Deadwood Habitats

Associated Species Action Plans Native plack poplar (proposed) Associated Habitat action plans Woodlands Gardenn / allotments / parks and open spaces Hedgerows

All trees, including ornamental trees, are potential sources of dead wood, whether they be in recognised woodlands, or as single specimens in parks, gardens, hedgerows, and avenues in towns. Occasionally, rare invertebrate species are found associated with individual trees well isolated from large woodlands. Nevertheless, from the biodiversity point of view, it is areas of woodland that offer the most important targets for conservation. In the Birmingham and Black Country area, such areas can be found in: Nature Reserves (all under the control of local authorities) Parks (also under the control of local authorities) Private Estates Plantations There are a number of groups of species associated with the deadwood habitat, some are nationally and/or locally rare. Fungi Fungus spores, carried in the air, are deposited on the wood. If they land on a suitable spot they will germinate and send hyphae into the wood, gradually softening it and breaking it down. Under suitable conditions, as yet not fully understood, fruiting bodies are produced which spread spores to new substrates. The fruiting bodies are the visible signs of fungal activity, but the mycelium, in the form of fine thread like strands through the deadwood, is always there, carrying out the decomposition of the wood. As the wood is broken down, suitable habitats are provided for invertebrates and their larvae. The fruiting bodies of the fungi themselves also provide habitats for some specialised invertebrates, which may lay their eggs on or in the fungus, or "graze" on the spore-bearing surface. The fruiting bodies of the majority of deadwood inhabiting fungi are rather small or insignificant (microfungi), but many are much larger and appear in the form of toadstools or brackets (macrofungi). Invertebrates Invertebrates dependent on dead wood at some stage of their life cycle include species of worms, snails, copepods, millipedes, centipedes, pseudoscorpions, spiders, mites and numerous insects. Many other groups of invertebrates, such as woodlice (Isopoda), are common inhabitants of deadwood, but also thrive in other habitats. Many of the flying insects involved (e.g. hoverflies) spend their immature stages (egg, larva, pupa) in deadwood, but their adult stages (those familiar to non-naturalists) are found in a wide variety of habitats (e.g. at flowers). This document addresses primarily invertebrates and fungi, which are relatively well known - even if poorly recorded, but it must be recognised that there are numerous representatives of other groups which are dependent on the dead or dying wood environment and which contribute to the overall biodiversity of the habitat. These include viruses, bacteria, mosses & liverworts (Bryophytes), algae, ferns & horsetails (Pteridophytes) and others. Some vertebrates are also dependent or largely dependent on the presence of dead wood for survival. These include woodpeckers, which are predaceous on insect dead wood insect larvae, willow tits, tawny owls, nuthatches and several species of bats (particularly the noctule bat) which rely on cavities in tree trunks for nesting or roosting. Table 1.1 in the Technical Appendix, derived from the data sources listed in Appeddix C, shows the approximate numbers of species of invertebrates and fungi recorded in Birmingham and the Black Country (B&BC). A total of over 1,100 species believed to be associated with dead wood have so far been recorded, but this is likely to be a significant underestimate of the true total, since many groups are poorly known and under-recorded. Appendix C contains a table summarising the conservation status of the dead wood invertebrates. Technical Appendix for an in depth discussion of deadwood habitats and species numbers

1.2 Associated action plans

Woodland, Gardens / allotments / parks and open spaces, Hedgerow Species & Habitat Management

The primary factor affecting the dead wood habitat is lack of appreciation of its importance by decision makers, woodland managers/workers and the general public. Mature and ageing trees are often felled and removed, and fallen/cut dead wood cleared away, without understanding of the magnitude of the impact that this has on the wildlife in the area. The increasing use of chainsaws, chippers and particularly stump-grinders has greatly impoverished the habitat.

A great deal has been written about the value of dead wood habitat and its management and many excellent references are available, but the existence of these is very poorly known. The information and advice contained in them is largely ignored.

Traditional woodland management strategies which have historically helped to maintain a wide range of tree maturity, such as pollarding, have largely fallen into disuse.

Obligations relating to ensuring public safety/security are often translated into felling whole mature trees containing dead wood or clearing away fallen/cut wood while more appropriate alternative strategies, avoiding such radical destruction, are not considered. Typical perceived sources of risk given include:

• Danger from falling branches/trunks,
• Log piles and dead wood are seen as an arson risk or as potential tools of crime,
• Log piles and undergrowth/bushes growing around them are seen as shelter for undesirable loiterers.

Fallen or felled wood, particularly in public places and parkland is constantly being cleared away in the name of 'tidiness' instead of the being left lying/stacked on site. Options of stacking it nearby or neighbouring sites are often not considered.

Dead trees or those containing dead wood are viewed as diseased and (in most cases totally incorrectly) as a risk by infection to the adjacent woodland and are often unnecessarily removed.

Vandalism in the form of arson or unauthorised removal of wood (e.g. gathering of firewood) can also seriously reduce the supply of dead wood in some urban areas.

Existing woodland, with its complement of dead wood habitat is constantly under pressure. Any woodland clearance, whether for building, agriculture or recreation has a corresponding impact on the fragile dead wood habitat.

Fragmentation of habitat arising from factors described above ultimately leads to splitting of colonies of dead wood species into smaller and smaller units which ultimately cease to be viable and die out, reducing overall biodiversity.

3.1 Legal status

Dead wood as such is not subject to any specific legal protection, although woodland and individual trees are protected by a number of statutes. The latter are fully described in the Woodland BAP and will not be repeated here.

Some species of birds and bats which utilise trees as roosts or nesting places are protected under the Wildlife & Countryside Act. This act also gives some protection to their place of shelter.

SLINCs, SINCS and SSSIs. LNRs

3.2 Management, research and guidance

There is currently no co-ordinated action in relation to preservation and creation of deadwood habitat in the area, although there are some significant ongoing efforts in individual Nature Reserves.

The EcoRecord database, maintained by the Wildlife Trust for Birmingham & the Black Country, provides an account of the number deadwood invertebrate species present and is helpful in providing statistics like those given above, but many groups remain relatively poorly recorded in the B&BC area.

A survey of the flora and fauna of Sutton Park has recently been completed and its results will shortly be published. Preliminary data for that survey have been taken into account in the tables presented above.

The Warwickshire Recording scheme also maintains records pertinent to the Birmingham & Black Country area. It has a particularly strong record of fungi.

This BAP seeks to maintain and expand the biodiversity of existing dead wood community, particularly the invertebrates and fungi, within the Birmingham and Black Country area by conserving the deadwood resource present.

Although some changes in management practice may result, requiring retraining of staff and modification of contracts, it is not expected that these will lead to substantially higher operating costs. Indeed, it may even be possible to achieve cost savings in some areas by discontinuing certain practices considered detrimental to deadwood wildlife. These savings could be used to offset additional costs in other areas.

The conservation of more dead wood in-situ will have spin-off environmental advantages (e.g. reduction in transport fuel usage, reduction in landfill requirement, reduction in burning).

Trees located in private gardens represent another significant dead wood resource. The public awareness campaign will also encourage conservation and development of that resource.

ACTION	Potential Deliverers		YEARS							Meets Objective No.
	Lead	Partner	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2011
5.1 Policy and legislation
Seek the inclusion of effective measures for protection of veteran trees and ancient woodland in LA Unitary Development Plans	LAs	EN, WT	As UDPs and planning guidance are prepared							3
Develop a Policy/Guideline document for management of deadwood on all LA owned/managed land, particularly the recognition and handling of potentially hazardous trees/timber (see Appendix A for suggestions as to content).	LAs, Local experts	EN, NT, FC, WT								1,2,5
Set up a framework for protection of 'special' trees and small sites harbouring rare/endangered species on both public land - similar to tree protection orders in relation to private land. Establish a consultation and approval procedure for adding trees to protected list or performing any work which might effect the integrity of the habitat/welfare of the species involved (see item 5.2).	LA	WT								4
Review content of all documents relating to woodland management current utilised by local authorities or issued to the public to ensure that they properly take into the account the important wildlife conservation value of dead wood	FC, LAs									2,5,6
5.2 Site safeguard and management
Set up register of particularly important individual trees or groups of trees (e.g. trees harbouring particular rare species, veteran trees, trees representing remnants of particularly rare habitat), preferably in conjunction with register of ancient/veteran trees proposed in Woodland BAP	WT	FC, Site managers, Specialists, EN, LAs, LO								4
Make an inventory of existing pollards on each site and prepare/execute a program for pollard maintenance for those trees, encouraging pollarding in private woodland taking advantage of any currently available or future grant aid schemes.	EN, FC	LA, LO, WT, ER, BTCV								1,2
Establish a program of information and education to include seminars on the importance of the deadwood habitat for public employees/contractors involved in woodland, parks and nature reserve mamagement/operations.	LAs, WT	EN, FC								1,2
No individual species protection plans are considered appropriate at this stage, but may be considered at a later date as more information about the local fungi and invertebrate populations becomes available.			As appropriate in the future
5.3 Advice
A recommended reference list should be prepared covering the more important publications relating to the deadwood environment and its wildlife/conservation. The most important and relevant references should be made available to LA departments involved with woodland management. Local libraries should be encouraged to keep copies for public use.	BAP Committee	WT, National experts								1,2,5,6
Preparation of a leaflet about the deadwood habitat BAP, for private landowners, who should be encouraged to co-operate with implementation of its recommendations, and for the public.	LAs, WT	LO								1,2,5,6
5.4 Future research and monitoring
Encourage recording in mature woodland, so that a more complete picture of the true fauna and flora can be established. It is likely that many species present have yet to be recorded, and these may include a number of species currently considered endangered at a national level. When such species are encountered, special plans should be made to safeguard the particular habitat where they are found.	WT, ER	Land managers, LCG								1,2,4
5.5 Communications and publicity
Raise public awareness by means of a major publicity initiative, carried out on a national scale. Lobby national TV station to show a program or series.	EN	Media								6
Encourage schools and local wildlife centres to include the habitat in their Natural History training/ education.	LAs	WT								6
Locally, prepare a leaflet on the deadwood habitat. Encourage the relevant national organisations to produce similar leaflets which could be and distributed on a wider (e.g. national) level as well as within the B&BC area.	WT, EN, FC, NT, WdT	ALL								6
5.6 Links to other action plans
Woodland, particularly conservation of Ancient & Veteran trees, gardens, allotments, parks and open space, hedgerows

This Biodiversity Action Plan will be implemented over 10 years with a first review after 5 years. A group will be set up to co-ordinate implementation and to report to the Biodiversity Steering Group. This group will meet at a minimum on a yearly basis.

Review will be carried out in conjunction with related Habitat and Species Action Plans as appropriate.

Review will consist of measuring achievement of targets. The group will, with the support of the Steering Group, develop and implement appropriate monitoring methods which will inform the review process.

The Action Plan will be revised and updated in the light of review results and any relevant changes in circumstances and/or additional information which becomes available during the review period.

In line with national guidance, the Steering Group will report to the UK Steering Group.

Biodiversity Action Plan for Birmingham and the Black Country © 2000

Printing of this publication for educational purposes is permitted, provided that copies are not made or distributed for commercial gain, and the title of the publication and its date appear. To copy otherwise, or to republish, requires specific permission from the Steering Group.