Beech, Oak and Birch

Ten days ago beech had already transformed those parts of the woods where it dominates, creating translucent ceilings in the morning sun.

 

At the same time oak had only begun to stir.

It has now emboldened after the warmth of late May.

Oak ceilings are quite different.

Elsewhere on Blacka the area around Lenny Hill is particularly rich in young oaks

and, should they be allowed to make progress, it will be interesting to see how they develop. Some of the more established of the oaks have a spreading character presumably because they colonised earlier than the others with no neighbouring competition. Will the next generations be straighter, accelerating towards the light where several of similar age are nearby?

That's certainly happened with a vengeance at some places in the case of birch

while other parts show a more random character. Some unnecessary felling of older trees further out from the edge of the crowded clusters has exposed the stark edges here and not improved the view. So much for minimal intervention.