VEGETATION SUCCESSION ON A RELOCATED ANCIENT WOODLAND SOIL

A total of 11000 m(2) of topsoil was moved from an area of ancient woo dland on the site of the Channel Tunnel terminal near Folkestone, Kent , to a prepared receptor site nearby. The site was then overplanted wi th nursery-grown trees and shrubs, which in turn required weed control maintenance to aid tree establishment. Records of plant species and a study of the soil seedbank were made in the original wood before tran sference, after which species frequencies on the receptor site were re corded annually for 5 years. The soil seedbank was sampled on two occa sions. At the end of the recording period 16 of the original 99 specie s had not been re-recorded, but 93 additional (mainly ruderal) species had been found. Of the remaining original species, several ruderals a nd some woodland species in the soil seedbank increased, but wetland s pecies tended to decrease. Vegetation composition was affected both by the position of collection from the original wood, and by the mainten ance regime adopted. The exercise appears to have been at least partly successful in establishing the original species, and useful experienc e has been gained.