| Wood-pasture, parkland and ancient trees action plan - Wiltshire |
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| Extent/Distribution Statistics on the actual extent of wood-pasture and parkland in Wiltshire are not available. The documentary record for medieval parks is incomplete and therefore subject to a number of interpretations. Cantor (1983) estimates that there were about 1,800 parks in England and his gazetteer records approximately 39 in Wiltshire. Against this, Rackham (1990) suggests the number of medieval parks in England was closer to 3,200, with 70 in Wiltshire. Assuming an average park size of 80 ha (Rackham 1986) , approximately 5,800 ha of medieval Wiltshire was once parkland. Although new parks were created after the medieval period, there seems to have been an overall decline, and so the figure of 5,800 ha may be regarded as the 'high point' of parkland in Wiltshire. Not all of this parkland would have been in wood-pasture, but it is likely to have been the dominant form of management. To this very crude estimate must be added other areas of wood-pasture management outside the medieval park system, described by Rackham as wood-pasture management in wooded commons and wooded forest; possible examples of the latter include the Longleat and Hamptworth estates. It is difficult to estimate how much wood-pasture survives today. The English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest lists 35 historic parks and gardens for Wiltshire, of which around 26 contain parkland. However, a number of parks are not included on the Register (for example Pythouse Park near West Tisbury), and the Register does not include wooded commons and forests, except where they coincide with historic parks. It may be that the area of relict wood-pasture in the county is double that within designed parks, giving a crude estimate of around 4,300 ha. Damage to trees and roots from soil compaction and erosion caused by trampling of livestock, farm machinery, concentrated public access and car parking, often leading to pathogen problems. Loss of trees through disease (e.g. Dutch elm disease, oak dieback) and storm damage. Loss of trees through competition for resources with surrounding younger trees, usually following abandonment of grazing and often as a result of subsequent tree-planting. Loss of genotype because of replacement species being sourced from elsewhere e.g. continental Europe, rather than from seed collected locally from existing trees. Pasture loss and enrichment through reseeding, deep ploughing, overstocking and use of fertilisers and other chemical treatments, leading variously to loss of nectar-bearing flowers, tree root damage and damage to the mycorrhizal fungi and to epiphytes. Removal of ancient trees and decaying wood due to perceptions of tidiness and safety where sites have high amenity use, and for the supply of firewood. Pollution derived from industry, traffic, crop spraying and muck spreading causing damage to epiphyte communities and changes to soils. Management Lack of younger generations of trees is producing a skewed age structure, leading to breaks in continuity of dead wood habitat and loss of specialised dependent species. Isolation and fragmentation of the remaining parklands and wood-pasture
Policy and legislation Where appropriate, designate wood-pasture and parkland sites as SSSIs or recognise as Wildlife Sites.LEAD: EN, WWT PARTNERS:LAs [TARGET: ongoing] Local planning authorities to recognise the importance of protecting ancient wood-pastures and parklands through the appropriate local plan policies and development control practices. LEAD:LAs PARTNERS: WWT,GWCF, FC, EN, [TARGET: ongoing] Management
All management plans for ancient woodland sites to recognise importance of wood-pasture and ancient trees, including management for ancient trees wherever possible. LEAD:FC/ DEFRA PARTNERS: EN, WWT, FWAG [TARGET: ongoing] Encourage sensitive pasture management of wood-pastures and parklands. LEAD:DEFRA PARTNERS: WWT [TARGET: ongoing] Identify target areas for tree planting, including links and buffers to ancient wood-pasture and parkland sites LEAD:FC PARTNERS: WBRC, LAs, EN, GWCF, EH [TARGET: ongoing] Encourage the retention of veteran trees and their deadwood habitat in situ and manage to prolong their life. Provide advice and funding for work .LEAD:FC/RDA PARTNERS:WWT,DEFRA/WT [TARGET: 2003] Reverse fragmentation and reduce the generation gap between ancient
trees of wood-pastures and parklands by the restoration of wood-pasture
management, replacement planting and pollarding. Support removal of plantation and secondary woodland around remnant
wood-pasture, within a long-term management strategy. LEAD:FC Research and monitoring
Collate database of existing wood-pasture and parkland resource and their condition, and identify gaps in knowledge. LEAD: WSBRC PARTNERS: WWT, WANHS, EN, WBS [TARGET: 2002] Identify key areas of wood-pasture and parkland for dead-wood insects, bryophytes and lichens. LEAD: WSBRC PARTNERS: WWT, EN, FC, WBS [TARGET: 2004] The condition of all SSSI wood-pasture to be regularly monitored LEAD: EN [TARGET: 2003] Education and
awareness raising
Encourage survey and appropriate management with owners and managers
of ancient wood-pasture, parkland and ancient tree sites. Promote examples of best practice in parkland and ancient tree management through site visits and publicity (one site visit per year). LEAD: NT PARTNERS: EN, EH [TARGET: ongoing] Promote examples of best-practice in wood-pasture management through site visits and publicity. LEAD: FC PARTNERS: FWAG, EN,WWT, NT [TARGET 2005] Provide learning experiences for local communities and schools
to raise awareness of the importance of wood-pasture/parkland/ancient
trees for wildlife, e.g. events, visits linked to the National Curriculum,interpretation
of important sites No information currently available |
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