PLANTED CONIFEROUS WOODLAND. Address. MOST RECENT UPDATE: August 2007 CURRENT STATUS

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1 PLANTED CONIFEROUS WOODLAND AUTHOR: LEAD AGENCY: Gareth Broome Forestry Commission Address MOST RECENT UPDATE: August 2007 CURRENT STATUS This type of woodland includes all coniferous stands that are composed wholly or mainly of planted non-native conifer species and where native (broadleaved) trees make up less than 20% of the total cover, with the exception of yew and Scots pine. The management of coniferous woodland in the UK is regulated by the government through the Forestry Commission. The Commission also encourages forestry expansion through the payment of grants where creation of new woodland is in accordance with forestry and conservation policies. Policies are informed by both national and international priorities and these are defined in a series of publications that provide the framework for environmental regulations and incentives. The DEFRA document "A strategy for England's Trees, Woods and Forests" (2007) defines and applies government commitments to sustainability and biodiversity and this is augmented by a series of environmental guidelines on subjects including conservation, landscape and water. Nottinghamshire has approximately 15½ thousand hectares of woodland covering just over 7% of the county s land area, and is concentrated in the area known as Sherwood Forest, between Nottingham in the south and Worksop in the north. There are 5643 hectares of coniferous woodland representing 2.6% of the area of Nottinghamshire. This almost exactly compares with the percentage cover of coniferous woodland for England as a whole, although the Midlands Region has only 2.0% cover. The Forestry Commission manages approximately 60% of this woodland in the county. The remaining area is mainly concentrated into a relatively small number of large private estates. Overall, these woodlands are dominated by Corsican and Scots Pine, representing 55% and 37% of the total area respectively. European Larch is the next most common species at only 3% of the area. The existing and potential importance of large UK plantations is often underestimated and should not be overlooked. This recognition has prompted many second rotation forests to be restructured to take account of nature conservation needs, by creating internal forest diversity in terms of both tree species and stand age. Woodland rides and glades are important for vascular plants and invertebrates. Stands containing mature, dead and dying trees, understorey vegetation and open canopies are important for a variety of species. Many planted forests have displaced other habitats that had significant biodiversity value, such as heathland or native woodland. There is potential for restoration of these habitats in some cases, as part of a management plan. Remnants of lowland heathland often persist under canopy and in rides. These remnants provide

2 considerable biodiversity benefit even if it is not financially viable to restore the site. There is also increasing evidence of the adaptation of important species to planted forest habitats, one example is the use of forest-edge nest sites by Barn owl and Goshawk. Conifer forest also provides some unique habitats for important and threatened species such as Nightjar, Hobby, a range of woodland birds, amphibians and reptiles (herpetofauna), a range of invertebrates, bats, lichens, mosses, ferns and fungi. Furthermore, many coniferous woodlands are heavily used as a recreational resource. They have potential to attract large numbers of people thus reducing the pressure that would otherwise face more ecologically sensitive sites. THREATS There is no particular threat to the conifer resource as a whole although some factors could either reduce the existing wildlife interest of plantations or mean that potential improvements are not realised. These include: Insect damage from imported pests can devastate forests. Prospect of shorter rotations or deferred thinning as timber processing becomes more efficient and timber markets change. Changes in culture e.g. The Forestry Commission moving from timber production to recreation due to market forces. Recreational pressures. Rides becoming overgrown and shaded. Herpetofauna and many invertebrates, particularly Diptera (flies) and Hymenoptera (wasps, bees and ants) need open sunny areas in which to bask. CURRENT INITIATIVES EXAMPLES The UK Forestry Standard (1998) on sustainable management defines and applies government commitments to sustainability and biodiversity and this is augmented by a series of environmental guidelines on subjects including conservation, landscape and water. The England Forestry Strategy (England s Trees, Woods and Forests) and the Regional Forestry Framework (Space4trees) sets broad policy that influences woodland management and grants The Greenwood Strategic Plan and other local initiatives such as the Sherwood and Heathland Recreation plan impact on this resource. All of them will tend to limit the further planting of conifers and encourage structural and species diversity. Agri-environment schemes have the capacity to buffer existing woodland and to restore and create adjacent habitats. TARGETS There is a UK Broad Habitat Statement for planted coniferous woodland, which gives the following conservation direction: Maintain and enhance the wildlife potential of the existing conifer resource through continued restructuring and diversification. Measures to be considered further include:

3 Implement UK Forestry Standards, which embrace the Resolution for the Conservation of Biodiversity of European Forests as agreed in Helsinki (1993). Target new woodlands towards areas which will result in a net gain for biodiversity and avoid open habitats of a recognised high conservation importance (of SINC quality or above), or which are BAP priority habitat, such as lowland heath. Promote forestry management that enhances conservation value through restructuring and diversification. Develop systems of monitoring the biodiversity conservation value of planted coniferous woodlands, for example, by assessing critical habitat features and selecting key or indicator species. Identify habitats and species which are of importance within and around coniferous woodlands, such as heathlands, develop action plans for these and ensure these actions are taken into account in forest planning at all levels. Compile and complete an audit of the biodiversity of at least 50% of the coniferous woodlands in Nottinghamshire by Incorporate prescriptions for important habitats and species identified by this audit in all forest plans by Increase the native tree species diversity of coniferous woodlands using species appropriate for the local area, taking care not to harm biodiversity associated with conifer trees that are removed especially fungi and birds. Incorporate objectives and prescriptions for increasing tree species variation in all new forest design plans and all those under review by Increase the diversity of the forest structure by retaining stands to (and beyond) biological maturity, retaining dead standing timber where safe to do so, introducing age class diversity, and establishing areas of long term forest structure managed by continuous cover systems where possible. Include biodiversity objectives into forest design plans for at least 30% of the afforested area of the county by Increase structural diversity by maintaining current open areas such as rides and glades, water bodies and creating new ones where possible. Incorporate objectives for increasing structural diversity in all Forest Plans. Maintain water bodies within conifer woodlands and create new ones where possible. Link habitats of high value for biodiversity and structural features such as rides within conifer woodlands to form a network. Maintain and enhance the wildlife and timber potential of the existing conifer resource through continued restructuring and diversification where appropriate.

4 Continue to direct the limited planting of conifers onto land of low conservation value. Conifers may be appropriate as an element of mixed amenity woodland or as a nurse species to broadleaves. PROPOSED ACTION Policy and Legislation 1 Ensure that restructuring policies applied increase landscape character, tree species diversity, number and connectivity of glades and rides, and age class diversity of coniferous woodlands in the region (eg. UK Forestry Standards). ACTION: Forestry Commission (FC), Local Authorities (LAs), Natural England (NE). 2 Ensure that biodiversity objectives from this and other relevant plans are fully incorporated in the design of new and second rotation forests. ACTION: FC, LA s, NE 3 Include objectives and actions for priority species and habitats in all forest design plans and FE conservation plans. Encourage this approach in private forest areas. ACTION: FC, Forest Owners, EN, Forest Enterprise (FE), NGOs 4 Where possible, restore planted coniferous woodland habitats of biodiversity importance in all Forest Plans, being sure to incorporate prescriptions from associated HAPs and SAPs. ACTION: FC, Forest Owners and Managers, NGOs Site and Safeguard and Management 5 Retain old conifer stands to biological maturity and beyond, on sites where opportunities exist. ACTION: FC, FE, Forest Owners and Managers 6 Increase native tree species diversity where opportunities exist. ACTION: FC, FE, Forest Owners and Managers, Las, NE 7 Maintain glades and rides in favourable condition and create new ones where appropriate. ACTION: FC, FE, Forest Owners and Managers 8 Seek opportunities to link glades, rides and patches of BAP habitats such as heathland in order to create a network. ACTION: FC, FE, Forest Owners and Managers, LAs, NE 9 Seek opportunities for woodland translocation where high value BAP habitats exist ACTION: FC, FE, Forest Owners and Managers 10 Develop action plans for key species associated with coniferous woodlands.

5 11 Management of conifer woodland interface with other habitats, e.g. scallop woodland edges with m curves and glades for nightjar management of the woodland:heath interface. 12 Programme in areas of clear-fell within felling rotation and manage appropriately for nightjar/ woodlark etc. Advisory 13 Promote sustainably certified woods through the UK Woodland Assurance Scheme (UK WAS) as a way of increasing biodiversity. 14 Ensure that all forest managers receive advice about biodiversity within their holdings and the potential for enhancing this. ACTION: FC, NGO s, Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG), NE 15 Advise forest managers and adjacent landowners of grants available for buffering woodland and creating or restoring adjacent planted coniferous woodland habitats. ACTION: FWAG, NE Research and Monitoring 16 Carry out necessary audits of priority habitats and species for incorporation into forest plans. ACTION: FC, FE, Forest Owners and Managers, NE, NGOs 17 Using information collected in the auditing process as a baseline, monitor the effects of restructuring and species management on species and habitats of coniferous woodlands. Monitor the delivery of this plan yearly and in detail every five years, starting in 2010 ACTION: FC Communication and Publicity 18 Promote the understanding of woodland and its wildlife (and of where trees need to be removed) to the public through publications, publicity and events, and disseminate information on the impact of public access on woodland wildlife. ACTION: FC, BAG, NGO s, NE 19 Ensure the application of best practice in the conservation management of conifer woodlands through demonstrations ACTION: FC 20 Disseminate information to relevant landowners and managers on maximising biodiversity through best practice

6 ACTION: FC WHAT YOU CAN DO Join organisations such as the National Trust, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and Woodland Trust to support the management of key BAP habitats. SPECIES LIST The following are examples of species of conservation concern (appendix A) which are likely to benefit from this action plan: Leisler s Bat Noctule Bat Brown Long-eared Bat Adder Common Lizard Sand Digger Wasp Glow worm Pine Hawk Moth Nightjar Woodlark Long-eared owl Redpoll Siskin Crossbill