Waypoint 5 Woods and fields | Ranger Cadets guided walking trail
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On each side of us here, is a field that belongs to Farmer Andy. But he's doing very different things with them. On our left, Andy has planted seeds for plants that provide food for wild birds. We'll see more of that at the next waypoint.
On our right is a wood that's older than any we've seen so far. Take a walk into this wood, if you feel like it, and see if you can identify a few of the trees - either by yourself or by using Flora Incognita.
You'll find that these are common trees in this country. Many are the same species as trees you've seen already, at the Research Wood. Those trees are only about five years old, whereas Andy planted the trees in this wood thirty years ago.
See how much they've grown in that time.
Here's a couple of things to think about, while we're here. Almost all the trees and bushes we've seen so far on our walk drop their leaves in winter. The word for that is deciduous.
The opposite of deciduous is evergreen.
Now we have already walked past one small tree that's evergreen. Can you think which tree that was? Clue: We passed it on our left during the first part of our walk.
The second thing about trees I'd like you to think about, and look into if you're interested, is how fast or slow they grow.
Which are the fastest growing of the most common trees in this country?
Which are the slowest growing?
Continue along the path, keeping the wood on your right and the wild bird field on the left. Soon you will reach a T-junction. Look left and you'll see a gate into the wild bird field. Look for the Waypoint 6 QR code there.
