A guide for educators

Future Scientists

Building Resilience in South West Woodlands Project

How healthy is your

rainforest?

How healthy is your rainforest?2

How healthy is your

rainforest? A guide for educatorsContents 3 Introduction5 The rainforests of the south-west 8 Finding a woodland and preparing for your visit10 Pre-survey activity14 Carrying out the ‘How healthy is your rainforest?’ survey: 15 About you and your wood 17 About the trees in your wood 20 Habitat features in your wood 22 Lichens and mosses in your wood 24 What’s threatening the health of the wood? 24 Are there signs that the wood is being managed?25 Interpreting your results26 Entering your data26 Ideas for extending the study26 Useful online resources

A guide for educators 3

IntroductionFuture ScientistsFuture Scientists is a programme designed by Plantlife in collaboration with children and young people and our project partners. It encourages children and young people to explore their understanding of science and their perceptions of who scientists are and what they do. It enables them to experience first hand the positive impacts of science on the natural environment and to make a truly meaningful contribution to a significant piece of scientific research.

The ‘How healthy is your rainforest?’ activityThis citizen science activity enables children and young people (Future Scientists) to explore and investigate local woodland and find out whether it is a healthy temperate rainforest habitat. Citizen Science is any activity where the public contribute data to scientific research. This activity has been adapted from Plantlife’s Rapid Woodland Assessment – a survey aimed at adult volunteers and land managers. By taking part, Future Scientists will gain a better understanding of their local natural heritage. The data they collect will identify common threats to woodland health, and will help us to engage with woodland owners around future management and conservation of our region’s woods.

A guide for educators

How healthy is your rainforest?4

Curriculum links‘How healthy is your rainforest?’ requires Future Scientists to take a close look at a woodland habitat and collect data on the tree species, tree ages, light levels and different microhabitats. It introduces mosses and lichens, requiring scientific observation and classification skills, and stimulating thinking around what these organisms need to grow and thrive. It also asks them to identify what threats there are to woodland health and what, if any, conservation management is taking place.

The resource will help Future Scientists discover the relationships between living things and their environment, and how people can shape the environment in both positive and negative ways. The activities involve a range of scientific skills including observation, classification, collecting and recording data, using maps and compasses, as well as English, maths and team-working skills.

How to take partThis activity is aimed at schools, home educators and other educational groups in the south-west, across Cornwall, Devon and West Somerset. The south-west’s climate is suitable to support temperate rainforest. This does not mean that all woodland in the area is temperate rainforest. The results from the survey will give you an idea of whether your local woodland is a temperate rainforest habitat, and how healthy it is.

To take part, simply download the ‘How healthy is your rainforest?’ survey form from our website or order hard copies for your group (see contact details on the back page). This guide provides instructions on how to complete the survey activities, and suggestions for teaching activities to help extend the learning. Once completed, you can enter your data online (see page 26). If you provide an email address when you enter the data online, we will send you feedback. We will also send you updates via our Future Scientists e-newsletter to let you know what we have learnt about the region’s rainforests from the collective research carried out. If you would like further guidance, please get in touch using the contact details at the end of this guide.

A guide for educators 5

The rainforests of the south-west The word ‘rainforest’ conjures up images of tropical climates and lush forests that are teeming with life but under constant threat from human pressures. However, rainforests aren’t just found in the tropical zone. Here in the UK, in the temperate zone, we have rainforest too. These temperate rainforests are sometimes called Atlantic woodlands as they grow close to the Atlantic Ocean. The influence of the Gulf Stream makes them wet and mild, creating the perfect conditions for the luxurious growth of ‘lower plants’ including lichens, mosses, liverworts and ferns. Like their tropical counterparts, these temperate rainforests are also special habitats, full of life, but also under threat.

In the south-west, the mild and wet climate of Cornwall, Devon and West Somerset provides ideal conditions for temperate rainforest. The best places to find this habitat are in upland and coastal areas, where rainfall is highest – e.g. Exmoor and the Quantock Hills, Dartmoor, Bodmin Moor, and the North Devon and Cornwall coasts. Old woods that have stayed the same for many hundreds of years and where the air is very clean are likely to be the healthiest and richest temperate rainforests.

Rain hotspots in south-west England

Project area

Average number of ‘rain days’ per month (these are days with more than 1mm of rainfall), between 1961 and 2011

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Project area

Areas of higher rainfall are likely to be the best areas for temperate rainforest habitat

How healthy is your rainforest?6

What makes a healthy rainforest?

400 years or so... it takes a long time for conditions in a woodland to become

hospitable for a diverse range of plants and animals

Lots of light reaching the forest floor to help plants

and lichens grow

Clean, warm air brought in by

the Gulf Stream

Native deciduous trees, such as oak and ash, of varying ages including young saplings and

old, veteran trees

Streams, rivers and areas of boggy ground that keep the forest damp and create

microhabitats within the forest

Lush growth of mosses, liverworts, lichens and ferns

(including some rare species) on tree trunks, branches, boulders

and on the forest floor

Damp conditions caused by high

levels of rainfall and high humidity

A scattered understorey of smaller trees, such as holly, hazel, hawthorn and rowan

Healthy temperate rainforest will have been wooded for hundreds of years and be home to a range of tree species of different ages and sizes. It will have a varied structure with plenty of open areas where sunlight can penetrate the canopy to reach the trunks of trees and the forest floor. Ancient trees with craggy bark and rot holes, dead and decaying trees, boulders, rivers and ravines, are all habitat features that provide a range of different growing conditions, allowing a diversity of mosses and lichens to thrive. These mosses and lichens provide important habitat for invertebrates, which in turn provide a rich food source for birds and mammals.

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A guide for educators 7

Threats to our rainforests

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Why are lichens and mosses special?

Changes in the way woods are managed, including loss of grazing

and coppicing. This has led to woods becoming shadier, with dense shrub

layers of holly and bramble

Non-native species such as rhododendron and laurel cast deep

shade and prevent many native plants and lichens from growing

Air pollution threatens sensitive lichens and mosses The disease ash dieback threatens

the survival of lichens, mosses and other wildlife that depend

on this tree

Climate change will bring more extreme temperatures and droughts, affecting the mild and humid conditions that many of

our temperate rainforest mosses and lichens need to survive

Woods have become smaller and quite spaced out, making it hard for lichens and other plants

to spread between them. This makes them vulnerable

to change

LichensThe south-west’s rainforests are globally important for their lichens. They play an important role in the ecosystem, providing food and habitat for many invertebrates. Lichens are a symbiosis between a fungus (which provides structure, protection from the elements and collects moisture) and a photosynthetic partner like an alga (which uses the sun’s energy, water and carbon dioxide to make energy).

Mosses and liverwortsMosses were among the first plants to colonise land, along with their close relatives the liverworts. The UK’s temperate rainforests rival the cloud forests of the tropics for their moss and liverwort diversity. These simple plants make up an important part of the food chain, provide habitat for many invertebrates and hold moisture, helping to maintain the humid climate.

How healthy is your rainforest?8

Finding a woodland and preparing for your visit

Where shall I do my survey?The map on page 5 shows areas where rainfall is highest and where you are most likely to find temperate rainforest (the darker shaded areas on the map). However, the activity has been designed so that it can be used in any broadleaved or mixed woodland (NB. It is not recommended to do the activity in purely coniferous woodland.) Your data will be useful wherever you carry out the survey, as it helps us to compare woods in different areas.

Getting permissionIf the woodland is publicly owned, for example by the local council or Wildlife Trust, it is important to let them know of your planned visit. This will enable you to check whether there are specific safety precautions to be aware of, and to make sure your visit doesn’t clash with other events or woodland management activities. If the woodland is privately owned, you should contact the landowner to gain permission for your visit. An internet search is often the best way to identify whether a woodland is publicly owned and who the land manager/owner is. If you are struggling to identify a suitable woodland or make contact with the manager/owner, get in touch and we will try to help.

A guide for educators 9

Preparing for your visitTo help you prepare for your visit, we have produced a checklist and a list of equipment you will need to take with you to complete the survey activities. If you need help preparing a risk assessment, please get in contact and we can provide you with an example one to get you started.

Checklist

Gain permission to use the woodland and notify owner/manager of your visit date.

Plan how you will travel to the site and work out how long this will take. If required, find suitable parking.

Carry out a pre-visit check of the site to check access, walking routes and suitable areas to run your activities.

Write a risk assessment for your visit.

Ensure parents/carers are informed of the trip and what children need to take (e.g. suitable outdoor clothing, waterproofs, lunch, drink).

Keep an eye on the Met Office weather forecast in the lead up to your visit. Be prepared to postpone if there are weather warnings in place.

Be tick aware. Ticks are found in woodland, particularly among bracken and other dense vegetation. Avoid going into dense vegetation, encourage participants to check for ticks and inform about symptoms of Lyme disease: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lyme-disease/

Equipment list

‘How healthy is your rainforest?’ survey form.

Clipboards.

Pencils.

Maps of your wood (can be stuck into the survey form in advance).

Compasses.

Flexible tape measures (optional – see page 18).

Canopy scopes (optional – see page 19)

Magnifying glasses or hand lenses.

First-aid kit.

We recommend children work in pairs or small groups, with one of each piece of equipment to share between them.

How healthy is your rainforest?10

This optional pre-survey activity provides some context for the survey. Through it, Future Scientists will learn about some of the factors that contribute to the health of a temperate rainforest habitat.• Copy/print and cut up the two sets of cards: the ‘factors photocards’ on page 11 and the

‘woodland photocards’ on pages 12 and 13. Each group doing the activity needs one set of the woodland photocards and four sets of the factors photocards (they will use these as labels).

• Ask the Future Scientists to arrange the woodland photocards in order from what they perceive to be ‘best’ to ‘worst’ in terms of how healthy they think the woodlands are (i.e. how good a habitat they are for wildlife). Ask them to explain their reasoning.

• Now, ask Future Scientists to look at the factors photocards. These show both positive features that indicate a healthy rainforest (green text), and negative features that indicate a less healthy habitat (orange text). Ask them to place factors photocards next to the woodlands where they can see the features described. Based on this activity, do their ideas about which woodland is ‘worst’ or ‘best’ change?

Pre-survey activity

Woodland photocard answers

Conifer plantationNon-native tree species (conifers). Planted close together, very little light reaching the ground. No interesting habitat features or plants.

Old oak plantationNative trees but all straight and a similar age/size due to planting. Few habitat features such as dead wood and boulders. Few different growing conditions for mosses/lichens.

Mixed-age oak woodNative trees of different ages and sizes. Some bendy/fallen trees providing different microclimates for mosses and lichens. There are different habitat features, e.g. dead wood and boulders. Moss on the woodland floor.

Mixed-species and mixed-aged woodA range of native tree species of different ages and sizes. Some bendy and fallen trees. Lots of habitat features, e.g. dead wood, waterfalls and boulders providing lots of growing places for mosses, ferns and lichens.

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A guide for educators 11

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How healthy is your rainforest?12

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A guide for educators 13

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How healthy is your rainforest?14

Carrying out the ‘How healthy is your rainforest’ survey

Where you see this symbol, you will find information about what the activity can tell us regarding the health of a woodland and whether it is likely to be a good rainforest habitat or not. This will help you to give additional information to the Future Scientists.

Where you see this symbol, you will find ideas for additional activities designed to help Future Scientists understand challenging concepts and to enhance understanding of specific topics.

Sections in this guide are colour-coded to match corresponding sections on the ‘How healthy is your rainforest?’ survey form. You may want to carry out all the activities in this guide, or just some, depending on how long you have and the age and ability of your group. If you would like to enter your results and contribute data to our project, then it is best to carry out the whole survey.

About you and your wood Background information about the place where the survey is being carried out. Involves map reading and compass skills.1 About the trees in your wood Identifying tree species, tree ages and assessing

the structure of the wood (including how much light reaches the forest floor). Involves classification, numeracy and teamwork skills.

2 Habitat features in your wood Identifying habitat features that provide different conditions for lower plants to grow. Involves considering the varied requirements plants have for growth.

3 Lichens and mosses in your wood Assessing how common mosses and lichens are in different microhabitats in the wood, and looking out for indicator species. Involves classification skills.

4 What’s threatening the health of the wood? Identifying threats to the lower plants. Involves classification and considering the requirements of plants for growth and how these can be impacted by people.

5 Are there signs that the wood is being managed? Identifying signs of management. Involves learning how people can positively impact the environment.

For Sections 1-3 you will get a score, which will give Future Scientists an idea of whether the woodland is likely to be a temperate rainforest, and how healthy it is. There is a section towards the end of this guide to help you interpret these scores and find out what your results might mean.

A guide for educators 15

About you and your woodWhat Future Scientists will be recording

Learning outcomes

• Group name and school year-group if applicable (you may also want them to write their own names).• The survey date and at the end of the session, the time it took to carry out the survey.• Where they are: the woodland name and, if you know it, the grid reference. You do not need to record a

grid reference if you can mark on a map where you are.• The area of woodland they will be surveying (this can be marked on the map). • The slope and ‘aspect’ of the woodland, using observation and compass skills.

• Fieldwork requires preparation which includes planning a route and considering health and safety.

• The terrain and aspect (direction of a slope) can affect the amount of sunlight available to plants, and the types of plants that are able to grow.

Key skills • Map reading.• Using a compass.• Expedition planning.

Map of your woodHere we provide space to stick in a map of the woodland you are visiting. Ordnance Survey Leisure Maps provide a good level of detail. You can access some OS maps online. It is useful for Future Scientists to have a map of the woodland during your visit so they can navigate and mark on the area that they surveyed.

Tip: When entering results online, you can draw the area surveyed onto an aerial map. This will allow us to get more accurate results and to know which part of a woodland your survey covered.

Before visiting a woodland, it is good practice to study a map of the site. Future Scientists can help plan your woodland visit by studying the map to look for:

• The name of the woodland.• Public footpaths and rights of way, so you can plan your route.• Access points to the woodland (parking areas, gates/stiles).• Potential hazards (e.g. quarries or cliffs).• Contour lines to see how steep the site is.• The grid reference of the wood.

SlopeFuture Scientists record whether the wood is flat, gently sloped or steeply sloped. They should choose the option that best describes the majority of the area being surveyed. Using the pictures on the survey form as stimulus, they should discuss to reach a consensus.

Woods that are sloped often have a wider range of conditions or ‘microclimates’ with valley bottoms being sheltered and humid, and hilltops being drier and more exposed. A greater range of conditions is likely to mean a greater variety of plants will be found there.

How healthy is your rainforest?16

AspectThe ‘aspect’ is the direction that the slope is facing. If the woodland is ‘flat’ then the aspect should be left blank. If the woodland is ‘gently sloped’ or ‘steeply sloped’ then the aspect can be measured using a compass. Taking care, Future Scientists should stand on the slope facing downhill and use the compass to decide which direction they are facing. This is the aspect which can be marked on the compass diagram in the survey booklet.

The aspect gives an indication of how much sunlight reaches the wood. In the northern hemisphere, south and west-facing slopes receive more sunlight than north and east-facing slopes due to the tilt of the earth. The amount of sunlight reaching a slope will have a big impact on the number of different plants that are able to grow. Generally, a south or west-facing woodland will have a greater variety of plant life than a north or east-facing woodland. Lichens need lots of sunlight, so tend to be more abundant in woods on south-facing slopes.

Teaching compass skills

Step by step• There are 4 cardinal points: north, east, south

and west. These and their clockwise position can be remembered with a mnemonic i.e. Never Eat Shredded Wheat or Naughty Elephants Squirt Water.

• Hold the compass still and flat in the palm of the hand. Allow the compass needle to settle. Once settled, the compass needle will always point north.

• Using one hand to keep the base of the compass still, use the other hand to rotate the compass dial so that the north marker on the dial aligns with the compass needle. All the compass directions will then be correctly aligned.

• Ask the Future Scientists to point in the direction of north, east, south and west, to check their understanding.

NW

SW

NE

SEExtend this activity1. Practise compass skills by

looking at the woodland map and asking Future Scientists to work out the direction to different map features from where they are standing. Can they point in the direction of the woodland entrance? If you are in a woodland close to school and it is shown on the map, can they point in the direction of school?

2. Carry out a short investigation to see if moss mainly grows on the north-side of trees. Moss is often deemed to be a natural navigation aid. It is associated with growing on the north side of trees because it likes damp and shady conditions where there is less sunlight. Ask Future Scientists to check several trees to see if this theory is correct. Can they come up with reasons for their findings? What other factors besides aspect could affect where moss grows? (e.g. nearby trees might make the south side of the tree shadier than the north side).

A guide for educators 17

What Future Scientists will be recording• The tree species in the wood and how common each species is in the canopy and sub-canopy.• The age of the trees.• How close together the trees are growing (and how much light is reaching the forest floor).• How much bramble and ivy is growing on the ground.

Learning outcomes• The species and age of a tree affects how good it is as a habitat for lichens,

mosses and other wildlife.• Trees form a ‘canopy’ that limits light reaching plants that grow on the

woodland floor.• If trees and ground-covering plants like bramble and ivy are growing too

close togetherthey can prevent other plants and lichens from growing.

Key skills • Identifying trees from

their leaf shapes.• Estimating the ages of

trees by measuring trunk circumference.

• Using numeracy skills to work out simple percentages (optional).

About the trees in your wood

What trees can you find in the canopy and sub-canopy?As well as identifying tree species using the pictures provided on the survey form, Future Scientists must consider whether a tree species is growing in the canopy or sub-canopy, and how common it is.

Knowing the tree species in a wood helps us to understand the different habitats available for mosses and lichens that are affected by the pH and smoothness of different tree bark. Mature oak and ash trees tend to support many different lichens and mosses. Oak supports lots of wildlife including over 300 different lichens and 400 different insects. Hazel, rowan and hawthorn provide berries and nuts, which are important for insects, birds and small mammals. Some trees are always small and never grow up to the canopy even when they are old (e.g. hazel, rowan and hawthorn). This is why it is only possible to record these trees in the sub-canopy. Other trees will be found in the sub-canopy when they are young, but when mature

1

Canopy

Sub-canopy

Identifying the canopy and sub-canopy Ask your group whether anybody knows what a ‘canopy’ is. Often children will describe a canopy as a ‘roof’ over something. This is a good definition. In the woodland, the ‘canopy’ is the tall trees that form the ‘roof of the forest’. Now see if they can work out what ‘sub-canopy’ means. They may know that ‘sub’ means beneath. The ‘sub-canopy’ in the woodland are the trees growing lower down, beneath the main canopy. Look at a selection of these trees as a whole group to check understanding.

Deciding how common a tree isFor each species of tree that the Future Scientists identify, they have to decide how common it is in the canopy, and how common it is in the sub-canopy. They will need to look around the area being surveyed to decide this. As a guide, ‘very common’ should be selected if it is one of the most frequent trees, ‘rare’ should be selected if there are only one or two, and ‘quite common’ should be selected if it is somewhere in-between.

How healthy is your rainforest?18

Tree agesFuture Scientists are asked to look at the pictures and descriptions on the survey form, and decide which best describes the area of woodland they are surveying. This will provide them with a score, which indicates how likely the woodland is to be a good rainforest habitat. They will need to use this score later in the survey to generate a total score for Section 1.

Assessing the age of a tree:Discuss with Future Scientists how they will identify whether trees are young or old. As trees become older, they increase in height and circumference. Canopy-forming trees that are old are easily recognised by their large circumference. However, a range of factors affect how big a tree grows, such as the depth of soil and the climate. In harsh, exposed conditions where there is a lot of wind, trees may grow more slowly and be stunted. High-altitude oakwoods on exposed slopes can have trees that are hundreds of years old, but with much smaller trunks than their counterparts growing in more sheltered conditions. Their bark is ridged and gnarly though, rather than being smooth like that of a young oak tree.

Some of the sub-canopy tree species never grow to have trunks as large as those of canopy species. For example, hawthorn, rowan and hazel may have smaller trunks but could still be old. When Future Scientists are looking to see if there is a mix of ages, it can be helpful to focus on the main canopy species.

Using a flexible tape measure will make this more objective and easier for Future Scientists to choose the correct option. Ask each group to measure 10 trees of the main canopy species in the woodland, to get an idea how they vary in size and age. Make this activity more scientific by asking each group to randomly choose which to measure. They could do this by spinning their pencil and walking in the direction it points, then measuring the first 10 trees they come across. Get them to write down the measurements in centimetres and use their results to choose the correct score on the survey form.

As individual trees and woodlands become older, their potential to provide a habitat for wildlife increases. Over time, woodland soils become rich in fungi and invertebrates that help provide plants with nutrients they need to grow. An old woodland will naturally develop open gaps as old trees die, allowing young trees to grow in those gaps. Ancient trees with rot holes and gnarled bark will provide spaces for different plants and lichens to grow, and for insects and birds to feed and nest.

If your woodland is made up of entirely young trees, it will score a zero, as it is unlikely to be a good rainforest habitat. The healthiest woodlands with most potential to be good rainforest habitats are those with trees of lots of different ages, including some very old trees.

can be very tall and are found in the canopy. Knowing which of these trees are common in the sub-canopy helps us to look to the future and see which trees are likely to be most common in the canopy in a hundred years’ time. Woodlands that have a range of trees species in the canopy and sub-canopy, including oak, ash, hazel, rowan, willow or hawthorn, have potential to be good rainforest habitats. Woods that are dominated by beech are often too shady to support lots of different lichens, mosses and ferns.

A guide for educators 19

Tree spacingFuture Scientists are asked to look at the photos and descriptions in the survey form to decide how close together the trees in the wood are growing. Encourage them to consider the whole woodland area that is included in your survey, rather than just looking in one place. Are there any big gaps between the canopies of individual trees, where you can see large areas of sky? If yes, the area will either score a 2 or 3. If there are a number of large gaps between the canopies and lots of sky is visible, then they should score 3. They will need to use this score later in the survey to generate a total score for Section 1.

Canopy gazing To see how much sky can be seen between the trees:• On their back, lie on the ground on a flat area among the trees.• While standing or sitting, hold a mirror under their nose and parallel to the ground. Looking

down onto the mirror, they will see the canopy reflected on its surface.Compare areas of wood with lots of light coming through the canopy with areas with little light. Do they notice anything about the amount of lichens, mosses and other smaller plants growing in lighter and darker areas?

Canopy scopes Make this activity more scientific by using a ‘canopy scope’ to estimate the amount of open sky visible between the tree canopies. Before their visit, Future Scientists can make canopy scopes using some Perspex or thick acetate. Instructions are at the back of this guide (page 27)

When trees grow very close together, their branches meet and they form a closed canopy which prevents much light reaching the ground. This affects the plants growing on the forest floor and also any lichens and mosses growing on branches and tree trunks. Many species are unable to grow in deep shade, and lichens in particular require plenty of light. A healthy rainforest habitat will need plenty of gaps between tree canopies.

To use the canopy scope• The string should be held next to the eye,

to ensure the Perspex is a fixed distance from the face (approximately 20cm).

• Point the canopy scope up towards the canopy overhead, gently tilting the head backwards to look through the scope.

• Count the number of dots that are completely surrounded by sky (i.e. that aren’t blocked by parts of the overhead trees). There are 25 dots in total, so this will give you a number out of 25.

• Multiply the number of dots counted by four. This gives you a number out of 100 (i.e. a percentage). This figure is the ‘percentage open sky’ overhead.

How healthy is your rainforest?20

Both bramble and ivy are beneficial to wildlife. The flowers of both plants provide food for pollinating insects, and their berries provide food for insects, birds and small mammals. However, bramble and ivy can create shade that stops other plants from growing, including lichens on the bases of tree trunks and mosses on the forest floor. If the wood is too shady, ivy may dominate the forest floor. If the soil is too nutrient rich (e.g. due to run-off of nutrients from nearby farmland), this may also cause dense growth of ivy and bramble. A lack of woodland grazing can also lead to bramble becoming very dense.

Section 1 ScoreFuture scientists can now add up the scores from Section 1 (tree age score, tree spacing score and ground covering plants score). This will give a total score out nine. The interpretation on the survey form explains what this score means in terms of whether the wood has potential to be a healthy temperate rainforest habitat. They will need to consider this alongside the scores from the other sections to decide if the woodland is rainforest, and how healthy it is.

What Future Scientists will be recordingThe habitat features or ‘microhabitats’ that are present in the woodland.

Learning outcomes• Trees provide a range of microhabitats that are valuable for wildlife, even

after they have died.• Trees are not the only components of a woodland habitat.• Both living and non-living components of a woodland are important in

creating different conditions for plants and animals to thrive.

Key skills • Making careful scientific

observations.• Decision making.

2 Habitat features in your wood

Future Scientists look for a variety of habitat features and microhabitats. It is important to emphasise that this activity is not about trying to tick everything on the list, but it is about accurate scientific recording. It is often not possible to find all the features, as few woodlands will contain every one. The objective is not to try to score the most points, but to get a fair picture of the health of the woodland and the diversity of habitats that are present.

Ground-covering plants• Future Scientists need to be able to identify brambles (blackberry) and ivy. Check that they can identify

these by asking them to find examples. • Walk through the woodland and ask Future Scientists to spot patches of bramble and/or ivy growing on

the ground. • By reading the descriptions on the survey form and looking at how extensive the ground cover of

bramble and ivy is, they must decide which description best fits the woodland they are in and circle the score.

A guide for educators 21

Section 2 scoreFuture Scientists can now add up the scores from Section 2. This will give a total score out of 33. The interpretation on the survey form explains what this score means in terms of whether the wood has potential to be a healthy temperate rainforest habitat. They will need to consider this alongside the scores from the other sections to decide if the woodland is rainforest, and how healthy it is.

Two-minute habitat challengeGive the Future Scientists two minutes to record all the habitats they can find in the woods beside trees. Create a group list of these features. Discuss: are they surprised that there is so much more to the woods than the trees? Examples of what they might find include: dead wood/logs, rocks, banks, walls, ditches, streams, soil, leaf litter, wild flowers, mosses.

Variety of life Following the survey activity, ask Future Scientists to investigate the variety of life occupying some of the microhabitats they found: • On an old tree that has a large circumference and gnarled bark/rot holes, how many different

plants or lichens can they find growing on it? • How many different invertebrates can they find living in the cracks and crevices of the bark?

The different features listed on the survey form are all components of temperate rainforests, and their importance is explained below.

• Features of live trees (usually old trees) A healthy woodland contains older trees that are starting to decay. Rot holes and dead branches provide niches for plants, fungi, invertebrates, small mammals and birds. They are likely to be rich in ferns, mosses and lichens.

• Features of dead trees and dead wood When trees die, their value to wildlife continues. Plenty of dead wood is a sign of a healthy woodland habitat, providing trees are not dying prematurely. You will usually find rotting stumps and large logs covered with mosses, ferns and lichens.

• Open space in the woodland A healthy woodland has a varied structure, with some areas more open than others. A large glade lets plenty of sunlight into the wood, which is important for flowering plants and lichens, as well as woodland butterflies.

• Rock features Temperate rainforests are often found in upland and coastal areas where there is hard rock-like granite beneath the soil. Exposed boulders can be rich in mosses and lichens.

• Water features Temperate rainforests are wet places so they will usually have boggy areas and streams. The topography is often steep, so ravines and waterfalls which create lush conditions for mosses and ferns, may be a feature.

You can deliver this part of the survey in various ways:• As a whole group: walk through the wood looking for the features as you go and noting them

on the form.• Split into two groups and go for a walk for a specified time, then come back together and

compare notes.• Split into a number of small groups and give each group a set of features to look for (e.g. dead

wood or rock features). Come back together after a set time and ask each group to feedback their findings and point out the features of interest they found.

How healthy is your rainforest?22

What Future Scientists will be recordingWhether mosses and lichens are present in the woods and how common they are.

Learning outcomes• Ability to recognise the differences between mosses and lichens.• Mosses and lichens have varied growth forms, and come in many shapes and

colours.• Mosses and lichens grow best where they are not competing for space with

larger plants such as ivy and bramble.

Key skills • Using a magnifying glass

or hand lens.• Making careful

observations.• Recognising differences

and classifying living things.

3 Lichens and mosses in your wood

Looking at mossesIntroduce mosses to Future Scientists so they understand what they are and how to tell them apart from other woodland plants. You can provide context by explaining that mosses were among the first plants to colonise land, over 450 million years ago, long before dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Ask them to spend some time examining mosses close up with a magnifying lens. Search on tree trunks, boulders and the forest floor to see what different shapes they can find. They can tick these off in the survey form.

Looking at lichensLichens are unusual as they are not actually plants, but are two different organisms living together. The part that you can see is a fungus and embedded within the fungus is an alga. The alga, like a plant, makes food from sunlight through photosynthesis. The fungus uses this food as it is not capable of making its own. In return, the fungus absorbs water and provides protection to the alga.

You could use the analogy of an iced Victoria sponge cake to help describe how the fungus and alga live together. The part that is externally visible (the fungus) is like the iced sponge – before you cut into the cake, this is the only part that is visible. However, if you were to cut into it, you would see that there is a layer of jam inside (like the algae in the lichen), which is performing a very important role.

You would need a powerful microscope to see the algae. However, when they are wet, the top layer of the fungus becomes translucent so the colour of the algae are more vivid.

Once they have their eye in, Future Scientists can score the woodland for the amount of moss cover visible on the woodland floor, logs and rocks. Ask them to circle the description that best matches the woodland.

In a healthy temperate rainforest, there will be an abundance of mosses growing on the ground and on logs and boulders. There is enough light reaching the forest floor and enough space for them to grow. There is not too much bramble, ivy or other dense vegetation blocking out the light. Some grazing by livestock or browsing by wildlife such as deer can help to keep dense vegetation down, allowing the mosses and other smaller plants to thrive.

A guide for educators 23

In a healthy temperate rainforest, there will be an abundance of lichens growing on tree trunks. This is a sign that the trees

and shrubs are not growing too close together, and there are large enough gaps between tree canopies to allow light to reach the trunks so lichens can grow. Tree trunks with luxurious growth of leafy and bushy lichens are a good sign of a healthy rainforest habitat (see photo, far left). Very old trees with white and grey crusty lichens can also be a sign of healthy rainforest (see photo, near left).

Crusty lichen Bushy lichen Leafy lichen

Using the illustrations and descriptions on the survey form, give Future Scientists some time to examine lichens on tree trunks, branches, twigs and rocks, using their magnifying glasses. Can they find all three growth forms? They can tick them off on their survey form as they find them.

Once they have their eye in, Future Scientists can score the woodland for the amount of lichen cover visible on the tree trunks. Ask them to circle the score for the description that best matches the woodland.

Special lichens to spotFuture Scientists are asked to look out for four special lichens. These are rare species that indicate you are in good temperate rainforest habitat. If they find them, take photographs to send in when they enter their data online. You can look out for these lichens at any time. The ‘string-of-sausages’ and ‘witches’ whiskers’ lichens are most likely to be found on fallen twigs on the forest floor. They grow in tree canopies as they like plenty of light, but are often blown down after windy weather. Both are good indicators of clean air, an important factor for a healthy rainforest. The ‘tree lungwort’ and ‘stinky Sticta’ lichens are most likely to be found on mossy tree trunks in damp, humid places. They are good indicators of healthy rainforests that have been unchanged for many years.

There are three main lichen growth forms – crusty, bushy and leafy.

Section 3 scoreFuture Scientists can now add up the scores from Section 3. This will give a total score out of six. The interpretation in the survey form explains what this score means in terms of whether the wood has potential to be a healthy temperate rainforest habitat. This score is particularly important for helping decide whether your woodland is a temperate rainforest. A healthy woodland that is not a temperate rainforest may score highly in other sections of the survey, but it is likely that only those that are temperate rainforests will score highly in this section. Abundant mosses and lichens are a good sign that you are in a rainforest.

How healthy is your rainforest?24

What Future Scientists will be recordingPlants that could be a threat to the health of the woodland.

Learning outcomes• Some plants can threaten other plants and wildlife if they become

too dominant.

Key skills • Observing and identifying

plants.

4 What’s threatening the health of the wood?

Future Scientists look for plants that can threaten the health of the woodland, and tick the ones they find. There are photographs to help them on page 13 of the survey form. The plants in the left-hand column can be a part of a healthy temperate rainforest and they are only a threat if they are taking over. Future Scientists should look to see if these plants are extensive in the woodland, and only tick them if they are covering large areas. The plants in the right-hand column are ‘invasive’ species that can quickly take over and are considered a threat, even if they are only in the woodland in small numbers.

Dense areas of holly, beech saplings and sycamore saplings can all be a threat as they cast deep shade and can prevent other plants from growing, including oak seedlings, woodland flowers and lichens. Conifers also cast deep shade that prevents lichens growing on nearby tree trunks, and their needles create a thick layer on the soil that can prevent other plants growing. They are fast growing, so can quickly establish in a woodland. Rhododendron, laurel and Himalayan balsam are particularly problematic in a woodland as they are invasive and out-compete native plants, shading lichens and mosses. It is useful for Future Scientists to tell us about the threats in the woodland so that we can provide advice to woodland managers.

There is no score for this section, but the number of threats identified may help to explain the scores for previous sections. If a woodland has many threats, this may be a reason for lower scores in Section 3 on lichens and mosses.

What Future Scientists will be recording• Evidence of animals grazing in the woodland.• Evidence of people managing the woodland in different ways e.g. by cutting down some trees to increase light levels.

Learning outcomes• People can influence the health of a woodland by introducing animals to

graze and by carrying out woodland management.

Key skills • Making deductions based

on observations.• Decision making.

5 Are there signs that the wood is being managed?

Future Scientists need to look for any evidence that people are influencing the woodland by grazing animals in the wood or by carrying out management such as cutting down trees.

There is no score for this section, but it can be useful to understand whether the woodland is being looked after. This might mean that any threats identified are being addressed. If you had lower scores in Sections 1, 2 and 3, a lack of management may be a reason for this.

A guide for educators 25

Making management recommendationsAt the end of the survey, you may like to ask Future Scientists to reflect on the scores from Sections 1, 2 and 3, as well as the threats that they identified in Section 4, and decide on some recommendations to improve the health of the woodland. This could be done in the woods at the end of your visit, or back in the classroom.

Here are some examples of recommendations they might make based on particular findings:

Interpreting your resultsHow healthy is your woodland?There is no overall score in this survey, as it is important to consider the scores from Sections 1, 2 and 3 together, alongside the threats identified in Section 4. There are likely to be positive and negative factors affecting the woodland’s overall health. We recommend discussing the results with the Future Scientists, to decide how healthy they think the woodland is overall, and what could be done to improve it (see activity below).

Is your woodland really rainforest?Depending on the age and location of your woodland, it may or may not be temperate rainforest. If you have scored highly in Section 3, this is a good sign of a temperate rainforest habitat.

If your woodland scored highly in Sections 1 and 2, and had few/no threats, but did not score well in Section 3, it is likely that the climate is not quite right for a temperate rainforest habitat that is lush with lichens and mosses. Your woodland might still be a healthy habitat for other types of wildlife.

Findings from Section 3:• The woodland did not score many points for moss cover:

Future Scientists might consider why this was. If there was dense cover of shrubs or ground vegetation, they might recommend some light grazing or cutting to provide space and light for mosses to grow.

• The woodland did not score many points for lichen cover on tree trunks: Future Scientists should consider why this was. If the tree canopy is too dense, it may not be letting enough light through for lichens to grow on the tree trunks. They might suggest felling a few trees to allow more light in. If there are shrubs like holly growing close to tree trunks, they might consider cutting these back. Could there be other reasons for the lack of lichens? For example, is the woodland close to a source of pollution such as a busy road, which could affect lichen growth?

Findings from Section 4:• If Future Scientists identified specific threats, they might

discuss how these could be controlled, and how this might improve conditions in the woods for mosses and lichens. For example, removing rhododendron will increase light levels in the woodland, allowing more native plants, mosses and lichens to grow.

Findings from Section 1:• The woodland had many oak trees in the canopy, but

the sub-canopy was dominated by beech with no oak trees: Future Scientists might recommend thinning the beech trees to create more light and allow young oak trees to establish.

• The woodland received a low score on the tree spacing activity: Future Scientists might recommend that some smaller trees are felled to create more space and allow more light in.

• The woodland received a low score because there was a large amount of bramble and/or ivy cover on the ground: Future Scientists might recommend that some light grazing or cutting is introduced to keep the bramble/ivy cover down.

Findings from Section 2:• The woodland did not score many points for the

dead wood part of the Habitat features activity: Future Scientists might recommend that some smaller trees are felled and the stumps are left to rot, and logs are left on the ground. Woodland managers would usually recommend only felling younger trees as old trees are already providing an important habitat. As well as creating a dead wood habitat important for mosses and invertebrates, some felling also helps to let light in.

How healthy is your rainforest?26

Entering your dataEnter your survey results so that they can help contribute to our regional picture of where our temperate rainforests are and what condition they are in. To do this:• Go to our web page: http://tiny.cc/FutureScientists • Click on the link to enter your data.• Select the ‘Survey for schools’ link.• Fill in the online form, following the instructions on the screen.

It is likely that within your group there will be some variation in the survey results. It can be helpful to discuss this, and come to a group consensus. If you want to introduce numeracy skills, you could calculate your group’s mean average scores for each activity/section.

To enter your group data you could:• Do this on a screen at the front of a classroom, with Future Scientists reading the results out to you to

input for them.• Nominate one or two Future Scientists to input the group data.If you would like your whole group to practise their IT skills by having the opportunity to enter data, let us know that this is what you plan to do and we can take into account that there is duplicate data when we download the results.

Ideas for extending the studyIf you would like to take this study further, why not compare two or more different woodlands? To best illustrate the unique features of the south-west’s temperate rainforests you could compare an ancient woodland in an upland area (e.g. Dartmoor or Exmoor), with a more recently established woodland in a lowland area, perhaps in an urban setting. Alternatively, if you do not have access to transport, there may be different woodlands within walking distance of your school that you could compare, and explore reasons for any differences you find in your survey results.

Useful online resourcesYou may find some of these additional resources helpful.

Map reading and compass skillshttps://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/education/teachers/resources-ages-7-11.html

Tree identification Using leaves https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/naturedetectives/activities/2015/09/leaf-id/Using twigs (winter) http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/naturedetectives/activities/2015/09/twig-id/Using buds and catkins https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/naturedetectives/activities/2018/01/winter-tree-identification/ Ancient tree features https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/naturedetectives/activities/2018/10/ancient-tree-spotter-sheet/

A guide for educators 27

Making a canopy scope Canopy scopes are used in forest science to estimate how open a forest canopy is, and how much light is reaching the plants on the ground (Brown et al., 2000). You can make this simple piece of scientific equipment using a thick acetate sheet, a permanent marker pen and a piece of string.1. Place an acetate sheet over the template below. Trace on the dots and the square outline.2. Cut out the square.3. Punch a hole in the corner and secure a 20cm long piece of string to the canopy scope.4. Your canopy scope is now ready to use. Follow instructions on page 19 on how to use it.

BROWN, N., JENNINGS, S., WHEELER, P. & NABE-NIELSEN, J. 2000. An improved method for the rapid assessment of forest understorey light environments. Journal of Applied Ecology, 37, 1044-1053.

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