Oxford today

BEN SHELDON, DEPT OF ZOOLOGY, FOTOLIA
www.oxfordtoday.ac.uk
DIGITAL
Dr Keith Kirby, ecologist (above right) and woodsman Matt Williams (below)– both
Wytham wanderers who explain why their woods are a national treasure
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Wytham
Woods:
exclusive
online series
A special Oxford Today
fi lm series explores
Wytham Woods
7
Lying west of Oxford and comprising
390 hectares (almost 1,000 acres),
Wytham Woods are owned by the
University of Oxford and used for
environmental research. In a four-part
film series, Oxford Today tries to capture
the magic of the woods by interviewing
some of the remarkable characters at work
there. ‘Woods’ actually means a variety
of habitats, including ancient semi-natural
woodland, secondary woodland and
plantations and a variety of ponds.
The site has an exceptionally rich flora
and fauna, with more than 500 species of
vascular plants and 800 species of
butterflies and moths.
Wytham Woods are one of the most
researched areas of woodland in the
world. Wytham has a wealth of long-term
scientific measurement, with bird data
dating back for more than 60 years,
badger data for more than 30 years and
climate change data for the last 18 years.
Although the majority of the research
activity is Oxford-based, any organisation
can utilise the site.
The Laboratory with Leaves is a four-part
video series. The fourth and final part
will go live at www.oxfordtoday.ox.ac.uk
in the first week of May.
Oxford Today is now on
the iPad. Visit Apple
Newsstand to download
www.oxfordtoday.ox.ac.uk