appreciate the
on the way woodlands were managed Hazel woods were traditionally used features that the patient bryologist
in lowland England over the last as sheltered grazing for stock. This describes again and again requires a
several thousand years, where hazel was often at a sustainable level, but great deal of experience and a steady
was regularly part of the coppice- where over-grazing has continued hand. Again, some of these species
with-standards form of management, over long periods, then the hazel are really rare, one or two largely
and this had become ingrained in ‘wood’ tends to become fragmented, restricted to Atlantic hazel. There are
the way people thought about hazel. and the hazel stools instead of being two extraordinary fungi as well: one
However, recent observations of hazel multi-stemmed, develop into hazel looks like a pair of orange washing-
on the Atlantic edges of Scotland and ‘trees’. In the last scenario, if grazing up gloves (this is really rare - pictured
Ireland, have recognised that hazel is, is removed, then hazel will soon on the previous page) and another
in fact, a pioneering species of open revert to its natural multi-stemmed glues deadwood into the canopy,
ground. It will spread rapidly and state. But, if grazing continues, preventing it from falling and being
form dense closed-canopy stands, then eventually, the old hazel stems consumed by other fungi on the
effectively excluding other tree species. succumb and die off. ground.
Some of the Atlantic hazel stands in
western Scotland are believed to have The richness of lichens and This richness is due to the long period
survived in unbroken succession for bryophytes is magnified in Atlantic of ecological continuity and can easily
thousands of years, and have retained hazelwoods. Have you ever noticed be lost as a result of inappropriate
a unique lichen flora, with some how the stems of hazel in the west of management, principally coppicing
species so far not found anywhere else Scotland are not ‘hazel’ brown but and over-grazing. It is ironic that
in the world. silver? This is due to some lichens coppicing, seen as one of the most
growing within the bark. These important conservation tools in
Hazel grows naturally as a shrub with will include a complex mosaic of southern England, will destroy this
many stems arising from the root graphidion (or script) lichens on habitat of international importance.
stock. If hazel is coppiced it will, smooth bark, including one with Indeed the words ‘hazel’ and ‘coppice’
of course, sprout again with many dark purple fruiting bodies on a are synonymous to many. Hazel rods
stems arising from the coppiced stool. deep yellowy-green base, known are useful material though and, where
Hence, it is difficult to distinguish as ‘blackberries in custard’! Apart they are needed, selection of one
between a natural multi-stemmed from these coastal temperate or two straight stems from multi-
hazel wood, and one that has been woodlands of north-west Scotland, stemmed stools will have a much less
coppiced, which is why hazel is often west Wales and south-west Ireland, harmful impact.
referred to as ‘hazel coppice’ (whether this lichen is otherwise known only
it has been coppiced or not). But from Macaronesia. There are some Sandy Coppins is an internationally
there are two clues. The first is a lack other real rarities here; one, Graphis recognised lichen expert.
of documentary evidence, or oral alboscripta, the white script lichen,
history of hazel being completely is found nowhere else in the world. If you are interested in learning
Above: Green lettuce Sticta. Photo: Brian Coppins.
Leafy lobarion lichens are really more about Atlantic hazel, there is a
Previous page clockwise from top left: Celtic abundant on older stems and add wonderful book written by Sandy and
rainforest at Knapdale; Hazel gloves fungus and glue further to the aesthetic luxuriance Brian Coppins (see book review on page
fungus; Frullania on hazel; Blackberries in custard; of this extraordinary habitat. The 39) or visit https://sites.google.com/site/
Lungwort, Taynish; Autumn light in woods at Taynish. rarer bryophytes here are minute,
Photos: Sandy Coppins, Neil Sanderson. atlantichazelgroup/home

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