Helford River Conservation Group held a fanscinating talk by Sam Manning from the Woodlands Trust last night. Excited by the mention of temperate rainforest we went to find out more.
So many facts, so much to learn. Our groups in the UK have all be born out of specific interests developed in the Victorian era. Butterfly Trusts, Woodland Trusts, Water charities, but what if we were to look at the sea and trees and ecology holistically like they do in Japan? Sam Manning, Woodlands Trust, discovered that this is what is happening abroad studying Japanese books and spending time in Canada.
The findings:
- Messy Rivers create cool spaces, the fallen trees left to decay in the river allow for invertibre to fall into the water to feed the fish.
- Trees like Willow would have been an integral part of woodland forests in times gone by not only oaks and pine, it’s incredible the benefits of Willow Trees that can soak up metals and clean soil, they have medicinal benefits too creating asprin.
- Fishing benefits from Woodland by the Sea. Woodland by the sea also benefits forests further inland.
Kayaking along ancient woodland, rare temperate rainforests on Frenchman’s Creek, pictured above
So what has happened to our woodlands and farmlands. Natural woodland would have covered most of Cornwall but not as we know it. Not a massive lump of woodland surrounded by open fields used for arable or cattle farming susceptible to the elements and rain run off, but instead a mix of both. Cattle would be roaming in spaced out Woodland, finding cool tree cover in warmer days.
Trees also provide a vital framework for soil and run off. Most of our issues with flooding could be solved by woodland being replanted to the sea. The woodland provides a natural barrier to the severe run off we see on our man made landscape.
Kayaking along the St Agnes Coastline, left baron of trees after the Cornish Mining era, pictured above
Preserving the landscape of 100 years ago is leading to metals running offer straight into the sea and poisoning our fish populations. However a few trees replanted could mean an in crease in fish stock.
The lack of trees has lead to a speedy run for water to run straight into the water picking up soils and sedement along the way and dumping on top of kelp forests.
Sam Manning, Woodland Trust said: “The science has found that terrestrial forests are providing bioavailable iron to plankton, not just kelp forests, which is the really groundbreaking part!”
Kelp Forests are a vital forests for plankton the base line species in the water that create iron a key food source for the baseline plankton that goes on to feed the fish and up the food chain.
Forests by the sea create a vital trail of water that spreads five times inland of there’s connecting forest, so a natural irrigation from sea water to trees.
Our ancient oak woodland is perhaps some of the last remaining trees left, pictured, Kayaking along Frenchman’s Creek, Helford River, Cornwall, pictured above
Our ancient oak woodland perhaps are some of the last remaining trees left in the world that have adpated to soaking up salt water.
More on the fields, did you know we have been draining off our land for centuries. Iron Age through to more recently drainage in the 1950s mean that our soil in fields are dry, we then irrigate them from more fresh water, what a waste of energy. Wet fields with trees planted amongst means natural cooling of the soil, could it mean less need for fertilisers too as the trees are enabilising wildlife to live on the land that create natural fertilisers?
The main finding is these ancient woodlands can clean polluted sea water, like those filled by metals from our mining era, Willow being a key tree for this cleansing.
Trees and dead trees create space for the circle of life with envertibre feeding the fish, they also provide a cool space even on a hot day. The provide a network so that there isn’t a massive run off into the sea or river killing of kelp forests that feed plankton that feed bigger fish.
It’s incredible and we at Koru are keen to support this with research working with Trace Biomonitoring, testing samples of water on both the St Agnes Coastline and Helford River and Frenchman’s Creek to see what species are in the water at different times of the year.
Kingfisher perched looking for it’s next fish on Frenchman’s Creek, pictured above
We are looking forward to No Trees – No Seas a film about the connection of the ‘siblings’ the Japanese call the Trees and sea. We are an eco system a circle of life. Perhaps the answer to some of our health problems are right her in the sea and the forest.
So many thoughts and so much information, but what my main takeout was we need to find out what species are surviving in our seas now and how woodland can effect this. It’s vital with climate change, it’s not just the forests on the land, but how we are effecting those kelp forests under the water that support our fish populations.
Join our Citizen Science Koru Kayak Trips where water samples will be taken and analysed –
Citizen Scence – St Agnes Coastline
Citizen Science trips – Helford River and Frenchman’s Creek
