As Dorset Wildlife Trust’s warden for north Dorset, I count myself as extremely lucky to work on several woodland nature reserves. Woodlands have always been one of my favourite habitats, so I was really excited to watch the woodland episode of Wild Isles. And I was not disappointed! The episode really showed us all how important and awe inspiring the woodlands of the United Kingdom are. From the Caledonian forest of northern Scotland with its majestic Scots pine trees to the Atlantic Oak woods of Wales with their rich assemblages of ferns, mosses and lichens, the UK has an incredible diversity of woodland habitats, each one supporting a myriad of different species.

Of course, it is not just their incredible importance for wildlife that makes woodlands one of our most beloved habitats. They have always had huge cultural significance. The feelings of wonder and intrigue felt within a woodland dwell deep within our psyche. Throughout history they have been both places to fear and to seek shelter. Places where mysterious and magical creatures may dwell and places of bounty that can provide us with food, fuel and timber. It’s safe to say woodlands have and always will be vital for both humans and wildlife.

All this meant it was a rather sobering fact from Sir David Attenborough that woodland only makes up 13% of the UK, and that we are one of the least wooded countries in Europe .

But woodland cover wasn’t always so sparse. As with much of lowland England after the last ice-age, around 12,000 years ago, Dorset was mostly covered in broadleaved woodland. The tundra left after the ice had retreated eventually being naturally colonised by oak, alder, elm, lime and other tree and shrub species.

As human populations increased much of this ‘wild-wood’ was cleared, the wood providing vital fuel and materials and the land used for agriculture and settlements.

Present day Dorset has a variety of different types of woodland. Large conifer plantations cover much of the former heathland in the south and east of the county, whilst in the north and west older, broadleaved woodlands and smaller copses are more common. The oldest of these woods are known as ancient woodlands, these are woods which have existed since at least 1600, but in many cases probably much longer.

It is these ancient, broadleaved woodlands which are often the most important for wildlife. Many species adapting to the human activities within the woods. Over the centuries, diverse communities of plants, animals and fungi have developed here and they are home to some of our rarest and most vulnerable species. It is truly shocking that in the 96 years since David Attenborough was born, we have lost almost half of our ancient woodland. What remains is more precious than ever.

An ancient Dorset woodland is an enchanting place to be. Particularly during the spring when the woodland floor is alive with colour as the many plants indicative of ancient woodlands respond to the warming temperatures and come into flower. Plants like wood anemones, wild garlic, yellow archangel and early purple orchid all indicate a woodlands ancient origins, as well as providing an excellent source of nectar for insects. As does perhaps our most beloved wildflower, the English bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta).

For a woodland to be carpeted in bluebells takes a very long time. The species has a very slow life cycle, taking between five and ten years to grow from seed to flower. The seeds do not disperse well either with the plants colonising new ground slowly, only a few centimetres a year.

The UK’s mild, wet climate makes us a stronghold for bluebells, with almost half the world’s population. This shouldn’t mean we can take them for granted though. The loss of ancient woodlands and the spread of the more dominant and invasive Spanish bluebell (Hyacinthoides hispanica) are threatening our native flower. Spanish bluebells are a garden species that support much less of our native wildlife. More vigorous than our native bluebells, they can outcompete it for resources like light and space. They also readily hybridise, producing fertile plants which over time will change the genetic makeup of our native bluebell population, weakening it and changing its characteristics.

Dorset Wildlife Trust reserves like Ashley Wood, Powerstock Common and Girdlers Coppice are fantastic places to experience a bluebell woodland. In late April or early May, the bluebells are usually at their peak.

These ancient woodland reserves are also home to many of Dorset’s rare and iconic species. Their diverse mix of trees, shrubs and other plants supporting all manner of wildlife. Woodland butterflies like the white admiral and silver-washed fritillary can be seen basking in sheltered sunny areas. Birdsong fills the air with resident birds like song thrushes, marsh tits and great spotted woodpeckers joined by summer visitors like chiffchaffs, blackcaps and spotted flycatchers. Roe deer can often be seen as they cross the grassy rides and during the night hazel dormice climb amongst the trees and brambles in search of food and nesting material.

Standing tall and proud amongst all this woodland wildlife are, of course, the oak trees.

It may have shocked you to hear that England alone has more oak trees than the whole of Europe. In Dorset, impressive English oak trees can be found at many of our woodland nature reserves including Bracketts Coppice, Kingcombe Meadows and Kilwood. They are often the oldest trees in the wood, hundreds of years old and supporting thousands of species.

If you are keen to learn more about ancient and veteran oak trees, then I would recommend looking at the Woodland Trust’s ancient tree inventory website where you can search for notable trees in your area, learn more about ancient trees and help conserve them by adding trees you find to their records.

One species with a starring role in Wild Isles that would certainly be at home in a big, old oak tree is the red squirrel.

They were once common and widespread. You may have heard it said that 8,000 years ago a squirrel could travel from John O’Groats to Land’s End without touching the floor, well that squirrel would have been red.

Habitat loss and the introduction of the grey squirrel has pushed the reds back to small, isolated populations in the north of the UK. Here in Dorset however, we are extremely lucky to still be able to see red squirrels in the wild. Dorset Wildlife Trust’s nature reserve on Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour has a good population, and a trip to the island is worth it for these charming woodland critters alone.

Another stand out moment in the Wild Isles woodland episode has to be the footage of starlings roosting among the trees on Bodmin Moor, trying to evade aerial predators such as the elusive barn owl (you can watch our Lorton Meadows barn owls on our wildlife webcam). Starling murmurations like this are a must-see for any wildlife lover, a truly unforgettable experience. The best place to see one at one of Dorset Wildlife Trust’s reserves is not a woodland, but a reedbed. West Bexington nature reserve, just down the coast from Cogden beach, is known to have good displays. One to remember for next autumn, as murmurations usually occur between November and February when large numbers of starlings gather to shelter from the harsher weather.

Looking after our woodlands and ensuring wildlife continues to thrive there requires a lot of work from Dorset Wildlife Trust’s wardens. One of the most important ways in which we manage many of our woodland reserves is coppicing.

Coppicing is an old method of managing a woodland, something people have been doing for thousands of years. Traditionally, coppicing provided a continuous and sustainable supply of timber and materials used in a huge range of things from thatched rooves to charcoal making. It takes advantage of the fact that almost every broadleaved tree native to the UK will regrow from the base if cut down when young, several stems growing from the original stump.

As the warden responsible for both Ashley Wood and Girdlers Coppice I spend many a winter's day in these woods coppicing, often with the help of our fantastic team of volunteers. Each winter when the trees are dormant and the birds have finished nesting, we coppice one or two small areas, known as coupes, in each woodland. It’s always a popular task with the volunteers. Working in the woods, using age old techniques to give the woodland a helping hand to provide an ideal place for wildlife, what’s not to like?

Coppicing can have huge benefits for wildlife with many species responding to the newly created open areas within the wood. It is no coincidence that the decline in coppicing in the UK over the last century has coincided with the decline of many woodland species.

The increase in light and warmth in a newly coppiced area stimulates new growth. Come the spring there will be an eruption of bluebells, wood anemones, violets and many other woodland flowers. These valuable nectar sources as well as the warm sheltered conditions attract insects, which in turn attract birds, reptiles, bats and other small mammals.

With only one or two small areas coppiced each year, there is always a varied structure to the woodland, providing many different ecological niches that different species need.

David Attenborough stated that woodland only covers 13% of the UK, Dorset has about 10% and of that, only around 3% is ancient woodland. It is vital these remaining places, so important for wildlife and human wellbeing, are protected and looked after.

So, I urge you to get out there this spring and visit an ancient woodland. Take a moment to listen to the birdsong, appreciate the bluebells, and contemplate the centuries that have passed within that wood. May there be many more to come.

We will be back next week with another blog covering episode three of Wild Isles and Dorset's spectacular grassland. Catch up on the BBC Wild Isles series on BBC iPlayer.