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Neighbourhood nature
There is a fascinating world of nature all around us which we...
There is a fascinating world of nature all around us which we can see if we know how to look for it. Wherever you live, be it in a city or the countryside, you will find areas that support a range of wildlife. This unit will provide you with basic scientific and observational skills so that you can go into your local neighbourhood to discover the animals and plants in open spaces. You will learn how to observe, identify and record the wildlife around you, building up a picture of a small part of your local environment.
By the end of this unit you should be able to understand:
- how woodland is structured
- what is meant by the term ‘ancient woodland’ and how such woodland may be recognised
- how certain woodland management methods can benefit biodiversity
- the conservation importance of ancient trees.
- Duration: 1 hour
- Published on: Thursday 10th November 2011
- Level: Introductory
- Posted under: Natural History
Contents
Neighbourhood nature
Introduction

In this extract from Neighbourhood nature (S159) you will learn about the plants and animals in an English temperate woodland, how they can provide clues about the history of local woodland and how some traditional woodland management methods can benefit biodiversity. You will also learn about the importance of ancient trees as a habitat for certain rare species of insect and fungus.
This unit is from our archive and is an adapted extract from Neighbourhood nature (S159) which is no longer taught by The Open University. If you want to study formally with us, you may wish to explore other courses we offer in this subject area [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] .
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- Creative-Commons: The Open University is proud to release this free course under a Creative Commons licence. However, any third-party materials featured within it are used with permission and are not ours to give away. These materials are not subject to the Creative Commons licence. See terms and conditions. Full details can be found in the Acknowledgements section.
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