File:Wet woodland by Par Pond - geograph.org.uk - 1716042.jpg

English: Wet woodland by Par Pond Wet woodland occurs on poorly drained or seasonally wet soils. It is typical of river valleys, the surroundings of mires and raised bog, the transition zones between open water and drier ground, and, in this case, flooded river estuaries where the water table is high. Alder, birches and willows are the characteristic trees found in this type of habitat, as they are able to extract oxygen from the water saturated habitat. Wet woodland is a disappearing habitat due to land drainage for farming and there are only 50-70000 ha of this diverse habitat left in Britain. This area at Par Pond is important for the diverse wildlife supported including otters, numerous species of ducks, and grass snakes. The water is very dark and looks like a black mirror due to the high concentration of decomposing plant material.Note the lichens growing on the tree branches; a sign of clean uncontaminated air.