Alnus glutinosa Alder

Alnus glutinosa, Alder, is a common, native tree of wet woodlands, lakesides, canal banks and riparian habitats and is found throughout West Glamorgan in these habitats. It forms a distinctive and often swampy wet woodland with willows called Alder Carr. Good examples of this can bee seen at Oxwich, Crymlyn Fen, and along the banks of the Tennant Canal near Jersey Marine. Alder trees in these locations often support a diverse epiphyte flora with lots of lichens. The roots have a symbiotic association with the nitrogen-fixing actinomycete, Frankia. Alder wood is unusually soft and porous when freshly cut but becomes harder and more durable after it is wetted and doesn't rot in wet conditions. Consequently the wood has been used to make boats, sluice gates and water pipes and in the past there were cottage industries that used alder wood for making clogs. Charcoal made from alder wood was also used to produce gunpowder and alder coppices were maintained in the vicinity of the gunpowder works near Pont Nedd Fechan for that purpose. Alder woodland also plays an important ecosytem service role in holding water during seasonally wet weather that would otherwise contribute to urban flooding. Alder is very important for wildlife with some specific, invertebrate associations, such as the  Alder Kitten (Furcula bicuspis), as well as birds. The female fruits ('cones') produce lots of seed which is an important source of food for Siskin (Carduelis spinus) and Lesser Redpoll (Carduelis cabaret) in winter.

Native