Wire Quadrat with ‘Self Heal’ plant
A couple of weeks ago, in soaring temperatures, the FONGW team divided into two teams.
One team carried out ongoing work on the bridges, removing debris between the planks to increase airflow and prevent rot.
The other team carried out one of the periodic ‘Vegetation’ Surveys.
The Vegetation surveys are used to monitor ecological changes in the woods. Specific 25 metre Transect lines are used so that the abundance/distribution of individual plant species can be tracked and environmental changes documented.
Once a Transect line is located in the woods, a field measuring tape is anchored at either end of the 25 metre span.
A wire Quatrat containing 25 squares (each 10cm x 10cm) is placed on the ground along the Transect line at 1.8 metre intervals, positioned either to the East or the West of the line. The leading corner point of the Quadrat is placed at each 1.8 metre mark as the survey progresses.
Each sampling square is then studied and the contents are collectively recorded. Some species are individually counted and others recorded as a percentage of the overall Quadrat.
Vegetation Survey July 2026 to be transferred to the database
Lastly, two plastic marker tags are tied to the anchor points of the Transect line for future reference.