LOWLAND MIXED WOODLAND ACTION PLAN
The Trees and Woodlands Sub Group of the
Northamptonshire Biodiversity Partnership Group has developed this Plan. The group comprises representatives from
Boughton Estate, English Nature, Forestry Commission, Northamptonshire County
Council, Rockingham Forest Trust, Royal Forestry Society and The Wildlife
Trust.
Lead Agencies: Public Sector: Forestry Commission
Voluntary
Sector Royal Forestry Society
Lowland Mixed Woodlands, which include
broadleaf and coniferous woods, are an important part of the county’s heritage
as they provide a range of habitats that support a rich diversity of flora and
fauna. They are also of key ecological
importance as many woodland species depend entirely for their survival on the
continued existence of this habitat.
Habitats included in this plan:
Ancient Semi-Natural
Woodland
Ancient Woodland
Sites
Plantations on
Ancient Woodland Sites
Recent Woodlands
Newly Planted
Woodlands
Associated Plans:
Wet Woodland
Lowland
Woodland Pasture and Parkland (including Veteran Trees)
Urban Forest
and Greenspace
Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland (ASNW) is land
that has had continuous woodland cover since at least 1600AD and which retains
a native tree and shrub cover that has not been planted, although it may have
been managed by coppicing or felling and allowed to regenerate naturally. They
retain their historic features including the coppice structure and ride
networks and have a rich fauna and flora including rare species such as
dormice. Old forest grassland is a particularly rare habitat within a few of
these woods. They also represent a unique archaeological resource because they
preserve medieval and earlier industrial remains in an exceptional state. As
such, they are the main focus for this Habitat Action Plan.
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Example One: Short Wood Nature Reserve SSSI, near Oundle. Grid Ref: TL023914 This 25ha woodland, a Site of Special
Scientific Interest, is a fragment of the Rockingham Forest that was bought
by the Wildlife Trust in 1974. It
consists mainly of mixed coppice of ash, hazel and field maple with oak and
ash standard trees. There are a
number of interesting shrubs found in the wood, including dogwood, spindle,
wayfaring tree, wild service tree and guelder rose. Access is via a bridleway from the road between Glapthorn and
Southwick and access is permitted along the paths and rides in the wood. |
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Example Two: Everdon Stubbs, Everdon, near Daventry Grid
Ref: SP605566 Everdon Stubbs (72 acres) comprises two
areas, the Stubbs and Everdon Wood, which provide a very important feature in
the landscape. It is predominantly
coppice woodland with areas of oak high forest. Some planting has been attempted most of which has failed
although some conifers and sweet chestnut remain. Bracken, grass and the springtime bluebells are features of
this woodland that is very well used by the public. This woodland, a Site of Special Scientific Interest, is owned
and managed by the Woodland Trust and is open to the public. |
Ancient Woodland Sites are sites that have had
a continuous woodland cover since at least 1600AD and where the original tree
cover has been felled and replaced.
Example Three: Fermyn Woods, Brigstock, Kettering.Grid Ref: SP960854
This site,
approximately 506 hectares including Lady Wood, has always been wooded since
before AD1600. Some compartments were planted with Norway Spruce after the
Second World War. These have
subsequently been removed and replaced with broadleaves such as oak and
ash. The woodland is accessible from
Brigstock Country Park and is owned and managed by the Forestry Commission.
Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites is land
that has had a continuous woodland cover since at least AD1600 and where the
original tree cover has been felled and replaced with conifers – usually in
this century.
Approximately
126ha is an Ancient Woodland Site which was planted up with Corsican Pine after
the Second World War. In the future,
these will be replaced with site native species, as part of the Ancient
Woodland Project. Parts of this wood are Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
This site is owned and managed by the Forestry Commission. There are forest
trails and other public paths through the wood.
Recent woodlands (planted between 1600 – 1985)
on land which was previously used for other purposes. Generally their species
diversity is not so great as Ancient Woodland Sites. This includes both broadleaf plantations and conifer plantations
on restored iron workings, which are a distinct local feature.
Example Five: Irchester Country Park, near
Wellingborough. Grid Ref: SP912659
This former
ironstone quarry is now one of Northamptonshire County Council’s Country Parks. It was worked during the 1920s & 1930’s
and the site was gradually planted with Scots Pine and European Larch,
inter-planted with Poplar and Alder.
The woodland is being progressively replanted with locally
characteristic broadleaves. The site is
fully open to the public and has forest trails throughout.
Newly planted woodland (since 1985) which has
been planted on land which was used previously for other uses, for example
arable production. Their biodiversity is lower than that of ancient sites, but
nonetheless may be of more value than arable or improved grassland sites.
Example Six: Barford Wood, between Kettering & Corby,
next to A6003, Grid Ref. SP858823
This site (38
acres) was planted during the winter 1998/1999 by the Wildlife Trust. It was planted with a range of species that
would naturally occur in the Rockingham Forest, such as ash, field maple and
oak. There is an area in the centre
that has been planted with hazel with the intention to introduce a coppice
regime once the hazel grows. The site
is owned and managed by the Wildlife Trust and is open to the public.
Britain, as a whole, is one of the least wooded
countries of Europe with an average of 10% woodland cover throughout the whole
country and 8% cover in England.
To date, there is no a National Action Plan for
Lowland Mixed Woodland.
Currently, only 5.2% of Northamptonshire is
covered with Lowland Mixed Woodland. Of this, 3% is broadleaved woodlands; the
remaining 2.2% is coniferous woodland, mixed woodland, scrub and new planting.
However, the area of woodland varies throughout
the County. In the Rockingham Forest
the area of woodland is above the English average at 10%. Importantly, Rockingham includes a
particularly high concentration of ancient woodlands with 80% of the County’s
total and the second largest concentration anywhere in the country.
Barn owl (Tyto alba), Black hairstreak (Strymonidia pruni), Dormouse (Muscardinus
avellanarius), Lime bark beetle (Ernoporus tiliae), Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos) and Pipistrelle Bat
(Pipistrellus pipistrellus).
Yellow necked mouse (Apodemus flavicollis), Peacock Moth (Semiothisa notata), Woodsage (Teucrium scorodonia), Hard fern (Blechnum spicant) and
Fly orchid (Ophrys insectifera).
See Appendix 2 Trees and Woodlands Priority
Species for full lists
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State of “neglect” (including skewed age class distribution)
in many woods due to lack of markets for “low grade broadleaf wood”. Woods traditionally managed on a coppice
regime have been neglected and young high forest crops have not received early
thinnings – quality suffers as a result.
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Economic considerations, including commercial
returns, viability of forest operations, trade deficit in forest products and
market stability.
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The lack of appropriate woodland management
skills.
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Deer grazing resulting in prevention of
woodland regeneration, damage to coppice re-growth, damage to ground flora and
damage to young tree stock.
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Grey squirrel damage, causing bark stripping,
which may result in tree death or eventual degrading of timber.
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Rabbits reduce viability of natural
regeneration and increase costs necessary for protection, creating a
disincentive to woodland managers.
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Recreational use of woodlands, for example
all-terrain bicycles, excessive visitor disturbance including dog walking. These impacts are localised but where they
do occur they can cause serious damage to the ground flora and create
disturbance to wildlife.
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Impact of development, leading to increased
fragmentation of habitat.
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Forestry Commission Broadleaf Policy 1985 through
which controls, incentives and advice were developed to: maintain existing broadleaved
woodlands as broadleaved; minimise further woodland loss by clearance for other
land uses and increase the broadleaved area by new planting.
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Obligatory planning consultation between the
local planning authority and the Forestry Commission on any application (either
new or extension to existing) within 500m of boundary of ancient woodland, as
defined by English Nature’s Ancient Woodland Inventory.
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Protection of certain species under the
Countryside and Wildlife Act 1981 for example badgers, breeding birds, the
dormouse and pipistrelle bat.
·
Planning Policy Guidance Note 9, Nature
Conservation (DoE) 1994 highlighted the importance of maintaining abundance and
diversity of wildlife. Incorporated
within this are points from the Habitats Directive (Council of European
Communities 1992) which states that Member States should endeavour to encourage
the management of landscape features that are of major importance for wild flora
and fauna. Small woods are included
because of their function as “stepping stones” through the landscape, essential
for migration, dispersal and genetic exchange.
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The need for a felling licences from the
Forestry Commission, for felling timber volumes greater than 5m3 per
calendar quarter.
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Some degree of protection is offered to many
ASNW through their identification and protection as County Wildlife Sites
through policies in County Structure Plans and Local Development Plans.
·
Tree Preservation Orders or Conservation Areas
– administered by the local planning authority.
·
Local Supplementary Planning Guidance.
·
The Forestry Commission has published an UK
Forestry Standard and produced a series of Forestry Commission guidelines:
there are several including Bulletin 112 Creating New Native Woodlands;
Forestry Practice (Handbook 6); Forest Nature Conservation Guidelines; Forest
Landscape Design Guidelines and Forest and Water guidelines. In addition, the Forestry Commission has
produced a series of environmental guidelines specific to the management of
Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland and uses these as a benchmark for the assessment
of applications for Woodland Grant Scheme.
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Advice on the management on all types of
woodland may be obtained from the Forestry Commission, from specialist
consultants or from voluntary organisations, depending on the nature of the
information required and the purpose for which the woodland is being managed.
·
A Landscape Strategy for Northamptonshire and
the Landscape Guidelines Handbook.
·
A Nature Conservation Strategy for
Northamptonshire.
·
District Council Nature Conservation/ Landscape
/ Trees and Woodland Strategies.
·
Ownership of Northamptonshire’s woodlands is
diverse, being in the hands of the Forestry Commission, private landowners,
business land ownership, public bodies and voluntary organisations.
·
The Wildlife Trust manages 78 ha of Lowland
Mixed Woodland, of which 81% are Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
·
The Woodland Trust own and manage 71 hectares
of Lowland Mixed Woodland, 56% of which is Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland.
Example Seven: Ancient Woodland Project, led by the
Forestry Commission
The Ancient Woodland Project aims to reinstate
mixed broadleaf woodlands on Ancient Woodland Sites where the conifer crop has
been removed. This will affect over
7,000 hectares in Northamptonshire, Rutland, Leicestershire, Bedfordshire,
Buckinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Peterborough and will reinstate the type of
woodland that would have existed on these sites for many centuries. The
Forestry Commission will carry out this work over the next few decades and hope
to be able to make the most of the historical and archaeological sites in the
woodlands. They also hope to involve
the local communities widely, encouraging them to help shape the future
development of their local woods.
Example Eight: Rockingham Forest Trust
In April 1997
the Rockingham Forest Trust proposed combined landscape, wildlife and heritage
objectives for ancient and recent woodlands as part of the Rockingham Forest
Action Programme. The Programme was
agreed with the Forestry Commission, English Nature, Countryside Agency and the
area’s voluntary environmental groups and local authorities.
More recently
the Trust has launched the Rockingham Forest Products Initiative to implement
these objectives in ancient woodlands in the north of the county. The Rockingham Forest Products Initiative is
an association of landowners, managers, craftsmen and retailers who are working
to develop and market local products in a way that meets conservation needs,
supports additional jobs and raised public environmental awareness. Although in its early days, this is a model
that could be expanded over the rest of the county.
6. LOWLAND MIXED WOODLAND OBJECTIVES AND ACTIONS
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OBJECTIVE |
ACTION |
LEAD AGENCY |
PARTNERS |
TARGETS |
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6.1
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Policy and
Legislation
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Objective One: Ensure that BAP species and their habitats
are given an appropriate level of protection in local plans |
Include habitat and species protection
policies in local plans and/or supplementary guidance |
Local Authorities |
Wildlife Trust, Forestry Commission and
English Nature |
By 2003 |
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Objective Two: Maximise the opportunities offered by County
Structure Plan and Local Plan policies for protection, enhancement and
management of Ancient Semi-Natural Woodlands |
Improve policies for Ancient Semi-Natural
Woodland protection and management through the production of local guidance
notes and contributing to the revisions of statutory plans |
County Council |
All Local Authorities, Forestry Commission |
Ensure Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland management guidance is included in
Landscape Guidelines Handbook by 2002 |
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Comment on planning applications affecting
Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland |
Wildlife Trust |
Forestry Commission |
Throughout Action Plan Period |
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Encourage Development Control teams to use planning conditions
and Section 106 agreements to secure improved woodland management related to
new development |
Local Planning Authority Development Control Teams |
Forestry Commission |
All development in the vicinity of ASNW to
result in improved woodland management throughout the action plan period |
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6.2
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Site Safeguard and
Management
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Objective Three: Ensure compliance with The UK Forestry
Standard; prepare management plans for specific woodlands or woodland groups
and verify against The UK Forestry Standard |
Prepare management plans for all Ancient
Semi-Natural Woodland |
Forestry Commission |
Land Agents/ Consultants, Rockingham Forest
Trust & English Nature |
Have management plans in place for 25% of
Ancient Semi-Natural Woodlands outside Forestry Commission ownership by 2010 |
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Objective Four: Renew, where appropriate, the traditional
coppice rotation across Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland sites in the county. |
Undertake baseline survey to ascertain extent
of coppice rotation management |
Wildlife Trust |
All Local Authorities, Forestry Commission |
2002 |
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Use existing mechanisms, for example SSSI
management agreements, to promote traditional coppice management |
English Nature |
Rockingham Forest Trust, Forestry Commission,
Land Agents/ Consultants and
landowners |
Double traditional coppice rotation in woodlands
under active management by 2003 |
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Establish a pilot local woodland product
marketing network |
Rockingham Forest Trust |
Forestry Commission and woodland owners |
Market charcoal & firewood by end of 2000, with additional
products by 2001 |
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Establish a county-wide local woodland
product marketing network |
Forestry Commission |
Woodland owners |
By 2005 |
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To promote an independently verifiable
sustainable management scheme throughout the county |
Forestry Commission |
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25% of woodlands to be covered by UK Forestry
Standard by 2005 |
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To develop a pilot UKWAS agency agreement in
the Rockingham Forest |
Rockingham Forest Trust |
Woodland owners |
By end of 2000 |
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Objective Five: Ensure all woodland management is compatible
with wildlife conservation and respects the archaeological resource |
Integrate ride management into all Woodland
Grant Scheme management plans for Ancient Semi-Natural Woodlands |
Forestry Commission |
Land Agents /Consultants, Rockingham Forest
Trust and woodland owners |
All new WGS plans integrate ride management
by 2001 |
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Integrate the retention of all standing
deadwood where there are no Health and Safety implications into Woodland
Grant Scheme management plans for Ancient Semi-Natural Woodlands |
Forestry Commission |
Land Agents/ Consultants, Rockingham Forest Trust and
woodland owners |
Retain all appropriate standing deadwood from
2000 |
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Objective Six: Seek opportunities to regenerate broadleaf woodland on previously
coniferised Ancient Woodland Sites |
Implement the ANCIENT WOODLAND PROJECT (See
Example Seven above) on all Forestry Commission land in the county |
Forestry Commission |
Local communities to input design |
Regenerate 1000ha of AWS by 2010 |
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Examine the potential for Ancient Woodland
Site regeneration across the county |
English Nature |
Wildlife Trust |
Establish baseline information on extent of
coniferised Ancient Woodland Site (not in Forestry Commission management) by
2003 |
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Objective Seven: Ensure appropriate management of pest species
populations across the county to promote the regeneration of Lowland Mixed
Woodlands |
Establish co-ordinated deer groups to control
deer population in conjunction with The Deer Initiative |
Land Agents / Consultants / Deer Initiative |
Forestry Commission and woodland owners |
Establish 2 deer control groups by 2003 |
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Integrate pest control into all Woodland
Grant Scheme management plans for Ancient Semi-Natural Woodlands |
Forestry Commission |
Land Agents /Consultants, Rockingham Forest
Trust and woodland owners |
All new WGS plans integrate pest control
measures by 2000 |
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Objective Eight: Enhance recently planted woodlands to optimise wildlife and
landscape benefits |
Promote the Forestry Commission’s good
practice guidelines |
Forestry Commission |
All woodland advisors |
Ensure all Forestry Commission guidelines are
promoted and readily available to all woodland owners and mangers by 2000 |
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Objective Nine: Create new native woodlands in appropriate locations following
the principles outlined in the UK Forestry Standard. Priority is to create woodlands adjacent to relics of Ancient
Woodland flora (woodlands & hedgerows).
If site is not adjacent to such sources, it should ideally be more
than 2 ha in size |
Promotion of Woodland Grant Scheme and
England’s Forestry Strategy. New
woodlands should not be planted on important archaeological remains and areas
of high ecological value and ideally should comprise stock of local
provenance |
Forestry Commission |
Land Agents /Consultants, Rockingham Forest
Trust and Local Authorities |
Create 500ha of new native woodland by 2010 |
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Promote species mixes that are site native
and of local genetic provenance |
Forestry Commission |
Land Agents /Consultants, Rockingham Forest
Trust and Local Authorities |
Create 500ha of new native woodland by 2010 |
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6.3
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Advisory
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Objective Ten: Expand the training, product and marketing
development work being undertaken as part of the Rockingham Forest Products
Initiative in order to create a market-led incentive for managing Ancient
Woodlands across the county |
Establish demonstration woodlands in the
Rockingham Forest |
Rockingham Forest Trust |
Private woodland owner |
Establish 2 demonstration sites by the end of
2000 |
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Extend the demonstration of actively worked woodlands beyond | ||||||