Hazeley Wood – 2015 Survey Jean Cook submission

Jean Cook submission

Hazeley Wood was planted in 1991 on wheat fields by The Parks Trust. From the outset MKNHS was involved to monitor changes in biodiversity as the wood developed. Major studies were conducted in 1994 and 2006. The 2015 Study is planned as the next in this series.

Oak, Hornbeam and Birch were planted, and in the mid 1990s attempts were made to speed up colonisation by woodland and woodland edge flora by deliberate seeding – with limited success.

Subsequently trees have been thinned, and a few Hornbeams coppiced – this work largely occurred in 2007. Our 2006 Survey was designed to record the situation immediately prior to this.

The 2015 Survey aims to record what species are now present in Hazeley Wood,    but also to make some assessment of the overall development of woodland and woodland edge habitats. Records will be lodged with the Bucks and Milton Keynes Environmental Records Centre (BMERC) and a Report will be published by The Parks Trust.

Studies are planned of the flora, trees, bryophytes (mosses, etc), fungi, many invertebrate groups (including, but not limited to, butterflies, moths, hoverflies, ground beetles, grasshoppers, dragonflies), birds, mammals (including bats), amphibians and reptiles.