Are airports terminal for our bluebells?
At least six irreplaceable ancient bluebell woods face being felled for airport expansions, warns the Woodland Trust.
Less than two per cent of Britain is covered with ancient woodland. But if Stansted and Luton’s proposed expansions get the go ahead, another six bluebell-rich ancient woods1 will be razed to the ground destroying the habitats of a host of rare and threatened species like the dormouse, bluebell, oxlip, early purple orchid and glow worm.
Ed Pomfret of the Woodland Trust says: “This year is a big one for the Government’s love affair with air travel. They are planning a ‘progress report’ on their aviation policy, but this must be turned into a full review of the destructive plans to expand airports massively across the UK. No one can deny the impact air travel has on climate change, or that these irresponsible airport expansions are unnecessary - with us needing to act to reduce our carbon emissions now.
“Air travel is predicted to be one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gases by 2050. The plans would destroy vast tracts of our fragile countryside – with everything from oxlips to bluebells and the ancient forests that support them under threat from aviation.
“These proposed airport expansions are unacceptable to anyone who believes our natural world should be respected.”
Throughout May, more than 100 of the Trust’s ancient woods scattered throughout the UK will really come into their own with dazzling displays of shimmering pendulous bluebells. It’s a sight which shouldn’t be taken for granted as Britain’s bluebell woods are of international importance – as they account for about 50 per cent of the planet’s entire population of this beautiful flower.
Ed adds: “Instead of jetting off for a weekend abroad, go out and enjoy a walk in the bluebell woods. While you’re there spare a thought for the bluebell woods around Luton, Stansted and areas which would be destroyed due to expansion of those airports.”
To find a bluebell wood in your area, visit the Woodland Trust’s website www.woodland-trust.org.uk/bluebells
And in terms of loss to development, airports aren’t the only threat. The Trust is currently fighting more than 350 cases of woods under threat, ranging from new roads to housing estates.
Bluebell woods under threat from airport expansion include:
Luton
• Withstocks Wood: Ancient semi-natural oak/hornbeam woodland; oak and birch standards, some old cherry, with coppice. Golden-scaled Male Fern has been recorded; a species rare to Hertfordshire. 16 ancient woodland indicator species, including bluebell.
• Winchill Wood: Remnant ancient semi-natural woodland; coppiced hornbeam, acid grassland and scrub. 12 ancient woodland indicator species, including bluebell.
• Hurst Wood: Ancient semi-natural oak/hornbeam woodland; cherry and ash standards also frequent. 61 plant species recorded, including bluebell.
• Sewett’s Wood: Ancient semi-natural oak/hornbeam woodland, partly replanted with conifers. 90 plant species recorded, including bluebell.
Stansted
• Priory Wood (7.16ha) “This ancient wood has a very rich flora. The canopy cover is largely hornbeam and ash, although many other woody species are present. These include field maple, hazel, Midland hawthorn, blackthorn, wild cherry and pendunculate oak. Ground flora includes wood anemone, bluebell, hairy St.John’s Wort, twayblade orchid, early purple orchid and sanicle.” (From Essex County Wildlife Site Description, 1998)
• Round Coppice (4.54ha) “This ancient woodland fragment is dominated by hornbeam with scattered penduculate oak, ash and field maple. Typical woodland flora includes bluebell, hairy St.John’s Wort, three-veined sandwort, oxlip and goldilocks.” (From Essex County Wildlife Site Description, 1998)
