🌲 If you would like to support our rewilding projects by becoming a member you learn all about them here: www.mossy.earth Every single member is essential and it is ultimately what makes our work possible. - Cheers, Duarte
I was surprised to see you planting ivy. Ivy eventually smothers and kills off the tree it grows on. Was that the idea (to take out some trees to break up the top cover of trees) ?
Please put the common and scientific names of those plants in your video description. I wanted to look up a few of them and I looked at your video description hoping they'd be there, luckily I can remember long names long enough to type them into another tab but a lot of people can't. You could also sell seeds for your plants to fund your project, to people who like to grow rare plants. Anyway after typing in Stellaria Graminea I found it's as edible as the Stellaria Media that grows in my yard in California (aka common chickweed) and Hypericum Pulchrum can be used the same way as Hypericum Perforatum (aka "common" or prostrate St. John's Wort." You should put a few seeds of each plant in a "mixed seed bag," I'd grow them and show to people who visited compared to the related species that I have because I think stuff like that is cool.
@@Tao_Tology that's not really true, ivy cannot itself "smother" a tree, at least not a mature one, and it is not strictly parasitic as it is just using the tree as a way to reach light. Very broadly speaking, it can cause secondary damage through moisture retention and increased chance of fungal infection, and it can cause a deciduous tree to topple in storms due to the added wind resistance. The benefits of ivy to the Biotop it is in are however very great, due to it's flowers and extra living room it provides
When I walk my dog to nearby similar monoculture forest, I always take handful of nuts/seeds of local trees, flowers and bushes. Then just drop them as I walk into holes I make with shoe. One day I will conquer that grid thing, which should not be called forest.
Scotland’s absolutely covered in these monocultures of invasive evergreens, and when you walk through them they just feel dead, no bird song no flies no bees no moss nothing, just these big tightly packed trees blotting out the sun, compare that to old growth forests like Loch Lomond or chatelherault in Hamilton and it’s evident why these projects are so important and cool.
Greenwashing is a very real issue in this industry, and unfortunately it often results in forests like you mentioned that have either been planted with the sole intention of future logging or projects that just haven't been properly thought through. Nothing beats an old growth forest, so in my eyes reforestation projects should begin with that end goal in mind! - Tom
Try to remember that Sitka monocultures in the UK are there to provide timber primarily for construction - think of it as farming trees instead of corn or hops. They are also teaming with life (wood ants, fungi, raptors etc) and can sequester much more carbon due to quicker rotations
Yep same in sweden. We have almost no natural forests left or even lightly managed forests. Almost all forest are under clearcut management. And then heavy soilpreparation before replanting in straight lines.
It's eerie silent in that forest. When you go to a living, healty-ish one, you hear noises from everywhere - bugs, birds, different texture on the wind. Good job trying to revive the forest
This project has a lot of potencial and can also claim attention to the fact that a healthy forest (a good carbon sink) isn't just trees but entire layers of herbs and plants. Those plants will also help in enriching the soil and improving the hydrological cycle wich can help the trees absorve more carbon to and also makes the forest overall more resilient
The thing I like about your organization is that you don't just literally throw money at a problem and assume it's gonna fix itself but actually hire people to do the work that's needed
Ecosystems are complicated things, not only are there countless connections that keep them thriving but no two ones are exactly the same! Because of this we make sure to do our due diligence when it comes to researching the area properly and working alongside specialised experts, but even then there's no guarantee. At the very least we can maximise a project's chances of success! - Tom
@@MossyEarth I wish folks would just let Mother Nature do her thing. I mean, she's been taking care of the earth for millenia until humans got greedy and messed things up. Still, I guess ya gotta start somewhere to restore the balance and I am grateful you are here to do this. Wish I was 20 years younger; I'd drop everything and help out...
I remember being a kid going to a local nature reserve in Finland, and being amazed at how the trees formed these clean corridors. Then I asked about it, and was told it's because they are planted there that way, and that the forest has already been cut down before. Pretty quickly realized there wasn't really much of anything in between the trees. Just birches in a line, and grass or bare soil in between. Luckily there's still a good amount of natural forest here too but the memory still sticks. Some replanted rows of trees don't really make a forest.
Exactly! There is a lot more to a forest than just rows of trees... however, those monocultures can be "saved" and its a worthy effort. - Cheers, Duarte
So much of what might look like a forest up here in Sweden & Finland aren't really forests, they're wood farms. Monocultures ment to be clear-cut every few decades. Iirc depending on how strictly you define a natural forest, it's way less than half of woods in Sweden that are forests.
Oh! This feels like my childhood dream! I remember walking around the monocultural woods around my village and constantly thinking what kind of trees I would plant there to give it more diversity. Especially after I learned that although the spruces feel like they've been there forever, the original woods actually consisted of oaks and beeches. And I kept telling everyone in the village that something should be done and that I want to do it and everybody just thought I'm a silly child with crazy ideas. Now here you are, doing exactly that. One of the reasons I became a member.
@@MossyEarth Can I fill you On how to save an ecosystem document the plants and trees to find in it before it is destroyed then put them back again so they will be as healthy as they were before they were destroyed
The mature woodland on Scotland's West coast is heavily influenced by moisture-laden air produced by the Gulfstream. This classifies the woodland as 'temperate rainforest' also known as Atlantic woodland and Celtic rainforest. Globally, temperate rainforest is more under threat than tropical rainforest so protection of this unique ecosystem is vital.
I'm taking BS Environmental Science currently a 3rd year college student and I've recognized the topics that were discussed here (monoculture reforestation, understory species and canopy levels) because last sem we had to do an individual review paper and I encountered this topics while doing my paper. I've also learned from my prof that when doing this projects, you need to consult a professional or an expert in the field that you'll be working. Biodiversity is really an important component of a functional ecosystem not just on forest ecosystems but also for different aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems because without biodiversity, an ecosystem will be lifeless.
So fantastic. This gives me hope in humanity. Thank you very much guys. May the land of my ancestors see restoration and peace. (My grandfather Thomas McManus’s family was from Scotland, I take pride in that.)
Greetings from South Africa. You are inspiring me to rewild my mind and in doing so I have incorporated these attitudes into my lessons with my learners at school. Ill be showing them this video! Great work guys.
I'm a Brazilian primatologist who worked in Scotland. I just bumped into your channel by chance and I'm loving it! Thank you for the content! It makes me so glad to see these initiatives. In Brazil, grassroots movements like this are much more rare and also dangerous. Brazil is perhaps the most dangerous country for conservationists because big companies keep running the country and threatening indigenous people and locals.
The Netherlands can use some of this too. Our forests are consistently empty in the underbrush almost everywhere. It would also be very nice to have you guys do a once over our planted forests in reclaimed land. Obviously they aren't natural but we can make them as such
I think a lot of forests suffer from the same problem, especially ones planted on reclaimed land, as forestry efforts often focus solely on planting trees. If you're building an ecosystem basically from scratch, you need to start from the ground up! - Tom
The Netherlands should try and restore more bogs. Because 1. in most of the Netherlands it's what naturally occurred before people went in and harvested all the peat and drained the swamps. 2. bogs and wetlands are really efficient at capturing carbon and storing it into the ground. After all peat is mostly carbon.
Yeah i live in Flevoland, walk in the biggest forrest of europe every week. But its Just dead. Only trees, they ones were planted for the wood industrie and it Just looks ugly and dead. Especially with insects.
That has also to do with, belief it or not, too much wildlife. Especially on the Veluwe, the deer numbers are just way to high for natural forest regeneration.
A year ago, I moved across the USA, from the lush forests of the pacific northwest to the factory forests of Pennsylvania. I was appalled at the lack of undergrowth and still am. There are parks that have the most gorgeous undergrowth and I wish the other woods were given the same respect. I had never considered the restoration of undergrowth, but now I've been given new hope! Thank you!
It makes me really happy that we are focusing on the forgotten understory. It helps bring more attention to the importance and complexity of forest ecosystems and is a way for us to do work that could be left behind otherwise! Well done everyone on getting the project off the ground and for the top notch video!
For viewers not familiar with Scottish forest ecology, it would be useful to explain if Quercus petraea, Juniperus communis, Sorbus rupicola and Sorbus arranensis are typical understory species, or if they are expected to one day taking over the canopy from the originally planted tree species (succession).
I'm so proud to be a member of Mossy Earth now, to support amazing projects like this! You guys just don't miss with the work you do! Thanks for giving me the chance to help make an actual impact! 🧡
It is similar here in Turkey too. The forestry department plants monocultures of non natives and conifers. They even cut down oak and juniper woodlands just to plant conifer monocultures.
Would you consider coming to Jersey (UK) and do an episode? We have several tree planting projects in the works but I fear that they will not consider the importance of the lower vegetation. Many thanks and good luck 😉
The young woodland needs thinning, there's no light reaching the woodland floor for flowers to grow. Compare that to the ancient woodland you showcased, there's a big difference.
Always a problem, although I know there is light getting through in most of Locherwoods at least. Since this was planted on reclaimed land though not much has had a chance to arrive and grow there, and of course some of the species planted are quite rare in the area, so it needed a good old-fashioned bit of planting! - Tom
@@iseriver3982 It depends, most developing woods in the UK need thinning as we lost our megafauna (European elk, bison, aurochs, tarpan). They would browse and graze, as well as uproot young trees. So humans need to recreate that in a young woodland, have it spacious so that young trees can grown larger and healthier, and allow light to hit the forest floor.
It goes in cycles throughout the year. Understory starts growing before the trees leaf out, then different plants will die off every 2-3 months so something else can take over.
I read that indigenous people have more biodiversity on lands managed by them than there is even on protected areas (USA). Do you work with them? And if so, it would really be interesting to learn how they handle and live with nature. I would love a video on that. Thank you for everything you do.
I got so teared up by what y’all are doing. From deep within; my ancient DNA, feeling moved, and overall feeling a sense of hope and relief. Thank you for what you are doing Mossy Earth and your partners!
I grew up in the woods and something I've realized is that, if a person didn't, they might not realize how small a component trees are to the whole thing. The trees always felt like a greenhouse, kind of. A special roof over your head that lets all sorts of amazing and unique plants grow. You can't have the plants without the roof, but just like how a greenhouse without plants feels pointless, a collection of trees without the forest understory just doesn't feel like a forest. There is a sharp difference between just a collection of trees, and actually stepping into the forest. The air even smells and feels different depending on how dense the trees are, the understory, and even the soil. It all interacts, and when you're in a forest it *feels* alive. There's nothing like it.
Seems like an uphill war that. . . but then I remembered I've rewilded my small acre right here. The believers in monocrops are all around me. But 20 years ago when I quit mowing, nature rebounded quickly and there's now a wooded wild space. Last year I started planting specialized indigenous pollinator plants and the place was literally buzzing! The plan for this year is to double those plants. Also to add more shrubs to strengthen the understory. It's a food forest for any creature who happens along. Including me. ; )
For a moment, I forgot that ivy is native to UK and Europe. Being from North America, it's so invasive here; so when you referenced planting it, I could feel my heart trying to sink.
I love this project! It's actually teaching me a lot of strategies for rewilding artificially replanted and poor quality forests in my continent. I hadn't even thought of diversifying the groundcover and not just reintroducing endangered trees that weren't originally replanted.
It's a very good reminder to people that just planting native trees is not the final chapter, especially if the chosen area is isolated. I'm surprised your planting Ivy, because a lot of woodland in britain is blighted by Ivy that is taking over.
Ivy has fully taken over some woodlands, however it does have a role to play! According to the woodland trust it supports at least 50 species on its own, the berries are high in fat and important for many birds and the flowers are also important as they come about right before many insects go into hibernation, among other benefits like providing shelter (bear in mind this is native ivy and not Boston or Poison Ivy, both of which are North American species) - Tom
Cool. I'm rewilding a small woodland that was planted with Norway Spruce just after WW2. I'm returning it to mixed native woodlands on the Surrey / Sussex border.
Thank you all so much for your work in helping our beautiful Mother Earth, especially those wonderful volunteers!!! 🙏💗✨ I hope to be able to volunteer myself
I wish to pay a membership for Mossy Earth, but sadly, it doesn't offer to pay in Canadian Dollars, and I don't want to see the difference in cost disappear in the pocket of banks. But let me tell you, the moment that option will be available, I'm paying that membership for sure! The videos are so inspiring and those projects so important! I hope that at least, my views helps you get a lil bit of that RU-vid money to help your organization.
Beauuutiful project with passionate protagonists! And these plants are so lovely; I grew up in an area with diverse mossy forests where we used to gather mushrooms so I know what you mean! Btw. implementing mushroom mycelium could be a part of that project, too! Luckily nature ads to the diversity once a start is made and the gates are opened.
When the video started, I was like, "Wait... I know that voice! Isn't that the guy from Leave Curious? Is this actually a Leave Curious video?" Nope, it was just my worlds colliding. Check out his channel, everyone. Great stuff over there.
Would be nice to hear more about how the local ecosystem etc. benefits than about the area "feeling more alive". Like in other of your videos that are really well layed out on explaining how the changes help plant and animal life.
Where i live, more than 60% of the Forests regrowing are actually sprayed with herbicide to kill all "competing" native plants, These biodiversity deserts are invisible to most people, but their effects are still devastating.
Very interesting initiative ! I can see how a lot of previous monoculture afforestation efforts can be easier to transition through rewilding efforts. I was wondering if you guys used any herbivore grazing as a tool to clear up assist the transition that you are planning for the understory before you planted the new native species? Did you guys have to take out a few of the all ready existing trees ? Would be really interested in the science and methodologies involved in working with the understory alone. :)
Needs some big beasties to replicate a natural environment and establish processes to continue the good work after the volunteers have moved on. A few domestic pigs moved in on a temporary basis would turn over the soil and allow the pre existing seed bank under the soil to burst into life. Then a few cattle to keep the understorey dynamic and create that wonderful patchwork of habitats that differentiates the thriving wildwood from the dead plantation. Keep up the good work!
In America we have these layers: The Emergent Layer. The Tallest Redwoods, Elms and Lodgepole Pines take up this layer. Canopy: Oak, Basswood, Locust, Blue Beech, Hickory, Pine, Spruce, Fir, Larches, Cedar, Ash, Juniper, Tulip Poplar, Aspen and Maple. Maybe the odd Bald Cypress in swamps. Walnut is not ideal as nothing can grow around them! The Understory is full of Birch, Crabapples, Buckeyes, Pecans, Mesquite, Dogwood , Magnolias, Grape Vines, Virginia Creeper, Sumac, Sassafras, Holly, Mistletoe, Pokeberry, Elderberry, Persimmons, Plums, Pawpaws, Sedges, Horsetails, Ferns, Chaga Mushrooms and other Mushrooms that perch on live or fallen trees. Deer like to hang out here. The forest floor is home to Bears, Mountain Lions, Wintergreen, Plantains, Mushrooms, Squash, Ramps, Burdock, Ginseng, Smaller Ferns, the Infamous Giant Hogweed, Poison Ivy, Poison Oak and Poison Sumac. We also have thistles, also known as Artichokes. Out west you have succulents and grasses scattered about.
It would be great to include something in this video about historical and planned recording/monitoring - without this, you can’t select the most appropriate ground flora in terms of what is already/could have been present in the seed bank (from historical records) and to know what will flourish in the woodland in the future. I’m Sure you guys have done the relevant research and are planning on doing this for such a pilot project but long term monitoring and recording is so integral to the longevity of projects (and for inspiring others) it’s always worth shouting about! Always love the Mossy Earth work, keep it up!
I'm happy the woodlands near me are pretty diverse, but it's disappointing that elsewhere in Scotland isn't doing as well. I'd love to get involved with stuff like this. Our country is so beautiful and it deserves better.
It's a good partnership! Rob is a perfect fit for helping us present some of our UK projects, and it's our hope that this'll help us both grow going forward! - Tom
