Researching Little Stone Wood

Little Stone Wood and surrounding area

Close up of Little Stone Wood

It was bought to my attention during a tutorial about a landscape photographic symposium coming up in Bristol, http://www.photobookbristol.com/index.php/forthcoming-events Initially this did seem like a really good idea but I knew it would have to depend on whether or not I would be working as I wouldn't be able to get any more time off. Unfortunately it’s being held on 7th Nov, which is a Saturday and so wont be able to go. However, it does give me some photographers to investigate who are:

• Beth and Thom Atkinson

• Ester Vonplon

• Angus Carlyle

• Susan Derges

• Paul Gaffen

• Jem Southam

• I have looked at Jem Southam before in year one and he has been a big influence on my work, but the others I haven't looked at before.

I have also been trying to find out more about Little Stone Wood (LSW). Initially I looked on the land registry website https://www.gov.uk/get-information-about-property-and-land/copies-of-deeds but they have no details of it. I then thought it might be owned by the military, https://www.gov.uk/guidance/public-access-to-military-areas#east-kent-dry-training-area as there is land next to the forest that is a military training ground, but unfortunately no luck. I did find a brief description, and somewhat vague, of the east kent army training area, https://www.gov.uk/guidance/defence-infrastructure-organisation-and-the-defence-training-estate#south-east-including-home-counties of where it is described as:

East Kent training area

East Kent, inland from Hythe and Dover.

Site description

East Kent dry training area extends in small blocks in an arc between Hythe and Dover, extending a few miles inland. The area around Dover is steeped in military history and the majority of the rolling rural landscape is within the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Access opportunities

There are over 36 kilometres of footpaths and bridleways crossing the training area over farmland and through woodland. Routes of interest include the North Downs Way, Saxon Shore Way, Pilgrim’s Way and Elham Valley Way.

A walk in Reinden Wood, near Hawkinge, developed in conjunction with White Cliffs Countryside Project, is illustrated.

Unfortunately I could really do with a map, but again a search on the internet didn't find one.

I did also look on the website of a nearby stately home to see if they had information, http://www.beachboroughpark.co.uk/index.html but even though I couldn't find anything relative on their website it will be worth emailing them.

From there I did have a look at the forestry commission to see if they had information. http://www.forestry.gov.uk The website couldn't clear up the issue of ownership, but it might of helped to point me in the direction of why it exists.

LSW could actually be classed as an ancient woodland, meaning that it has been in existence since the 17th century, and I’ve found a few PDF guides to work through. There is also information on the Kent Wildlife trust, http://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlife/habitats/woodland describing ancient woodland.

So it cold be a case that LSW is protected because it’s an ancient woodland but I can't find any record of it. I did find an article on on the BBC website http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4632977.stm that discusses the plans to protect ancient woodlands, which could explain the existence of LSW.

I’ve also been looking at the Kent Wildlife Trust about ancient woodland, http://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlife/habitats/woodland and provide more information about ancient woodlands. At the bottom of this page there is a link http://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlife/habitats/lowland-beech-and-yew-woodland which is about lowland Beech and Yew woodland. It is these types of trees that are native to southern England with chalky soils, so the North Downs is ideal habitat for Beech and Yew trees. If LSW is composed of these trees, then it could also be managed as coppice but LSF does look as if its been undisturbed for a long time. But it does make some sense as some of the trees do look to be planted in rows rather than randomly growing, which would be more expected in a natural habitat.

So, my next steps are:

1. Contact Beechborough house and see if they can help with identifying who owns the land.

2. Take leaf samples and identify the species of trees that inhabit LSW

3. Contact the woodland trust to see if they have any records of LSW

4. Research The North Downs Way as there is a path that runs through LSW that has been maintained.

5. Document my previous research