Volunteers at Hothfield Heathland in winter with frost on the grass.
© Joanna Boult

Winter wanderings on Hothfield Heathlands

The reserve changes every year as trees and scrub grow and areas are cleared. With leaf-fall some of these changes are easier to see. Mimicking the effects of its previous existence as a common with regular browsing and cutting, the volunteers and machinery move across the reserve in an ever-evolving pattern. 

November 12th saw the completion of tree felling on one of the Extension compartments, the water meadows lying between the main reserve and Coldham Woods. This was a big task running over several days from October. Brash was burned on site and logs shared out for firewood. In this autumn’s mild wet conditions some trees responded by immediately sprouting at just above soil level. The felled trees are all pioneer natives, sallow, birch, alder (also in the birch family), fast-growing, tolerant of nutrient-poor soils, important themselves as sources of food and shelter to a wide range of wildlife, but in the wrong place here. With scrub and trees cleared, sheets of water were revealed or quickly re-formed, returning the area to the desired habitat, water meadow open to the sun.

These trees aren’t a new problem, as my articles have regularly reflected. A report in 1951 noted that ‘Invasion of the bogs by birch and sallow has been a serious problem since grazing ceased about 1940, but attempts are now being made to prevent further encroachment.’ Quite. Another potential thug is the member of the buttercup family that brings my focus on this family to a close, traveller’s joy, Clematis vitalba, whose wispy ethereal seedheads fringe the reserve, catching low winter light or glistening with moisture through the deepest winter months. Wispy in appearance but not in habit, this is a tough scrambler which is capable of swamping its support, as it maximises its exposure to sun for photosynthesis. Adventitious roots develop at the nodes of any branches touching the ground. Wish some of the fancier clematis were as generous. Native in the south of England, it has spread north, not quite reaching the north of Scotland and has appeared in Northern Ireland where it is listed as an invasive species. It provides nectar and pollen for insects, the seeds are food for birds and small mammals, larvae eat the leaves, the feathery achenes are good for lining nests.

As the year ends, hats off to the amazing volunteers, led by Reserve Warden Will Glasson, with their hardy camaraderie, great range of knowledge and expertise, from identifying wildlife to chainsaw techniques and maintenance, building leaky dams, reviving damp bonfires and surviving sudden downpours, litter picking and livestock care. New faces were welcomed and there is always room for more. Kent Wildlife Trust looks after volunteers across the county very well. The Ashford team is now covering sites towards Woodchurch where, following a task day, volunteer Les Kennedy commented ‘That was a hard day by any standards but immensely satisfying’.  

Shorter days but wider horizons glimpsed through leafless trees, the reserve is a good place to savour the winter, including on Christmas Day.  As ever, Kent Wildlife Trust ask you to wear appropriate shoes/boots so you can stick to the paths, embrace the mud and puddles, (no, not like that..) and avoid damaging fragile path verges which are valuable habitats in themselves. Thank you to all the careful walkers. In Ian Rickards' words...

Hothfield Heathlands is one of the best spots for wildlife in the county; with your help we can keep it that way. and continue to provide safe habitats for the uncommon plants and birds we care about. Thank you for your support this year.

My thanks to Ian, and Katy in Kent Wildlife Trust Comms for producing the beautiful, illustrated book of my articles. Oh, and don’t forget the great range of Christmas presents on the Kent Wildlife Trust website.

Happy Winter wanderings everyone.