Conservation Management of Habitats
Woodlands
A good woodland has a three storey structure;
- The under storey
- The Second storey
- Upper storey
The under storey
This consists of shrubs like Brambles and wildflowers. In addition to this an essential component to "an alive" woodland is deadwood, both lying on the floor and standing tree stumps. Good woodlands have around 1/3 deadwood it is an essential habitat for the bugs such as beetles, woodlice, fungi and many others who require deadwood to flourish; Woodpeckers make great use of standing. As the wood decomposes it releases nutrients into the soil which feeds the trees currently growing.
The second storey will consist of the small mid-range trees such as Rowan and Hawthorn. These trees are all mid-level growing trees and generally provide good dense leaf cover with berries in the spring and autumn providing a valuable food source for the birds.
The upper storey of the woodland has the larger trees such as Oak, Ash, Beech and Birch trees. These trees provide birds with safe nesting sites and the leaves provide cooling cover in the summer, protecting the lower storeys of the woodland. The leaves of these trees fall on to woodland floor in autumn and decompose, feeding the nutrients back into the forest floor booting the first growth of wildflowers in the following spring.
Not all of the woodlands within the Irk Valley have an established 3 storey layers habitat; in order to assist nature the Irk Valley project will undertake work of woodland thinning, allowing the stronger tree specimens to thrive, or open up woodland canopies, enabling the ground flora to develop, bring a greater diversity of plants into the woodland. This work, can in time attract additional birds and invertebrates adding to the sites diversity.
Grasslands/Shrub lands
These are areas of grass which are uncut and unmanaged, generally characterised by uneven ground, with tufts of grass throughout the site, and usually on the borders of water bodies and woodland. These areas are the perfect homes for small mammals such as field mice and the many insects which provide a food source for the surrounding bird population.
Meadow/Wildflower grass lands
This is were the Irk Valley Project is really giving nature a helping hand. Many areas have been planted with wildflower seeds which are then allowed to grow all summer. On some of the Irk Valley site a mowing regime has been established which mimics the cuts a meadow would receive if it were a farmer's field:
- One cut at the start of the growing season. This limits the grasses ability to grow quickly, giving the wildflowers a chance to establish, and
- One cut at the end of the growing season. This enables the meadow time to breathe and not develop into scrub land.
The meadows are a valuable food source for mammals, insects and birds.
Bees are also attracted to the site because of the pollen in the flowers. This is supporting the declining bee pollution giving nature a direct helping hand.
Water bodies
These come in many shapes and forms throughout the Irk Valley. Natural ponds, man-made mill lodges, remaining from the mills, established along the river in the industrial revolution, wetland scrapes re-established on areas which once had ponds and were drained, or the River Irk itself. Each of the water bodies provides a different habitat which means a greater variety of mammals, insects, invertebrates, birds and fish will make use of.