Questions: Do woodland field layer communities reassemble effectively after being translocated from a donor to a receptor site? Does the method of soil handling (turfing or loose-tipping) or the season of transfer determine the outcome?Location: A deciduous ancient coppice woodland in Kent, southeast England.Methods: Two methods of soil translocation were compared: loose-tipping, involving stripping a layer of topsoil and re-spreading it at a receptor site; and soil placement, in which soil turves were cut and laid intact. The operation also provided an opportunity to observe the effects of seasonal translocation, respectively, in autumn and spring. Soil compaction, texture and chemistry were assessed after translocation, while vegetation cover changes were followed over a 10-yr period.

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