#721: Steve McCarron - Re:

No offence but im going to question your forestry knowledge because you have not measured the trees correctly.

Diameter of a tree in such measurements is made by measuring the tree at breast height which is 1.5m off the floor of the ground. You use a different type of tape that measures more accurately than the one your using then divide by Pi. that will then give you the diameter that is required.

Measuring as you have from the stump is wrong because its not a diameter across and the stump of a tree is generally wider at floor level than the tree is at 1.5m. You growth factors are wrong as you say because they are american trees, the oaks you find in this country are Sessile, Holm (non native), Turkey (non native) or English and probably has a different growth factor to the US species

For a felled tree you are meant to count the rings of a tree as you can't measure the width and looking at the photo you first provided i reckon its about 30-40 years old. And then trees can produce 2 rings a year so your estimate may be double the actual count.

718 is irrelevant in that you removed a comment for being emotive and thats exactly what it is given you won't fine peat in the same conditions on the common

I don't know why you thinking the common is a woodland when it is specified as a heathland in the SSSI and its heathland plants. You continure to mention mositure but heahtlands can be dry and there is such recognition in the National Vegetation Classification and Phase 1 habitats.

"Dry heaths tend to be dominated by ling and bell heather. Nutrients from decomposed leaf litter are quickly washed through the sandy soils making the land inhospitable to many other plants. Dry, sandy areas are home to sand wasps and sand lizards." 
Thats a qoute from the Heathland Conservation Society

Removal of the trees is to make up for the years where trees were allowed to grow so if you balance it over time its fine and you think this place is bad for CO2 go to scotland and see their forest removals, the scale of the common compared to them is a drop in the ocean.

Steepness of ground is nothing have you not seen a welsh mountain sheep.....? or feral goats they don't have a problem with sheer rock cliffs, and i reckon i could cope up there as well ive been on worse. But the reason for removing the trees there is so it doesnt provide a site for recolonisation by the trees. (and yes i have seen the place in question and its not as bad as you make out.

Also as a keen wildlife watcher and bird enthusiaste we are not in the middle of the breeding season more the end, all of the birds will have laid eggs, hatched a brood, fledged them and moved on. You will only find the late breeders hanging around as the season generally finishes in the next 2 season but only for a small number of birds. If any are laying now its far to late for them to be successful as most of the food will have gone and its time for any migrants to build up their reserves

#722: - Re: Re:

additional from the JNCC (Joint Nature Conservation Committe)

Lowland heathland is a broad term that refers to a range of wet, humid and dry habitats, characterised by dwarf shrubs such as heathers and gorses. They are generally found on poor soils below about 300 m altitude.