Atlantic Hazelwoods – a neglected habitat?

Summary Atlantic Hazelwoods form a distinctive (yet apparently over-looked) habitat that appears to be unique to western Scotland and, to a lesser degree, western Ireland. The origins of this habitat appear to date from the early Holocene, and there is compelling evidence that some stands may have existed in unbroken succession for 10,000 years. Recognition of the potential relict status of some areas of hazel gradually emerged as a result of several decades of study of the lichen flora. The smooth bark of hazel in western Scotland is known to support a species-rich and specialised lichen community (the Graphidion), including rare, endemic and old woodland indicator species. However, the full expression of this community is found to occur only in certain stands: often coastal, with no (or very few) other trees or shrubs present, and with a long history, but with little evidence of intensive exploitation. Seeking further evidence to back up the relic status of these Atlantic Hazelwood stands proved elusive. Very little work appears to have been directed towards looking at ‘natural’ hazel dynamics, with always the assumption that all stands of hazel have undergone coppice management at some time. It appears that Tansley (1949) is the only authority to recognise that in certain situations and conditions, hazel will form a climax scrub. However, how hazel stools develop over time in the absence of coppicing has been tentatively investigated by using DNA evidence to test for clonality between adjacent stools, with some convincing results. Atlantic Hazelwoods are already recognised as of international importance for their lichen flora. Suggestions are put forward for sympathetic conservation of this habitat, whilst at the same time recognising the need to promote more research to investigate the relict woodland status of the Atlantic Hazelwoods.