A Practical Guide to Managing Box Woodlands and Trees in the Countryside
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The natural and cultural PART B heritage of A practical guide to Box woodlands and trees in managing Box woodlands the Chilterns and trees in the countryside An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty The natural and cultural heritage of Box woodlands and trees in the Chilterns PART B A practical guide to managing Box woodlands and trees in the countryside Published by the Chilterns Conservation Board Grant-aided by the Heritage Lottery Fund Written by Sarah Wright, Chilterns Box Woodland Project Officer PART B has drawn on the assistance of volunteers, woodland owners and other supporters. Thanks to: Boxmoor Trust, Chiltern Society, European Boxwood and Topiary Society, Forestry Commission, Millennium Seed Bank Partnership Kew, National Trust, Natural England, Royal Horticultural Society, Society of Wood Engravers, Wormsley Estate. Lynn Batdorf, Colin Bradley, Clare Butler, Dorothy Cartwright, Huw Crompton, Chris Daunt, Christine Davis, Beatrice Henricot, Peter Jones, Stuart King, Keith Kirby, Andy McVeigh, Neil Melleney, Glyn Miller, Heather Barrett-Mold, Sandra Parkinson, John and Ben Pepper, Edward Raker, Sean Reid, John Trimmer. Chilterns Box Woodland Project Page No. Contents B.1 Introduction to the Chilterns Box Woodland Project and this publication 1 B.2 Managing Box woodland and trees for the future 2 B.3 Management challenges in the Chilterns 3 B.4 Managing Box trees to be healthy specimens and recognising signs of stress 4 B.5 Box management calendar 5 B.6 Managing for climate change 6 B.7 Growing Buxus sempervirens – propagation 7 B.7.1 Collecting and growing from seeds 8 B.7.1.1 Case study: Collecting Box seeds in the Chilterns for the Millennium Seed Bank, Wakehurst 8 B.7.2 Collecting and growing from cuttings 10 B.7.2.1 Case study: Collecting Box cuttings from Ellesborough and Kimble Warrens SSSI 11 B.7.2.2 Case study: Growing Box cuttings in a nursery 13 B.7.3 Propagation by layering – 'air' and buried 15 B. 7.3.1 Case study: Layering Box at Wendover Woods 17 B.8 Planting Box in the countryside 18 B.8.1 Sourcing stock to plant 19 B.8.2 Selecting sites to plant Box 19 B.8.3 Case study: New Box plantation managed for game at the Wormsley Estate 20 B.9 Treework for Box trees 23 B.10 Managing ancient and veteran Box trees 25 B.11 Managing established Box woodlands and Box scrub, including managing for timber 26 B.11.1 Harvesting timber 28 B.11.1.1 Case study: Harvesting timber from a Box plantation in Norfolk 29 B.11.2 Case study: Coppicing in Wendover Woods 30 B.11.3 Managing Box along access routes 31 B.12 Managing pests, diseases and other problems, including biosecurity recommendations 32 B.12.1 Case study: Tackling Box blight in the publicly accessible Wendover Woods 35 B.12.2 Yellowing leaves 35 B.12.3 Copper brown leaves 35 B.12.4 Box blight 36 B.12.5 Rusts 37 B.12.6 Macrophoma leaf spot 37 B.12.7 Phytophthora 38 B.12.8 Nematodes 38 B.12.9 Box tree caterpillar 38 B.12.10 Psyllid moth 39 B.12.11 Animals affecting Box 39 B.12.12 Climbing plants – ivy, wild clematis 40 B.13 Credits to volunteers and others 41 B.14 Reference list and further reading 42 Managing Box woodlands and trees in the countryside B.1 Introduction to the Chilterns Box Woodland Project and this publication The Chilterns Box Woodland Project began in January 2013 following receipt by the Chilterns Conservation Board of a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Over a period of two and a half years, the Chilterns Conservation Board gathered information about Box trees and carried out simple trials of different practical management activities. The focus was upon Box in a countryside setting, not Box in gardens and topiary. This guidance brings together all that has been learnt through the Project and aims to provide woodland managers and others with the key information they need to sustainably manage Box trees and woodlands in the Chilterns countryside and possibly elsewhere. Questions and uncertainties remain, but this publication is a step forward and starting point for informed conservation and heightened appreciation of the natural and cultural heritage of Box. Alongside this guidance, the Project has worked with the Forestry Commission at the publicly accessible Wendover Woods to give everyone the opportunity to explore a Box woodland and see first-hand how it can be managed. In addition to this guidance called Part B addressing practical management, Part A covers This guidance draws on the the ecology, history and cultural uses of Box in the Chilterns. knowledge and experiences of numerous people engaged Visit www.chilternsaonb.org/box for further information and to download the most up-to- through the Chilterns Box date version of this publication. Woodland Project. Various site visits were carried out, as shown here at Shirburn Hill. Managing Box woodlands and trees in the countryside Page 1 B.2 Managing Box woodland and trees for the future Having fallen into widespread neglect and obscurity, Box trees and woodlands are in need of attention. A degree of urgency is created by the growing challenges of pests and diseases, such as Box blight, and climate change. Significant restorative work is needed in some places in the Chilterns, whilst in other locations it is just a matter of integrating small tasks for Box into existing management routines. A positive driver for management is the opportunity to secure a sustainable source of UK-grown Box timber to supply a small but interested market. Fortunately, large Box woodlands and vigorous Box trees can currently be found in the Chilterns and natural regeneration is evident in many places. Prime examples include the ancient woodland near Great Kimble and a publicly accessible woodland near Wendover. The woodland at Great Kimble is designated as part of the Chilterns Beechwoods Special Area of Conservation in recognition of its international biodiversity significance. Shirburn Hill SSSI is another key site which provides a useful example of Box scrub in a chalk grassland context that is publicly accessible. These Box sites make the Chilterns a useful reference point for anyone wishing to understand the ecology, history and management of Box. The Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is also a place to see how Box contributes to creating a distinctive and attractive landscape. It is worthwhile to work and learn with the network of people who have an interest in Box: woodland owners, foresters and arborists, woodworkers, musicians, artists, gardeners, researchers and the public. The Chilterns Box Woodland Project has strengthened the links between these interest groups and made information easily accessible online at www.chilternsaonb.org/box. From this point, it is possible to make further progress and ensure the natural and cultural heritage of Box in the Chilterns remains alive. Box timber is used to make and repair some instruments. Musicians, such as Katherine Spencer, are amongst a network of people wanting to secure a sustainable future for Box trees and woodlands in the Chilterns. Managing Box woodlands and trees in the countryside Page 2 B.3 Management challenges in the Chilterns The Chilterns Box Woodland Project carried out surveys of Box woodland and trees across the Chilterns and beyond, and also discussed current and historic management with woodland owners and others. It was found that the majority of Box trees and woodlands received little management attention. Various aspects were identified which presented managers and others with challenges particular to Box. This guidance and other resources available at www.chilternsaonb.org/box can help woodland managers and others to tackle the following problems and achieve sustainable management of Box: ` Lack of easily accessible information about managing Box in the countryside. No established network of people knowledgeable about Box. Pests and disease, such as Box blight, affecting living trees and timber. Few people with practical skills and experience specific to Box. Limited number of informed contractors. Concerns about mis-management. Neglected Box, and the consequent challenge and time needed for restorative work to trees and woodland. Illegal camping and accumulation of litter are associated problems. There are positive steps that Negative or limited perceptions of Box that distract from positive management action, can be made to manage Box e.g. it is just about topiary; it isn't a tree; it isn't a timber tree; it isn't native; it trees. It is important that Box trees continue to be a doesn't need managing; it isn't an attractive tree. distinctive feature of the Quandry over conserving Box whilst also realising a diversity of species. Box often Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. shades out ground flora and seedlings of other tree and shrub species. Managing the dynamic nature and relative proportion of Box scrub growing in an open landscape. Slow-growing tree means a long wait for timber. The nature of the current Box timber market (small, specialist, informal, adhoc) can make it difficult to organise harvesting and sale. Difficulties in obtaining stock for planting schemes in terms of provenance/ genetics and available quantities. Concern that livestock might consume Box which is toxic to them. Paucity of scientific or other research or published material to inform management of Box. Confidence in the identification of native Buxus sempervirens as opposed to cultivated varieties and other species. Managing Box woodlands and trees in the countryside Page 3 B.4 Managing Box trees to be healthy specimens and recognising signs of stress Based upon observations in the Chilterns and desk-based research, a description of a healthy Box tree or woodland in a countryside setting would be as follows: A healthy Buxus sempervirens plant grows vigorously, with verdant growth at the tips of branches in the spring.