Weardale and Derwentside Juniper project
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What is Juniper (Juniperus communis)? Juniper is one of three conifer species native to the UK. There are two subspecies: the dwarf or prostrate juniper (subsp. nana) is a low growing, matted shrub with elongated berries, mostly confined to coastal and mountain areas. In the Durham area we are concerned with the 'tree' juniper (subsp. communis), which can be upright, but (just to confuse things), also grows on the Durham coast in prostrate form. Juniper is an important food plant for many invertebrates. Thirty-five
insects and three mites are specifically associated with juniper
and the berries are eaten by a number of birds including thrushes,
fieldfares and waxwings. Why is it dying out? The once extensive stands of juniper in Durham's uplands are dying out. New plants are not establishing in the surrounding grass. Not enough is known about the right conditions for Juniper propagation but it seems that under grazing prevents seeds from ever reaching the soil whilst overgrazing prevents young plants from establishing.. Ideally, Juniper probably needs some ground disturbance followed by periods of low intensity grazing in order for it to regenerate naturally. Analysis of charcoal from Weardale shows that juniper (although
present in Weardale woods) was not used by the iron-smelters as
a component of charcoal. One possibility is that the present stands
of juniper are remnants of former, more diverse woodlands, which
were cleared for charcoal leaving the unwanted juniper behind. Perhaps
it initially managed to colonise the disturbed ground and spread
out, but conditions have changed and the juniper is only able to
regenerate periodically when conditions are right. What is the DBP doing? The Durham Biodiversity Partnership is doing two things to try and reverse the decline in local juniper populations. Firstly we are establishing a stock of locally sourced plants. Seeds are being collected from known local stands and being grown on by Trees Please. Once grown the plants will be available to partner organisations for planting out in the Durham area. The second activity is the planting of new or expanded juniper
woodlands and the inclusion of juniper in new planting schemes for
upland oak woodland. New Juniper sites Sites chosen to establish new juniper woodlands are in the west of County Durham in the Pennine dales of Weardale and in Derwentside. As part of the partnership's involvement in the Mineral Valleys
Project we plan to plant approximately 1000 juniper plants of Cumbrian
and 100 of Derwentside provenance on two sites at Waskerley Reservoir
and Hedleyhope Fell. More plants of local provenance will be available
for planting schemes from 2008 onwards. The Plantlife National Juniper survey You can help the national work to protect juniper (and win a bottle
of organic gin!) by taking part in a current national survey organised
by the charity Plantlife.
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