Information Board at Angling Spring Wood

Image: © David Hillas Taken: 22 Mar 2018

Situated at the northern edge of Angling Spring Wood in Martinsend Lane between Great Missenden and Prestwood, this information board shows a map of the wood with a red kite above it. On the left hand side is the following wording: You are welcome to walk around this wood. Natural ecology This ancient-beech hornbeam wood supports natural plant and animal communities that have developed over centuries, with rare creatures like the slender slug, many unusual fungi in the autumn, and silver-washed fritillary butterflies in summer. Notice how the ground layer of plants varies from one part of the wood to another with changes in soil and slope, with large patches of bluebells in some areas and primroses, wood sorrel and violets in others. Management Plan A management plan for the wood has been agreed with the Forestry Commission and felling consent granted to remove some of the planted larch. The aim is to return this ancient wood to broadleaved trees. Local conservation group Prestwood Nature monitors species in the wood annually and helps open glades to light by removing excessive holly, thinning young trees and coppicing. Check "www.prestwoodnature.org.uk" for more about the wood and its autumn fungus foray. The felling has given space for other trees to develop and allowed more light in which has benefited flowers, butterflies and bees. In recent years grey squirrels have damaged planted oaks and other young trees by stripping bark in the summer months; this causes the tops of the trees to die back and reduces the quality of the timber. Listen to the Talking Trail Audio Trail An audio trail can be downloaded from "www.anglingspringwood.org.uk" you can then play clips when you get to the various carved posts in the wood. The posts were made by local wood-carver Malcolm Hildreth. Below the map is the wording: The roadside fence was made from larch felled and converted in this wood. The photos at the bottom of the noticeboard are from left to right: i) whitesaddle fungi, ii) slender slug, iii) silver washed fritillary and squirrel damage, iv) Horse extracting larch, v) cutting the timber, vi) the roadside fence.

Images are licensed for reuse under creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0