Dead wood vital for UK wildlife

13/08/2008 16:22:36 August 2008. Although it may not be one of the prettiest sights in the forest, the decaying wood is actually very important and provides a vital life source for many of the woodland residents. Forestry Commission rangers want visitors to Cannock Forest in Staffordshire to take a fresh look at dead wood this summer.

40% of forest eco-system dependent on dead wood
Standing dead trees (snags) and fallen debris are home to a huge range of organisms including fungi, lichens, invertebrates, mosses and birds. A remarkable 40 per cent of woodland wildlife is dependent on this part of the forest eco-system.

30% birds nest in dead wood
Bugs and beetles thrive on dead wood as a food source and more insects provide more food for birds. One third of all woodland birds also nest in holes or cavities in dead trees. Woodpeckers in particular love dead wood. They rely on it for nesting sites and once they move on to fresh pastures, other birds recycle the nests to create new homes. Bats also find summer and winter roosts in the tree holes. And birds of prey use dead trees as lookouts to find their next meal.

The Forestry Commission's senior wildlife ranger, Peter Pursglove, says: "Dead wood does get a bit of a bad press. Visitors come up to us all the time and ask us why we've left this rotting wood lying around. But far from being an eyesore, it's a very important and natural part of the forest eco-system and there is often as much life in a dead tree as there is in a live one."

Britain's primeval forests were often strewn with fallen tree branches and trunks. The Forestry Commission aims to leave at least three per cent of its woodland as dead wood to help create a healthy forest teeming with wildlife.
Conservationists are increasingly recognising how important dead wood is to the health of a forest. Not only does it help the process of nutrient cycling, providing a steady, slow-release source of nitrogen, but it's also thought to play a significant role in carbon storage. Fallen logs can also increase soil stability within woodland.

Cannock Forest sits on Cannock Chase, the smallest area of outstanding natural beauty on mainland Britain. It is home to open heathland, pine forest and a large wildlife population and is a popular venue for walking and cycling.