Dean Green Team

Wildlife Conservation Group in the

Forest of Dean

Gloucestershire

19 March 2013

Lord's Wood, The Doward

Grid Ref SO547156

A visit to the other side of the River Wye is a rarity for us. However, this site contains some rare species of Sorbus and new species have recently been discovered there. Our task was to remove all the young ash which was growing near some of the identified Sorbus to allow for unimpeded growth for the Sorbus.

The Lower Wye Valley is the second most diverse site for Sorbus in the British Isles. It occurs on Carboniferous Limestone cliffs and cliff edges in open, deciduous woodland.

The tree marked by yellow tape is a Sorbus which could be 80 - 90 years old. We took down the large tree in the front of it and we cut the ivy trails which were smothering it.

These marked Sorbus trees are on the edge of the quarry and, don't worry, the team member with the saw did not cut it down!

Some of the team were working in the disused quarry below and removed a great deal of the overhanging trees.