Alder carr

 

Alder (Alnus glutinosa) carr is common along some stretches of the forest's streams; take a closer look and you'll often spot that many of these trees show evidence of past coppicing, a common forestry practice. Back in World War Two the forest's Alder was called to national service, and were mass harvested in order to be turned into high grade charcoal for the 40 million gas masks required to protect the nation...that's a lot of charcoal. Charcoal production is one of the oldest of the forest industries, an important activity it was practiced throughout history; a tradition which continues in the forest today, albeit on a vastly reduced scale today at Pondhead.

Alder

Sat by Red Rise Brook this morning I noticed a young Alder (Alnus glutinosa) sapling clinging to the bank. Alder is fairly common amongst the forests carr woodland communities, in the bogs and stream environs, more so in some places than others, it has to be said. It's a very useful wood, it was commonly coppiced and is often recognized by its stool. Along Avon Water below Wootton Bridge years of Alder coppicing have created huge stools with multiple stems. It's a water tolerant hardwood, used in furniture making and Fender guitars, you get dyes from the bark, it has medicinal properties too and it's said that you can eat its catkins, though I'm not that hungry. In recent history New Forest Alder charcoal was produced and used in huge quantities in gas mask production during World War Two. I always think it's a tree which I overlook in the woods, others popping to mind more readily, that maybe as I tend to avoid the wetter parts of the forest as a rule (as if such a thing is possible) and don't meet up with them as much as I should.