CLUNTON COPPICE

Tony Cooper, who, along with Kate Cooper and Anne and Noel Sheperdson, is Warden of Clunton Coppice SWT Nature Reserve, writes:

Clunton Coppice extends for 23 hectares and is one of the largest sessile oaklands remaining in Shropshire. Historically it was coppiced for many years and the wood was processed into charcoal, as can be seen by the remaining charcoal burning stands cut into the sometimes precipitous hillside. It is likely that local blacksmiths used the charcoal, and there may have been a water-powered forge in Clunton village which also used it.

The site was clear felled apart from peripheral trees in the early forties as part of the war effort. It was at this time that the owner, a local keen naturalist called Dr Hamar, allowed the wood to regenerate. She also constucted a cabin on the hillside in which she was able to stay and study the regrowth of the coppice and the flora and fauna. When she died she left the coppice to Shropshire Wildlife Trust, to be preserved for the benefit of the wild plants and animals she loved.

The majority of trees in the wood are sessile oak, and there is a scattering of holly, birch, hornbeam, hazel and beech. There are also a few conifers, a lone small leaved lime and some sycamores. On the acidic soil of the woodland floor can be found wavy hair grass, cow wheat, woodrush, bilberry, bramble, foxgloves, wood anenome, celandines, pink purslane, bluebells, wood sorrel, moschatel, stichwort and several varities of ferns and mosses. The woodland is well blessed with birds, including, buzzard, great spotted woodpecker, wood warbler, spotted and pied flycatchers and redstart.

Wildlife people seem to have an unshakable hatred of sycamore, and a large area of about 2 acres was cleared of some splendid 50 year old trees by contractors. Since then the wardens and other volunteers have been involved in clearing both small and large sycamores as spotted.

A policy of small-scale coppicing was introduced some years ago. The first coppiced area was approximately half an acre, and involved coppicing about 25 trees. Volunteers did most of the manual work, but an interesting feature involved the use of a shire horse to pull the trees up the bank where they could be tractored away. The tree stumps were covered with brash to protect the re-growth from deer. Some re-growth has occurred and survived, and this area now needs to be cleared of bracken and bramble to enable a proper evaluation to be carried out.

A second area of about the same size was coppiced two years later, and on this occasion the stumps were protected by sheep wire on stakes. The success rate for re-growth has been much improved, as the deer seem to avoid the wire and go for easier targets.

Apart from the above, the work of the wardens has many facets. The main priority is to ensure that this beautiful wood remains a haven for wildlife and is not disturbed any more than is necessary by outside factors. Although as a general policy bird boxes are not installed on the reserve, an exception was made when the wardens entertained a group of school children who made and installed about 20 boxes. A gift of 4 owl boxes were also installed, with mixed results. A friendly farmer has enabled hedge-laying courses to be undertaken. The first wardens day was held at Clunton Coppice, and a marquee erected in the garden at Cuckoo Corner. Falling trees and branches are a constant hazard on the reserve, and the Trust is notified as necessary. Visitors often contact the warden to see the wildlife or use the hide, and one such visit was from the South Shropshire History Society, who were interested in seeing the remnants of the charcoal-burning industry. In January 2003, with the help of the volunteers, several dormouse boxes were put up on the reserve. Above all, the wardens are 'the eyes and ears of the Trust' for the benefit of the wildlife.