The wood for the trees

    To Pressmennan Wood in East Lothian this morning for a very tranquil walk through this beautiful remnant of Scotland's ancient native woodland.

    From up the hill, which is called Deuchrie Dod, you can see across to the coast (that's North Berwick Law on the horizon), then the path takes you down to the lake - and it is a lake, unusually, not a loch.

    As you may notice from the picture below, some of the trees are home to mythical creatures ... (click here and scroll down to find out more).

Comments

[Dark Puss]

Is it really relict? I thought that there was practically none at all in Scotland even in the most remote parts such as Rannoch Wood or in the Cairngorms near the Dee. Fascinating, I'll go and see what I can find out about this.

[Cornflower]

Please do - I'd like to know more.

[Dark Puss]

I'll do my best!

[Dark Puss]

According to a DEFRA summary document "UK Biodiversity Action Plan Priority Habitat Descriptions Native Pine Woodlands"

In pre-historic times native mixed forests dominated by pine may have covered over 1.5
million ha in the Scottish Highlands about 4,000 years ago. Now they occupy around 1% of
this former range, some 16,000 hectares, which is spread over 77 separate areas across the
Highlands.

[Mr Cornflower]

At Pressmennan the original species were I believe mainly broadleaved eg oak, ash, beech, rowan rather than pine. In the 1950s the Forestry commission felled most (but not all) of the existing trees and planted the usual mix of conifers. Now that Pressmennan is under the care of the Woodland Trust these in turn as they mature and are felled are being replaced by new broadleaved trees. So there are in effect three woods: the remaining aboriginal trees which survived the felling (mainly specimen oaks and beeches down by the lake), the post 1950s larches, spruces etc, and the more recently planted and still immature broadleaves. Funnily enough the one species neither of us recalls seeing is the Scots Pine, the emblematic tree of the native pine woodlands.

[Cornflower]

We'll have to go and have another look.

[Dark Puss]

Is that a non-Scots pine in the second photograph? I think you will find this report on "Ancient Wood Pasture" in Scotland of interest, I expect you already know of it.

My guess is that your lovely woods are not relict but that doesn't affect their beauty and it is good to see that the native species are being reintroduced.

[Dark Puss]

I note (source NWDG newsletter dated Autumn 2000) that a C18 estate record records the sale of 21000 oaks and 2900 birch presumably to local sawmills.

[Zoe]

Those woods look very inviting.

I agree with your comment about Parade's End. As well as Ben C though, I do love Rebecca Hall as I've watched her since she played the young Sophie in Camomile Lawn.

[Freda]

That first beautiful photograph - magnificent! Isn't it wonderful that trees are a renewable resource?

[Liz F]

Authentic or not, that woodland is beautiful and I love the quirky touches.
Hopeful that the current fine weather will last until Sunday so we can perhaps get out for a woodland walk somewhere nearby as Saturday will be occupied by delivering junior daughter to university in Birmingham and I will need some consolation!