Ask me Questions

[Marts]

Is it true that the largest living organism (insert right word ) is a group of trees.

I think the largest living organism is a fungi.

Officially known as Armillaria ostoyae, or the honey mushroom, the fungus is 3.5 miles across and takes up 1,665 football fields

 

[loz.]

I think the largest living organism is a fungi.

Officially known as Armillaria ostoyae, or the honey mushroom, the fungus is 3.5 miles across and takes up 1,665 football fields

And it edible !!!

link to solve world food shortages !

 

[loz.]

What might the common ancestor of the willow and the oak look like? Was it a tree? When did it live?

The Parents

 

[Goose]

And it edible !!!

link to solve world food shortages !

At 2400 years old it is a bit of a long term investment though! :yikes:

 

[rich59]

The Parents

Naa, thats my great great grand parents. Anyone know a good place to find a detailed evolutionary tree of the green plant kingdom?

 

[Hunter_zero]

Okay after reading the thread I thought I try something different.
I have work in UK forests as forester, ranger a bit of ecological work for over 10 years and studied them as at University as well.

I claim to be no expert but know a few things i thought i like to share them with you guys but did not no where to start.

So my idea is you ask me what you like to know about Britains woods and forest I will see if I can answer them or ask one of my contacts who may know something about it so please ask me will try my best others are more than welcome to answer anything asked.

Do you know of any Deer managment / stalking leases ?

John

 

[pothunter]

Hi Hunter Zero

Also looking for some good stalking not interested in out and out managment culling, how far are you prepared to travel, SE Scotland any good? Are you interested in a joint venture?

Best regards, Pothunter.

 

[Stumpy]

From your experience in the woodlands & forests, can you tell the difference between Red squirrel & Grey Squirrel Dreys? If so, can you enlighten me as to the difference.

 

[Hunter_zero]

Hi Hunter Zero

Also looking for some good stalking not interested in out and out managment culling, how far are you prepared to travel, SE Scotland any good? Are you interested in a joint venture?

Best regards, Pothunter.

Problem with Scotland is the distance. I have a patch up there (many places will let you stalk for free) but the cost of travel and the hassle bringing back a carcass makes it a poor place IMHO.

I have a patch in North Devon, costs £166 per year (might be a place opening up if your stuck).

I've been looking around the forest of dean for sometime but can not find anyone willing to lease. I much prefer to lease. One it's safer and second, you know your the only stalker on the land.
In general I have two or three leases running at anyone time. Formal contractual leases that is. There are a few farms over this way that will let you stalk Fallow for £5 per stalk but it's hit and miss. There could be another ten stalkers in the bushes on the same day.

Everything aside, I'm always interested in stalking.

John

 

[falling rain]

Okay after reading the thread I thought I try something different.
I have work in UK forests as forester, ranger a bit of ecological work for over 10 years and studied them as at University as well.

I claim to be no expert but know a few things i thought i like to share them with you guys but did not no where to start.

So my idea is you ask me what you like to know about Britains woods and forest I will see if I can answer them or ask one of my contacts who may know something about it so please ask me will try my best others are more than welcome to answer anything asked.

There are many flowers and plants that are described as ancient woodland Indicators - Wood Anemone being one, and my all time favourite flower. There are many others such as wild daffodil , bluebells and a good list is here - http://www.shropshirebotany.org.uk/html/ancient_woodland_indicators.html my question Redflex is - Can you tell me which ancient woodland indicator species (plants, not trees for now) are the most reliable to indicate ancient woodland. There are a lot of species on the list on my link that I've seen growing in places that are quite obviously not ancient woodland (although it may have been years ago I suppose) like wild strawberry for example that I've seen growing in fields that must have been ploughed hundreds of times and I would have thought been irradicated. So which ones are truly the very best indicators of ancient woodland?

 

[bushwacker bob]

OK....What is the biggest woodland in Britain.....?

The National Forest in leicestershire. Its still being planted but is technically the largest.

 

[bushwacker bob]

I was told that "hardwood" and "softwood" do not refer to the hardness or softness of the wood but to type. Why the difference and what is the logic behind it?

Hardwoods come from broadleaf deciduous tree,softwoods are conifers.
The most notable 'hardwood' is Balsa

 

[bushwacker bob]

Good one, I would like to know that, will it be a redwood somewhere I wonder...

There are 2 Douglas firs challenging for the job.
One is near Lake Vrynwy in Wales (62.5m) the other is on the Dunkeld estate in Scotland,recently measured at 64m

 

[BOD]

Hardwoods come from broadleaf deciduous tree,softwoods are conifers.
The most notable 'hardwood' is Balsa

Thanks Bob. So if I want to refer to the "hardness" of wood what is the terminology to use?

Saying hard and soft would just confuse things.

There is another problem for me. What sort of wood is evergreen wood and especially tropical hardwood?

 

[bushwacker bob]

Thanks Bob. So if I want to refer to the "hardness" of wood what is the terminology to use?

Saying hard and soft would just confuse things.

There is another problem for me. What sort of wood is evergreen wood and especially tropical hardwood?

Wood hardness is a bit of a hard one to guage as one bit of wood of a particular species can be harder than another of the same species. You could use the Moh scale that is used to test the hardness of rocks.(does your thumb nail leave an indent or not?)
Tropical hardwoods suffer from very small seasonal temperature variations but most shed leaves in the 'slightly drier' season altough few of them ever become bare like northern hemisphere broadleaves.

 

[wingstoo]

Good one, I would like to know that, will it be a redwood somewhere I wonder...

There is a small leafed LIme just outside Hereford and is over 20ft across the base.

LS

 

[Ahjno]

They get to be big trees Pierre although they are slow growing

This old boy was in the ground a few hundred years back

Red

Maybe a bit macabre (sp?) but that's a beautifull place to be buried ... Not that I plan to stop breathing anytime soon :11doh:

 

[falling rain]

There are many flowers and plants that are described as ancient woodland Indicators - Wood Anemone being one, and my all time favourite flower. There are many others such as wild daffodil , bluebells and a good list is here - http://www.shropshirebotany.org.uk/html/ancient_woodland_indicators.html my question Redflex is - Can you tell me which ancient woodland indicator species (plants, not trees for now) are the most reliable to indicate ancient woodland. There are a lot of species on the list on my link that I've seen growing in places that are quite obviously not ancient woodland (although it may have been years ago I suppose) like wild strawberry for example that I've seen growing in fields that must have been ploughed hundreds of times and I would have thought been irradicated. So which ones are truly the very best indicators of ancient woodland?

After the big 'ask me questions' announcement......... any answers to this question?