Woodland Habitat Piles

After such a wet and windy week we decided to make the most of this beautiful autumn day and headed up to the top of the tank tracks.  Here there was lots of brash and larger logs left to clear from previous worky days. 

There was lots of timber to use to construct habitat piles, and they quickly took shape, one along the edge of the woodland trail and the second between three trees.

These piles will provide a winter refuge for many invertebrates, small mammals and amphibians.  Much of the wood we used was already quite old and showing signs of decay, and holes made by wood-boring insects.  Damp conditions at the bottom and behind peeling bark will be very inviting for beetles, spiders, centipedes and woodlice as well as frogs, toads and newts, while in the drier areas butterflies and ladybirds may overwinter.  All these invertebrates will make this feature a valuable scavenging site through the winter months for birds such as robins and wrens.