Woodland Action Plan - Wiltshire
LBAP Home Habitats Common themes
Similar SW LBAPs Regional Plan UK National Plan Link to LBAP

Cotswold WP

Dartmoor

Purbeck

{reg links} {Nat links} bap title
Key factors
Glossary  

Extent/Distribution

 The National Inventory of Woodland and Trees (FC 1996 ) gives the total area of woodland over 2 ha in Wiltshire as 26,624 whereas the Wiltshire Inventory of 1 Ancient Woodland recorded 24,839 ha of woodland in woods over 0.25 ha, covering a total of 7% of the county. Of this, 12,714 ha (52%) is ancient woodland in blocks over 2 ha, of the recognised ancient woodland about 45% is semi-natural with the remaining 55% having been replanted. [Replanted = all obviously replanted woodland of a broadleaved, mixed or coniferous type. This automatically includes plantations of any species not native to Wiltshire but also to native species planted so densely that the site's semi-natural 1 characteristics are suppressed. ]. The remaining 48% of Wiltshire's woodlands comprised ancient woodland in blocks of less than 2 ha and secondary woodland, either planted or naturally regenerated on previously non-wooded sites.

A significant proportion (44%) of the ancient woodland sites occurs in blocks of over 100 ha, however, the majority of these have been replanted at some stage. The smallest woods are the least likely to have been affected. According to the inventory, only 54 out of 260 woodlands which were between 2 and 5 ha were recorded as replanted. Only c.4% of the woodland shown on the first edition OS 1:25000 series maps (1899-1943) and believed to be ancient has since been cleared, mainly for agriculture. This degree of loss is smaller than might be expected over this period of agricultural intensification.

Woodland occurs throughout the county, though its distribution, abundance and type is closely related to the underlying geology. Distribution is uneven with areas such as Salisbury Plain and the northern parts of the Berkshire and 2 Marlborough Downs Natural Area within Wiltshire having virtually none , whilst other areas such as the Longleat/Maiden Bradley area and Clarendon/Bentley area having large tracts. Likely reasons for the survival of ancient woodland sites include historic enclosure for parks and deer parks or the unsuitability of the land for agriculture, either because of steep gradients or heavy soils.

Threats

  • Loss and fragmentation.
  • Lack of appropriate management.
  • Need to develop better national Planning Policy Guidance for woodland and forestry.
  • Damage by increasing deer populations and grey squirrels.
  • Colonisation of ancient woodland by invasive plant species - rhododendron, laurel, sycamore and Japanese knotweed.
  • Intensive game management. Increasing recreational pressure - proximity to new and existing development.
  • Over-grazing by stock.
  • Depressed wood/wood products market.
  • Past conversion of ancient woodland to conifer and non-native species.
  • Spread of tree diseases such as 'oak dieback'.
  • Climatic factors including air pollution and drought.

Action Plan Objectives

1. Prevent any further losses of ancient woodland.
2. Promote appropriate management of existing ancient woodlands.
3. Restore ancient woodlands which have been planted with or colonised by non-native species, where appropriate.
4. Increase the area of native woodland in Wiltshire in areas without existing wildlife interest. Target links between existing woodlands or other semi-natural habitats.
5. Encourage the planting of woodlands where this enhances biodiversity and does not conflict with existing wildlife, landscape and archaeological interests.
6. Retain and manage ancient trees and deadwood habitat in situ in woodland sites and identify replacement specimens in the vicinity of existing veterans.
7. Continue to research and monitor woodland habitats and species, their distribution and management to add to our knowledge and understanding.
8. Provide opportunities for education, access and awareness-raising initiatives in appropriate woodland sites.

Action Plan Targets

1. Maintain existing extent of ancient woodland (as identified in the provisional On-going Ancient Woodland Inventory, 1987)

2. Initiate measures to create favourable condition of 100% SSSI and 50% of 2005 total ancient semi-natural woodland resource.

3. Achieve management leading to favourable condition of 95% of SSSIs 2010 and 50% of total ancient semi-natural woodland resource.

4. Initiate the restoration of 200 ha of ancient woodland sites. 2005

5. Create 100 ha of new woodland to expand and link existing semi-natural 2005 woodland in Braydon Forest area.

6. Create 100 ha of new woodland through planting or natural regeneration 2010 on unwooded or ex-plantation sites (avoiding sites with existing semi-natural habitats) of which 20% is 'new native woodland' in accordance with Forestry Commission (FC) Bulletin 112.

7. Provide educational and interpretative material for 10 additional woodland 2005 sites with public access.

8. Introduce policies into all development plans to protect and enhance By end of ancient woodland sites during development. Next review cycle

9. Produce a directory of wood suppliers, woodland contractors, suppliers of 2003 native provenance trees and known wood markets, for widespread distribution, to address the problems of processing and marketing wood products.

10. Collate Bath asparagus data to identify principle sites for restoration 2003 management.

11. Initiate restoration, or appropriate management, of 10 woodland sites 2005

Current Action

Legal

  • England Forestry Strategy.
  • UK Forestry Standard and regional conservancy guidelines which provide a clear cross-departmental programme of need/benefits.
  • Forestry Commission Guidelines. Kennet District Council
  • Woodland Strategy - to be used as supplementary
    planning guidance which may be adopted by other local authorities.
  • Lack of policies in Local Development Plans to be addressed through the England Forestry Strategy.
  • Sites designated as National Nature Reserves (NNRs) and Local Nature Reserves (LNRs) (e.g. Langley Wood NNR, Drews Pond Wood LNR).
  • A number of woodlands are notified as SSSIs (32) or recognised as wildlife sites (660) in Wiltshire.
  • There is a requirement for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)determination to be made for afforestation, deforestation, forest roads and associated quarrying.
  • The Forestry Commission is a non-statutory consultee for planning applications within a 500m radius of ancient woodland sites.
  • Felling Licences, Felling Regulations and Woodland Grant Scheme contracts. Underpinned by Forestry Act 1967.
  • Tree Preservation Orders, Conservation Areas and AONB policies all contribute to the retention of trees and woodland of landscape value. (TPOs are not generally used in a woodland situation where they deter appropriate active management).

Management

  • Positive management of woodland sites by Forest Enterprise (FE), WWT,Woodland Trust, English Nature, National Trust and local authorities.
  • Grant schemes - Woodland Grant Scheme (WGS) and Woodland Improvement Grants (WIG) through the Forestry Commission. DEFRA funding is available for small works on farmlands through the Farm Woodland Premium Scheme, for wet woodlands in the Avon Valley ESA and for limited non-commercial planting in the South Wessex Downs
    ESA. Several local authorities have small grants available.
  • The Forestry Commission has introduced the "Jigsaw Challenge" to Braydon Forest area to target WGS applications to encourage the expansion and linkage of semi-natural woodlands.
  • Certification - Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC), UK Woodland Assurance Scheme, accreditation schemes for wood produced from sustainably managed woodlands - All Forest Enterprise (FE) woods are certified by the FSC.
  • Great Western Community Forest and Braydon Forest Projects promote management and planting.
  • Biomass power production may provide short term benefits to the management of existing woodlands within a 60 km radius of the proposed site.

Research

  • National Inventory of woodland and trees - records extent and stand type of all woodlands. Only those greater than 2 ha are mapped but smaller woods are included in area figures.
  • Wiltshire Ancient Woodland Project - survey and management plans for ancient semi-natural woodlands.
  • Monitoring the condition of all SSSIs.

Education

  • Forestry Education Initiative - packs for schools linked to National Curriculum Key Stages 1, 2 and 4. The aim is to bring greater awareness of woodland and forestry issues into the National Curriculum (co-ordinated nationally).

  • The Woodland Trust has produced a booklet listing some woodlands which can be visited in Wiltshire, including open access sites and those which are opened for events and open days or by appointment.
  • A number of special interest groups and professional organisations arrange activities and literature which promote woodland habitats and management (e.g. Institute of Chartered Foresters, Royal Forestry Society).

 

Proposed Action

Policy and legislation

Where appropriate, designate woodland sites as SSSI.
LEAD EN


Identify suitable woodlands as Wildlife Sites.
LEAD:WWT
PARTNERS: FC, LAs


Local planning authorities to recognise the importance of protecting ancient woodlands through the planning system
LEAD:LAs
PARTNERS: FC, EN, WWT

Support initiatives which stimulate demand for local wood and wood products. Influence organisational and individual purchasing to favour locally grown and/or FSC wood products. Review incentives to enhance biodiversity within existing schemes.
LEAD:FC
PARTNERS: DEFRA, EN,LAs, GWCF

Develop woodland action plans for each Natural/Character Area in Wiltshire (to include strategies for prioritisation of woods/areas for
management, restoration and creation).
LEAD: EN/FC
PARTNERS: GWCF, LAs

Promote the use of local provenance stock in landscape schemes and grant applications.
LEAD:LAs
PARTNERS: FC

Encourage owners to manage woodlands in line with FSC standards.
LEAD: FC
PARTNERS: WWT, EN,GWCF, TGA


Management

Ensure that long term Forest Plans recognise local distinctiveness and management requirements, e.g. including minimum intervention areas.
LEAD: FC
PARTNERS: WWT, GWCF, WT


Promote the creation of new woodlands which link and buffer existing ancient woodland, through natural regeneration or planting, in keeping with local landscape character. But not on existing sites of
nature conservation value.

LEAD:FC
PARTNERS: LAs, WT,WWT,DEFRA/RDA,

All management plans for ancient woodland sites to identify and retain veteran and future veteran trees where appropriate.
LEAD: FC
PARTNERS WWT, EN,WT

Promote sustainable game management in woodlands.

LEAD: GC
PARTNERS: FWAG, Local Estates,WWT, FC

Encourage the removal and control of invasive species such as rhododendron, laurel and sycamore from ancient semi-natural woodland
LEAD: FC
PARTNERS: EN, WWT, LAS, WT

Encourage initiatives which provide suitable local, native stock for use in restoration and expansion schemes where natural regeneration is not a viable option.

LEAD:FC
PARTNERS: WWT,GWCF, LAs, WT

Influence landscape planting to encourage the use of suitable locally native species.

LEAD: LAs LA21, Leisure& Park Depts,WWT, EN


Initiate restoration of ten woodland sites containing Bath asparagus to appropriate management.
LEAD:WWT


Research and monitoring

Prepare a strategy for the prioritisation of ancient replanted sites to
be restored. LEAD:FC

Identify broad target areas for woodland planting, including links and
buffers to ancient woodland sites.
LEAD: EN/FC
PARTNERS: WWT, DEFRA

Complete NVC survey of all SSSI woodlands.
LEAD: EN

Continue NVC survey of ancient woodlands to ensure that important
sub-communities are represented in the SSSI and WS series, and to
allow for tailored management.
LEAD: FC
PARTNERS: WWT, EN

Assess whether SSSIs are in favourable condition (five year cycle). LEAD: EN

Set up monitoring system to measure the benefits to biodiversity through the WGS.
LEAD: FC
PARTNERS: EN, WWT
Collate Bath asparagus data to identify principle sites for restoration. LEAD: WWT


Education and awareness raising

Contact owners and managers of ancient woodland sites to promote survey and appropriate management.
LEAD: WWT
PARTNERS: EN, FWAG,TGA, DEFRA/RDA

Produce and distribute a contact list of woodland consultants, contractors and other tree work specialists, particularly those with specialist wildlife conservation knowledge.
LEAD: TGA
PARTNERS: WWT, EN, FC, GWCF, FWAG, CLA, NFU

Identify demonstration sites for best practice in game management compatible with nature conservation.
LEAD: Game Conservancy
PARTNERS: FWAG, EN

Produce a directory of information including local wood producers, users, nurseries, contractors, machinery hirers/suppliers, etc.
LEAD: WWT, FC
PARTNERS: FWAG, GWCF, TGA, EN

Promote the use of locally produced wood and wood products e.g. through co-operatives, ‘Woodlots’*, farmers markets and biomass fuel production, possibly facilitated by standard logo for approved products.
LEAD: TGA
PARTNERS: LAs, LA21,WWT, FC, GWCF,EDT

Encourage communication and co-operation between woodland managers to increase the viability of woodland operations (e.g. machinery sharing and joint contracts).
LEAD: TGA
PARTNERS: WWT,GWCF, FC,Cotswold, AONB


Promote examples of best practice in woodland management through site visits and publicity, e.g. woodland management demonstration days.

PARTNERS: ADAS, GWCF,FWAG, FC,WWT, NT, EN

Provide learning experiences for local communities and schools to raise awareness of the importance of woodland habitats for wildlife e.g. events ,visits linked to the National Curriculum, interpretation of important sites.
LEAD: FC
PARTNERS: WWT, GWCF,EN, FC, LAs,NT, TGA

Investigate the potential for extending the Farmers Markets initiative to include local wood products.
LEAD: LA21
PARTNERS: LAs, GWCF

Consider establishing an annual Wood Fair (as in South East) which promotes all aspects of woodlands and woodland management.
LEAD: Local Estates
PARTNERS: GWCFTGA, LAs, FC,


Progress

[no information currently available]

Home page