Spring at Twyford Farm: A Snapshot of Ancient Woodland Life

We couldn’t resist sharing these stunning spring photos of Twyford Farm in West Sussex, captured by our conservation officer Ruth Moss. 

Ruth recently visited the farm, which is looked after by tenant farmers Bob Felton and Liz Wallis, to survey its ancient woodlands and assess their condition and value for wildlife. 

These surveys are a vital part of understanding how these habitats are functioning and how best to protect and enhance them. 

The woodland survey takes place in two stages: one visit in early spring, followed by a second in summer. Together, they provide a comprehensive picture of woodland health, helping classify each area as being in good, moderate or poor condition, while also identifying any emerging issues. 

“I will repeat the survey in each woodland again in summer when all the trees are fully in leaf and the ground flora is in bloom,” explains Ruth. 

What Ruth was looking for:  

• Species composition (of trees, shrubs and ground flora) 

• Age distribution of trees 

• Herbivore damage (e.g browsing pressure form deer) 

• Invasive plant species (e.g Rhododendron) 

• Number of native trees present 

• Quantity of open space (e.g woodland glades) 

• Extent of woodland regeneration (e.g saplings and seedings present) 

• Tree health (e.g amount of tree mortality and disease risk) 

• Ground flora (e.g was the ground layer characterised by Ancient Woodland Indicator (AWI plant species) 

• Woodland storeys present (e.g upper canopy, middle canopy, under storey, shrub layer) 

• Veteran trees 

• Amount of deadwood (e.g standing and fallen deadwood) 

While carrying out the survey, Ruth found some ancient woodland indicator (AWI) species in all three woodlands surveyed, to greater and lesser extents.  

Horncastle wood (on the north side of the farm) is composed of some 'Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland (ASNW)' where AWI plants are abundant, but most of the wood is ‘Plantation on Ancient Woodland Site (PAWS)’ where the abundance of AWIs is lower and mostly found along stream and path edges where light availability is greatest.  

In a particular patch of ASNW woodland near Balcombe Wood, Ruth recorded English bluebell, primrose, wood spurge, yellow archangel, and pignut which are all Ancient Woodland Indicator plants.  

Ruth also saw treecreeper, goldcrest, brimstone butterflies, holly blue butterflies, dog's vomit fungus, wood ants and fallow deer. In bloom there were bluebells, wood anemone, common dog violet, cuckooflower, primrose and beech trees undergoing 'bud-burst'.

What will happen next? 

While it will take Ruth some time to fully report her results, she will use them to help classify the habitat types in more detail, using UKHab (UK Habitat Classification). 

We’ll return later in the year to share the results of the summer survey. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy this glimpse into a very special farm coming to life in spring.