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Blean Woods – a lucky resource
The Blean Woods Complex is one of the largest areas of
woodland in England, stretching 10 miles east to west and 4.5 miles north
to south. Although the main reason for it remaining woodland, the heavy
clay or sterile gravels making it agriculturally poor, is also a limiting
factor in its overall biodiversity, when you visit the more ancient
semi-natural areas it is gloriously attractive. Visit East Blean Woods in
the parishes of Hoath and Herne and Broomfield in late June to see the incredibly rare and beautiful
Heath fritillary; or the RSPB woods at Rough Common in the Spring and
Summer to see the industrious mounds of wood ants; or furthest west, the
most unexplored areas, that include Bigbury Iron Age Hill Fort, the site
near which Julius Caesar is said to have done battle with the natives.
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Ride management in Clowes Wood will increase biodiversity
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Historically, Blean Woods were not managed as a Forest
(a hunting ground) like many of our other large woods. This was partly
because they were owned by the church and not royalty. This explains why
there are no deer roaming the woods, although muntjac and fallow deer have
been seen in the west of the woods recently. The woods still have the
ditch and bank systems and some of the ancient droveways that can be found
in most large ancient woodlands but they have lost most of the open heathy
areas, that would have provided more diverse habitat.
In the last 20 years people in the Canterbury District
can thank organisations who have purchased many large blocks of woodland.
These include the RSPB, English Nature, Canterbury City Council, Kent
County Council, the Woodland Trust, and the Kent Wildlife Trust who manage
East Blean Woods and have just purchased a large area of the most westerly
part of the Blean Woods Complex. Some of the private woodland managers
such as Tillhill Forestry are also doing their bit for conservation and
the public, and the Forestry Commission has recently committed themselves
to more enlightened management.
However, a lot more could still be done:
 | Overall sweet chestnut and conifers are still
dominant trees and these offer less interest to wildlife and most of
the public than native trees. |
| The woods could be linked more strongly by buying
land for woodland creation or encouraging landowners to create
woodland. |
| Although foresters say that conifers (pine) are the
only real money earners, even these trees earn very little, when in
competition with the vast forests of east and north Europe. An effort
should be made to produce a range of varied quality hardwood timber
for sale to south-east users. The KSCP recently tried to buy some
Blean oak for a carved seat and found that none of the major Blean
Woods owners could supply it! Where can you buy Blean Woods oak
furniture or products? |
| How many places do you know to walk in the Blean
Woods? The Blean Woods are a fantastic resource for local people but
with the exception of the RSPB woods and the North Downs Way they are
poorly promoted. They also offer an opportunity for Green Tourism. Is
there an interpretive centre and paths linking east to west? |
At a conference hosted by Canterbury City Council in
July some of the above issues were raised and there was commitment from
the organisations involved to progress some of the ideas.
So we have the trees, we have the organisations, we need
the effort and vision to make the trees work for us. Then we’ll be more
than lucky, we’ll be very grateful. For information on visiting the
Blean see KSCP Wildsites and/or the Crab and Winkle Way publications.
A book about the Blean Woods was published in September
2002 ‘The Blean’ edited by William Holmes and Alexander Wheaton.
Available in quality local bookshops for around £12.
Jon Shelton
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