Geograph - photograph every grid square

This is a 7 mile link across the northern part of
the city of Plymouth between the Tamar Valley
Discovery Trail at Tamerton Foliot and the West
Devon Way at Marsh Mills.
The link uses paths through Local Nature Reserves
and also passes some of Plymouth’s historic defensive
sites.

Leigham Wood is located in the east of Plymouth just north of the Marsh Mills Retail Park. The 5 hectares site is owned and managed by the Woodland Trust and is accessible to the public. This site consists predominantly of broadleaved woodland.
The site is designated as a County Wildlife Site because part of the area is registered on the ancient woodland inventory, supporting more-or-less semi-natural woodland. 20 ancient woodland indicator species have been identified within the ground flora.

Species include:

Barren strawberry
Wild cherry
Field-rose
Crab apple
Hairy wood-rush

Coppicing is a management technique of cutting trees and shrubs to ground level allowing vigorous regrowth and a sustainable supply of timber for future generations.
Trees and shrubs that are cut down in this way can produce shoots that grow over 30cm in a week.
The benefits of coppicing are varied, including promoting ground vegetation (by letting light in), raw materials for thatching, fencing, kindling and charcoal making. Also coppiced trees live longer than non coppiced trees. All trees can be coppiced, but hazel, ash, lime and beech are common.