Week 46
A short while ago, I wrote that this year had been bad for devil’s bit scabious. Normally my land is filled with the flower but this year there was none. So bad was it, that I decided to plant some plugs, not only of devil’s bit scabious, but many other plants, too. One was field scabious, but it appears that wild animals like it as well. Of the three field scabious plugs, two have gone missing, despite their covering of chicken wire. The wire had been tossed aside, although I had staked it to the ground, and the signs of animal theft were clear to see. There were scratch marks and superficial burrows, as evidence of an animal digging. Yet I could see neither tracks nor scat, and certainly no slime. Others, too, have lost their scabious[i] thanks to Heaven knows who.
What animal should I blame? Badgers and rabbits make deeper holes and deer do a pile of droppings. Fox can be vegetarian but are more forthright in what they do. I am left with something smaller. A shrew[ii] is insectivorous, probably too small, so unlikely. The culprit must be sufficiently large to toss aside chicken wire, too short to reach over the netting’s top, and unaccustomed to making deep holes. A pigeon is also possible as it feeds on so many plants. However, normally it pecks and rips off portions of plant and leaves the stalks behind[iii]. My field scabious has gone missing completely, without any trace remaining.
My shortlist is hedgehog[iv], squirrel, pine marten[v], or maybe the normally carnivorous but occasionally vegetarian weasel[vi], stoat[vii] or mink[viii]. I have no evidence that any of these animals have thieved my scabious, so wish the culprit to be a hedgehog, and have baited the area with tomato. Hedgehogs adore tomatoes. I have also carefully positioned my trail camera. Trail cameras are good, but do not always like the frost, which is now featuring regularly, as their lenses and detectors freeze. That has happened to me, and to date the bait remains uneaten.
I so wish that I will soon discover a hedgehog as it is a while since I have seen one. The animal usually hibernates from October/November until March/April, but climate change has delayed the arrival of cold weather this year and hedgehogs can also move nesting sites in the middle of hibernation. I must hope that my trail camera reveals all[ix].
I am surrounded by conifers, not only on my land, but as far as I can see. Yet I know so little about them. Before I became a renaturer, a conifer was a fir, and all firs were the same. Now I know more and have been thinking about conifers recently, as by this time of year I would expect to see plenty of cones, both on the trees and the ground beneath. However, the number of cones seems tiny. It may just be the trees I own, or those I happen to see, or there may be something different. Many conifers produce cones in two-year cycles. Cone buds are produced in the first year and then develop into proper cones during the second year. They mostly fall to the ground in autumn, so can be found from September to December[x]. Other factors which can affect cone production include tree stress because of high temperatures, and drought[xi]. Declines in seed cone production are greater for populations that have the largest increases in growing season temperatures[xii].
Conifers are a group of cone-bearing seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms[xiii]. Scientifically, they make up the division (or phylum) Pinophyta sometimes known as Coniferophyta or Coniferae. All extant conifers are perennial woody plants with secondary growth[xiv]. The majority are trees, although a few are shrubs. Examples include cedar, Douglas fir, cypress, fir, juniper, larch, pine, hemlock, redwood, spruce, and yew. Conifers are ecologically very important. Many alter their biochemistry seasonally to make them more resistant to freezing. While tropical rainforests have more biodiversity and turnover, the immense conifer forests of the world represent the largest terrestrial carbon sink. Conifers are of great economic value for their softwood in addition to paper production[xv]. Worryingly, of the world’s 615 conifer species, 211 (34%) are listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as being threatened[xvi].
A conifer cone or pinecone is a seed-bearing organ on gymnosperm plants. It is usually woody, ovoid to globular, including scales and bracts arranged around a central axis, and contains the reproductive structures. The woody cone is the female cone, which produces seeds. The male cone, which produces pollen, is usually herbaceous and much less conspicuous, even at full maturity[xvii].
In conifers, bracts are specialised leaves that are typically associated with the reproductive structures of the plant. Their precise function on a conifer cone is still debated, although there are several suggestions:
Protection - bracts can help protect developing seeds from desiccation, extreme temperatures, and predation.
Support - bracts may provide a structure to support the seeds or the reproductive organs within a cone.
Attraction - while this is more common in flowering plants where brightly coloured bracts attract pollinators, in conifers, the bracts are generally not involved in such a display as conifers are predominantly wind pollinated. Despite this, pollinators can still use plants that are not officially ‘pollinator plants’, so do sometimes visit conifers[xviii].
Dispersal - in some conifers, the bracts can help with the dispersal of seeds. For example, bracts can sometimes act like wings to catch the wind, and help carry seed away from the parent plant.
The specific morphology and function of bracts varies widely among different conifer species. In many conifers, the bracts are small and not particularly noticeable, and are often tucked underneath the scales of a cone. In some species, such as the Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), the bracts are prominent, extend beyond the scales, and give the cones a distinctive appearance.
It is in part possible to tell the type of conifer from its cone. For example, spruce cones hang down and fir cones stand upright. They also differ in the way the needles are attached to shoots - woody pegs for spruce and pads for fir. Spruce cones are often found intact on the ground, but fir cones break up on the tree to shed their seeds and are rarely found intact on the ground. They are often located at the top of the tree and are difficult to see from below[xix].
Cypresses have spherical cones. As with female flowers, these cones receive pollen and develop seeds. The cones are usually woody, with interlocking scales to protect the developing seeds. The scales open at a suitable time to release the seeds[xx].
Pine trees can also be recognised by the shape of their cones, which comprise a series of overlapping woody scales, arranged spirally along a central stem. At each point along the stem a bract scale sits on top of a seed scale and between them lies the seed. These cones are normally closed, but open to release the seeds when the weather is suitable[xxi].
A cone’s function is thus to protect the developing seed. It can also help with seed dispersal. Typically, the tip of a branch is where to find the youngest cones while the older cones are larger, and nearer the trunk. When a female cone is small and new, and the tree has not yet expended much energy in making it, the scales on the cone open, and windborne pollen that has been shed by other trees enters between the slightly separated scales. The pollen then tumbles down to the egg, where fertilisation occurs. It is this process of fertilisation, leading to seed development, that is the signal for a cone to enlarge. After pollination and fertilisation, the scales close tightly, to protect the developing seed[xxii].
Most conifers are simultaneously both male and female, which makes them monoecious, and have male and female cones. Male cones tend to be nearer the bottom of a tree while female cones are nearer the top. Once fertilised, the cone drops from the tree to the ground and begins to germinate if conditions are right. Sometimes a cone can remain fertilised for several years before falling, as it awaits optimal conditions for growth[xxiii].
The so-called classic conifer cone is usually female and has woody, spirally arranged scales, with two seeds on each fertile scale[xxiv]. Meanwhile male cones are much smaller and do not comprise the same woody case as for the female cones. Male cones also only live for a short length of time and are usually gone by spring. They are soft and spongy, while female cones use their woody structure to keep their seeds safe.
Conifer cones make excellent food for a variety of animals, squirrels in particular. I do not have many squirrels on my land, but those I do have, frequently head straight for conifer cones. I see them as they chew on the cones in the same way that humans eat corn on the cob.
A squirrel will bite and eat the scales or even break open the cone from bottom to top reach the seeds, although can only do this with dry cones so may not eat the cone immediately. A squirrel is a born hoarder and will gather conifer cones, burying them for later eating[xxv], especially when the cold weather arrives. Theft is common in the squirrel community and forgetfulness is rife, too. Research found that squirrels can lose up to 74% of the food they bury[xxvi].
This method of eating conifer cones makes it possible to establish if a squirrel is left- or right-handed. The animals do show laterality, just as humans. The way to determine squirrel handedness is to look at the chewing spirals on a conifer cone. Squirrels will start at the bottom and work their way upwards in a spiralling motion. If the spirals go anticlockwise when the cone is inspected from its base, the squirrel is left handed. If the chewing spirals go clockwise then the squirrel is right handed[xxvii]. For reference, the few grey squirrels I have on my land appear to be left-handed, although I know very little about left-handed squirrels.
Conifer cones also have a strong environmental role. Although their seeds are primarily spread by the wind, animals also play a part in dispersal, as they collect and scatter the seeds[xxviii]. This natural seeding process ensures genetic diversity and the propagation of the conifer species across different habitats. The decay of fallen cones also contributes to a nutrient cycle within a forest or wood. There is a difference between the two. When does a forest become a wood, or vice versa? Many have tried to define what each means[xxix] but the difference of opinion is huge.
The US National Vegetation Classification[xxx] differentiates them by tree density. A wood has 25-60% coverage by tree canopy while a forest has 60-100% coverage[xxxi].
Meanwhile the United Nations[xxxii] has defined a forest as being:
“Land spanning more than 0.5 hectares with trees higher than 5 meters and a canopy cover of more than 10 percent, or trees able to reach these thresholds in situ. It does not include land that is predominantly under agricultural or urban land use. “
To the United Nations, if there are trees but no forest, then it is other wooded land. This is:
“Land not defined as “Forest”, spanning more than 0.5 hectares; with trees higher than 5 meters and a canopy cover of 5-10 percent, or trees able to reach these thresholds; or with a combined cover of shrubs, bushes and trees above 10 percent. It does not include land that is predominantly under agricultural or urban land use.”
I thus appear to have “other wooded land”. I can see around me conifer cones breaking down, as they return organic matter and nutrients to the soil. This fosters a rich environment for other plants and microorganisms to thrive[xxxiii]. The structure of these cones also provides microhabitats for small invertebrates. As they decay, these cones create a tiny ecosystem for insects and fungi, which are vital food sources for other species[xxxiv].
In some ecosystems, fire plays a crucial role in the life cycle of conifers. So far, for my land, fire has not been a problem although I suspect that one day it may be. In a fire zone, certain conifer species have developed serotinous cones[xxxv], which are coated with a resin that seals the scales shut until triggered by the heat from a fire[xxxvi]. Natural fire must occur to complete the seed cycle. This strategy ensures that seeds are released in a post-fire environment that is rich in nutrients but with reduced competition, providing an ideal seedbed for new growth. This remarkable adaptation allows conifers to be one of the first responders in the ecological succession process, re-establishing a forest even before the ashes have cooled. Somehow, I suspect conifers will be around long after mankind has destroyed itself. Humans cannot compete.
I have been transplanting this week, moving vegetation from one part of my land to another. On this occasion it was brambles[xxxvii], which some might feel is odd, but I am not alone. There are others who transplant brambles[xxxviii] as well, with late autumn or winter being the perfect time. To many people, especially famers, brambles are the enemy, as they can spread rapidly and make some areas no-go. Certain dogs, spaniels in particular, can be injured, and sheep can become entangled. Brambles are seen by many as invasive and can quickly spread, creating dense stands[xxxix] which outcompete other species. Brambles can be difficult to eradicate, should one wish to do so[xl]. The plant can spread by seed but also via stems which take root when the tip of the stem reaches the ground and produces new aerial shoots.
However, for bramble enthusiasts like me, propagation is simple. Although it is good to take as much root as possible, a bramble will also grow by simply breaking a stem[xli] and planting it in moist soil. I want to be sure I have a good supply of blackberries, which I adore. Brambles are of immense value to wildlife, providing both shelter and food. Bramble flowers are a food source for bees, its leaves are scrumptious for caterpillars, while its fruits are Heaven to both mammals and birds[xlii]. Mankind is no more than a sophisticated mammal. My aim, through the transplantation of brambles, and other vegetation as well, is to improve so-called biodiversity and to slowly convert a hedge into a hedgerow.
Hedges? Hedgerows? There is a difference between the two.
The definition of a hedgerow is variable but for surveying purposes, it is defined as any boundary line of trees or shrubs over 20 metres long and less than five metres wide at the base, provided that at one time the trees or shrubs were continuous. It only includes an earth bank or wall if such a feature occurs in association with a line of trees or shrubs. Gaps should be less than 20 metres wide[xliii]. Multiple vegetation species are important, as otherwise it is a hedge. A hedge is thus part of a hedgerow, but a hedgerow is not part of a hedge.
Hedgerows[xliv] are disappearing rapidly in the UK. They were often planted as boundary lines around areas such as farm fields or gardens. Sadly, from the 1940s to the 1990s, approximately a quarter of the UK’s hedgerows were destroyed, at a rate of about 4000 miles a year. This happened mainly in the east of Britain so that larger, prairie-like fields could be created. Removing hedgerows permitted more room for crops and allowed agricultural machinery to move around more easily. It was also felt that hedgerows used moisture and nutrients in the soil which might otherwise be used by crops. This was all extra perceived expense to the farmer. Loss of hedgerows has slowed since the 1990s, but neglect and damage remain significant threats[xlv].
Both hedges and hedgerows are protected by UK law. If a hedge forms a boundary between two properties, the owners of both properties must agree before the hedge is removed. Not only are garden hedges protected, but countryside hedges also fall under the Hedgerows Regulations 1997. The removal of a countryside hedgerow without proper approval may be classed as a criminal act. Farmers are also not permitted to trim hedges or hedgerows from 1 March to 31 August inclusive[xlvi].
Because hedges and hedgerows are at the level of pedestrians, they are natural barriers to harmful air pollution. They are also the UK’s largest priority habitat and home to 80% of the country’s woodland birds. Hedges and hedgerows play an essential role in protecting against climate change. The Climate Change Committee[xlvii] has advised that the UK needs to increase the length of hedgerow by 40% to meet its 2050 net zero target. This means planting 200,000 kilometres (124,274 miles) of new hedgerow, the equivalent of half the length the UK’s road network.
Healthy hedges and hedgerows are thus essential habitats for UK biodiversity. They support over 2000 species including the hedgehog and several European Protected Species, notably the dormouse[xlviii], most species of bat[xlix], the great-crested newt[l], and many more.
I will thus continue to take my hedge seriously as it slowly changes into a hedgerow. Caring for it is a truly positive way to tackle the environmental challenges of our time[li].
***
Acknowledgement
Take it from me - none of this would be possible without the help of RSG Horticulture. Rufus, who runs it, has far more energy than me and is full of ideas and skills. Do contact him through https://www.rsghorticulture.com.
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#ConiferConservation #HedgehogHabitats #BiodiversityBoost #EcoGardeningTips #WildlifeProtection #ClimateChangeImpact #SustainableLandscaping #NativePlantRestoration #HedgerowHeritage #EcoFriendlyFarming
References [i] See https://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/714914/. Accessed 8 November 2023. [ii] Common shrew (Sorex araneus). See https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/mammals/common-shrew#:~:text=Shrews%20hectively%20snuffle%20through%20the,but%20prefer%20woodland%20and%20grassland. Accessed 11 November 2023. [iii] RHS. Pigeons. See https://www.rhs.org.uk/biodiversity/pigeons. Accessed 11 November 2023. [iv] See week entries 3, 11, 15, and 44. [v] See weeks 1 & 24 entries. [vi] Weasel (Mustela nivalis). Weasels are the UK’s smallest carnivore. They like to eat voles, mice and small birds. They belong to a group of animals known as mustelids, which means they have a long body and short legs and are related to otters and stoats. They live in lots of different habitats including woodland, grassland, and moorland. Their young are called kits, and they can have up to two litters a year with three to six kits per litter. See https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/mammals/weasel. Accessed 11 November 2023. [vii] Stoat (Mustela erminea). The stoat is a small predator, with a long, low-slung body that makes it particularly well suited to hunting small rodents and rabbits. It can easily kill an adult rabbit, which is much larger than itself, with a bite to the base of the skull. Stoats are active by day and night, and are easiest to spot in open habitats, such as sand dunes, grassland and heathland. They mate in summer, but delay implantation of the fertilised egg until the spring of the following year. They have one litter of six to twelve kits a year. See https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/mammals/stoat. Accessed 11 November 2023. [viii] American mink (Neovison vison). The American mink (or just 'mink') escaped from fur farms in the 1950s and 1960s, and now breeds across most of the country. It is an active predator, feeding on anything it is big enough to catch, including ground-nesting seabirds and our native water voles, which are now under threat of extinction. Mink are good swimmers and females are small enough to enter the water-line burrows of water voles and take their young. Mink are fiercely territorial; their dens are close to the water and the females have one litter of four to six kittens a year. Mink are much more likely to be seen than the shy and secretive otter. See https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/mammals/american-mink. Accessed 11 November 2023. [ix] Hedgehog hibernation. See https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/about-hedgehogs/hibernation/. Accessed 11 November 2023. [x] Mellor C. When do pinecones fall? And what to do with them. 6 October 2020. See https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2020/10/when-do-pine-cones-fall-and-what-to-do-with-them/. Accessed 10 November 2023. [xi] Purcell L. Conifer cone production. 28 September 2021. See https://www.purduelandscapereport.org/article/conifer-cone-production/#:~:text=Many%20conifers%2C%20including%20spruces%2C%20firs,to%20high%20temperatures%20and%20drought. Accessed 9 November 2023. [xii] Redmond MD, Forcella F, Barger NN. Declines in pinyon pinecone production associated with regional warming. Ecosphere 2012;3(12):120. http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/ES12-00306.1 [xiii] Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "How are angiosperms different than gymnosperms?". Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Jun. 2019, The key difference between angiosperms and gymnosperms is how their seeds are developed. The seeds of angiosperms develop in the ovaries of flowers and are surrounded by a protective fruit. Gymnosperm seeds are usually formed in unisexual cones, known as strobili, and the plants lack fruits and flowers. Additionally, all but the most ancient angiosperms contain conducting tissues known as vessels, while gymnosperms (with the exception of Gnetum) do not. https://www.britannica.com/question/How-are-angiosperms-different-than-gymnosperms. Accessed 9 November 2023. [xiv] Wikipedia. Secondary growth. In botany, secondary growth is the growth that results from cell division in the cambia or lateral meristems and that causes the stems and roots to thicken, while primary growth is growth that occurs as a result of cell division at the tips of stems and roots, causing them to elongate. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secondary_growth. Accessed 9 November 2023. [xv] Wikipedia. Conifer. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conifer. Accessed 9 November 2023. [xvi] Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Threatened conifers of the world. See https://threatenedconifers.rbge.org.uk. Accessed 9 November 2023. [xvii] Wikipedia. Conifer cone. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conifer_cone. Accessed 9 November 2023. [xviii] Saunders M. Unlikely plant-pollinator relationships. 30 October 2016. See https://ecologyisnotadirtyword.com/2016/10/30/unlikely-plant-pollinator-relationships/. Accessed 10 November 2023. [xix] See https://www.treeguideuk.co.uk/spruce-and-fir-tree-cones/. Accessed 9 November 2023. [xx] See https://www.treeguideuk.co.uk/cypress-cones/. Accessed 9 November 2023. [xxi] See https://www.treeguideuk.co.uk/pine-tree-identification/. Accessed 9 November 2023. [xxii] I’m glad you asked: Pinecones. 28 April 2020. See https://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/glad-you-asked/cones#:~:text=Cones%2C%20such%20as%20found%20on,in%20dispersal%20of%20the%20seeds. Accessed 9 November 2023. [xxiii] 10 things you didn’t know about conifers. 1 October 2020. See https://forestryandland.gov.scot/blog/conifer-week-2020#:~:text=4%3A%20Gender%20equality,germinate%20if%20conditions%20are%20right. Accessed 9 November 2023. [xxiv] Ypsilanti District Library. What are pinecones? 11 December 2020. See https://www.ypsilibrary.org/2020/12/pine-cones/#:~:text=Male%20pine%20cones%20do%20not,hopefully%20be%20pollinated%20and%20grow. Accessed 9 November 2023 [xxv] Eletu A. What animals eat pinecones? 2 December 2022. See https://whatanimalseat.com/pine-cones/?utm_content=cmp-true. Accessed 9 November 2023. [xxvi] Wells S. Why do squirrels bury nuts? (and other mysteries). See https://ssec.si.edu/stemvisions-blog/why-do-squirrels-bury-nuts-and-other-mysteries#:~:text=A%20study%20done%20at%20the,responsible%20for%20oak%20forest%20regeneration. Accessed 9 November 2023. [xxvii] Owen M. Three interesting things to find. 14 May 2020. See https://www.wildlifebcn.org/blog/megan-owen/three-interesting-things-find. Accessed 9 November 2023. [xxviii] Burns RM. Silvics of North America: Conifers. US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service; 1990. [xxix] The Buzz. What’s the difference?: Wood vs. forest. 2020. See https://www.reconnectwithnature.org/news-events/the-buzz/what-the-difference-woods-vs-forest/. Accessed 11 November 2023. [xxx] U.S. National Vegetation Classification. See https://usnvc.org. Accessed 1 November 2023. [xxxi] Mitchell S. The differences in woods, forests & jungles. 22 November 2019. https://sciencing.com/differences-woods-forests-jungles-8377449.html. Accessed 11 November 2023. [xxxii] Forest Resources Assessment Working Paper 180. 2012. See https://www.fao.org/3/ap862e/ap862e00.pdf. Accessed 11 November 2023. [xxxiii] Perry DA, Oren R, Hart SC. Forest ecosystems. JHU press; 2008 Jul 24. [xxxiv] Maser C. From the forest to the sea: a story of fallen trees. Pacific Northwest Research Station, US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service; 1988. [xxxv] Nix S. Serotiny and the serotinous cone. 21 January 2020. See https://www.treehugger.com/serotiny-and-the-serotinous-cone-1342894. Accessed 11 November 2023. [xxxvi] Schwilk DW, Ackerly DD. Flammability and serotiny as strategies: correlated evolution in pines. Oikos. 2001 Aug;94(2):326-36. [xxxvii] See week 38 entry. [xxxviii] Smith PD. When to transplant brambles? See https://uk.rec.gardening.narkive.com/Lmeg70VO/when-to-transplant-brambles. Accessed 9 November 2023. [xxxix] Stand. A contiguous growth of similar plants (usually a group - or cluster - of upright forestal trees) distinguished and separated from surrounding stands and managed as a single distinguishable unit. A pure stand is a measurable unit of timber composed of mostly a single tree species. A mixed stand is composed of a mixture of tree species. Differences could be species, average diameter, density and location. See https://www.cactus-art.biz/note-book/Dictionary/Dictionary_S/dictionary_stand.htm#:~:text=Stand%20%5B%20Botany%20%2D%20Ecology%20%2D%20Agronomy,be%20distinguishable%20from%20adjacent%20communities. Accessed 9 November 2023. [xl] Bramble removal and control. See https://invasiveweedsolutions.co.uk/invasive-weeds/native/bramble/#:~:text=Brambles%20can%20quickly%20spread%20creating,stands%20are%20difficult%20to%20eradicate. Accessed 9 November 2023. [xli] Jimbo123p. Planting/moving willow and Brambles. 24 January 2011. See https://www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk/threads/planting-moving-willow-and-brambles.19271/. Accessed 9 November 2023. [xlii] RHS. Brambles and other woody weeds. See https://www.rhs.org.uk/weeds/brambles-and-other-woody-weeds. Accessed 9 November 2023. [xliii] Hedgerow Survey Handbook, 2nd edition. See https://www.hedgelink.org.uk/cms/cms_content/files/89_hedgerow-survey-handbook.pdf. Accessed 9 November 2023. [xliv] From Middle English heggerowe, heggerewe, heggerawe, from Old English *heċġrāw, *heċġrǣw (attested only as Old English heġerǣwe, heġerēwe (“hedgerow”)), equivalent to hedge + row. See https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/hedgerow#:~:text=English-,Etymology,equivalent%20to%20hedge%20%2B%E2%80%8E%20row. Accessed 9 November 2023. [xlv] Hedges. See https://ypte.org.uk/factsheets/hedges/why-are-hedges-disappearing#. Accessed 9 November 2023. [xlvi] Checkatrade. Hedge removal laws and regulations. See https://www.checkatrade.com/blog/expert-advice/hedge-removal-law/#:~:text=pay%20legal%20fees.-,Removing%20countryside%20hedgerows,classed%20as%20a%20criminal%20act. Accessed 9 November 2023. [xlvii] See https://www.theccc.org.uk. Accessed 11 November 2023. [xlviii] Wikipedia. Dormouse. Dormice are nocturnal animals found in Africa, Asia, and Europe. They are named for their long, dormant hibernation period of six months or longer. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dormouse. Accessed 11 November 2023. [xlix] See weeks 38 % 44 entries. [l] Freshwater Habitats Trust. Great crested newt (Triturus cristatus). See https://freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/species/great-crested-newt/#:~:text=If%20you%20have%20Great%20Crested,life%20starts%20all%20over%20again.&text=Pond%20dipping%20is%20a%20common,study%20centres%20and%20country%20parks. Accessed 11 November 2023. [li] About Hedges. See https://hedgelink.org.uk/campaign/national-hedgerow-week/about-hedges/#:~:text=Yet%20we've%20lost%2050,need%20everyone%20to%20get%20involved. Accessed 9 November 2023.
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