It’s a morning of unseasonal sun and blue skies in this part of the West Midlands, where I’m visiting a private woodland that is little-known but important. Across its 21 hectares are more than 20 mature and semi-mature species, including beech, willow, yew, elm and alder; all beginning to turn but not yet displaying their autumn brilliance. One area is of particular interest, containing oaks around 180 years old, coppiced common hazel, sycamore, hazel, hawthorn, plus some ash and holly.
It is here that the Birmingham Institute of Forest Research (BIFoR) is testing how Britain’s trees might adapt to our changing environmental conditions. You might never know this was occurring until you come across one of the many steel towers here, which, despite being tucked away between the trees, are huge structures soaring above the treetops to 40 metres.
