In 2020 Ecology Resources, and a team of Soil Scientists were involved in the ancient woodland translocation works at Fulfen woods near Lichfield as part of the HS2 Enabling Works North mitigation and improvement strategy.
Throughout the works a suitably competent and licensed Ecological Clerk of Works (ECoW) from Ecology Resources was present to supervise the translocation of ancient woodland indicator species such as Dog’s Mercury (Mercurialis perennis) and Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) in line with best practice and HS2 guidelines.
Prior to the main translocation and de-vegetation works, all trees with PRF’s were inspected using endoscopes and features removed if no bats were present. Trees were then felled to enable stump removal, which was then relocated to a receptor site, stumps were buried at varying depths to encourage regeneration of the original tree.
To facilitate the translocation of the soils this was done in soil parcels 1m x 2m x 0.15m which were relocated to the receptor site and carefully placed to recreate the woodland floor.
Several habitat improvements were implemented across the receptor site. Monoliths were erected to provide bat and owl roosting opportunities, hibernacula and refugia were created for invertebrates, reptiles and small mammals and a pond was improved and enlarged to provide a broader habitat mosaic, enabling a wider range of species to utilise the area.
Small shrubs, trees, brash and leaf litter were translocated to provide species and age diversity as well as the micro-organisms needed to break down solid matter to create new soil. Old logs covered in fungus, mosses and lichen were translocated from the donor site to provide a wide range of organisms to a site which had previously been used for agriculture.
Works were completed by December 2020 and by October 2021 the area is looking healthy with additional native tree species, grassy areas, regeneration, and a wide variety of flora.