A FUTURE FOR OUR FORESTS
Safeguarding native forests and ancient trees is on the government’s agenda, reports Ian Hodgson
Better protection for trees and native woodlands and enhanced public engagement are key elements in the revised England Trees Action Plan.
Entitled the ‘Keepers of Time’, the government’s policy for the 111,000 trees currently tagged as ancient or veteran will help safeguard their future.
There is an estimated 914,000 hectares of native woodland in England. It covers ancient and semi-natural woodland, plantations of ancient woodland sites, ancient wood pasture and parkland and infilled ancient woodland and parkland. With more than 70 per cent of ancient woodland covering five hectares or less, its long term survival is under constant threat from fragmentation of sites, unregulated felling, attacks by pests and disease and invasive plants, such as Rhododendron ponticum, and grazing by animals. The government hopes to counter declines by changing national and local planning policy, combined with management practices and collaborations between landowners and national bodies and institutions, so that loss of wildlife is halted by 2030, 75 per cent of woodlands which are Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) are in a favourable ecological condition by 2042 and all woodlands appropriately protected and managed by 2050.
Changes include the reintroduction of traditional management practices, such as coppicing and pollarding, to restore and enhance landscape character and boost wildlife value.
Control measures will see the implementation of practices to halt the damaging effects of grazing livestock, non-native deer and grey squirrels.
Meanwhile, additional native tree planting will see more woodlands created and isolated woodland linked together to help enhance the flow of wildlife.
Recognising the value of woodland to the health and wellbeing of the public, the government also plans to publish a woodland access plan to help landowners manage accessible sites to benefit both society and nature, with guidance for the public when visiting such habitats.
www.gov.uk/government/ publications/keepers-of-time -ancient-and-native-woodlandand-trees-policy-in-england.