The Future of British Woodlands Conference

[Lynn]

This conference was hosted by Butterfly Conservation at University of Reading on 25th March - the day preceding the International Symposium.

It was attended by around 400 people, including many butterfly and moth enthusiasts and we were able to listen to top class speakers on all aspects of woodland wildlife - woodland ecology, butterflies, plants, mammals, birds, dead wood specialists and charcoal making. On this last point when it is barbeque time choose your charcoal carefully. Homebase sell a charcoal produced by Bioregional which is made by traditional coppicing in woodland. You can be actively helping butterflies while you cook your burgers and bangers! www.bioregionalhomegrown.co.uk

The day was a complete sell out and had been largely organised by Butterfly Conservation Regional Officer Dan Hoare. One of the eminent speakers described it as one of the best woodland conferences he had attended. Pleasingly many of the delegates were from outside Butterfly Conservation indicating that there is a widespread and massive concern for wildlife in woodlands and an interest in how more woodland management can achieve better habitats within woods. The main message was that woodlands with a diversity of tree and shrub species, with broad rides and clearings ( perhaps even grazed), with coppiced areas of uneven ages would be benefiting not just butterflies and moths but all wildlife.

With many woodland butterflies in decline and with the empahisis on programmes to capture and hold carbon and the potentail for bio fuel production the Conference was a very timely reminder of the important issues that we need to consider. Habitat advice on woodlands and woodland species of moths and butterflies is available at www.butterfly-conservation.org