Foreword · 2018. 12. 20. · Contents Foreword 2 Introduction 5 Getting to know your woodland 7 Improving your woodland 11 Managing woodland tracks 11 Dead wood and old trees 14

So, you own a woodland?

Getting to know your wood and looking after it

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This document is available to read and todownload in portable document format(Adobe pdf) from the following Internet page:www.forestry.gov.uk/england-grants.

If you need this publication in an alternative format, for example in large printor in another language, please contact:

The Diversity Team Forestry CommissionSilvan House231 Corstorphine RoadEdinburgh EH12 7AT

Telephone: 0131 314 6575email: [email protected]

ContentsForeword 2

Introduction 5

Getting to know your woodland 7

Improving your woodland 11Managing woodland tracks 11Dead wood and old trees 14 Establishing new trees 16 Coppicing 19Thinning 23 Invasive plants 23Woodland wildlife 24

Benefits of a managed woodland 27

Native tree and shrub species:Notes on their special value 29

Supporting information 31Tree felling laws and grants 31Transferring obligations 31

Sources of further information and advice 33Organisations 33Publications and websites 34Other advice and services 35

Acknowledgements 37

So, you own a woodland? | 1

2 | So, you own a woodland?

England’s woodlands are rich and varied.Some are on large estates, but many formpart of smaller holdings. These woods arelikely to have been managed moreintensively in the past than they are today.When the owners of these small woodlandscome to the Forestry Commission for advice,we find that they have a real diversity ofexperience and objectives. Some have hadthe woods in their families for generations,while others bought the wood along withtheir property. Increasingly we are seeinginterest in the purchase or planting of woodsby those with little or no experience of landmanagement.

Each of these owners has a part to play incaring for the country’s woodland heritage.According to our National Inventory ofWoodlands and Trees, there are more than

40 000 small woods (of less than tenhectares) in England, which together makeup 17% of England’s woodlands. That’s asignificant area – and the contribution thatthese woods make to the English landscapeis even bigger than their combined areawould suggest. These smaller woods canalso play a vital part in the conservation ofbiodiversity and many contribute to people’senjoyment as they walk in the countryside.

This booklet is for the owners of woodlandsand is of particular relevance to those withsmall woods in the lowlands. It is aimed atowners who would like to know more abouttheir woods, and how to look after thembetter, but who may not know where to start.

It gives me particular pleasure to note thatthe first edition of this book, which wasdeveloped in South East England and which Ilaunched in 2002, has proved extremelypopular with woodland owners. I trust thatthis third edition will have a similar appealacross the whole country. I hope that you willfind it both useful and accessible, and that itwill deepen your interest in, and enjoymentof, your wood.

Lord Clark of WindermereForestry Commission Chairman


Foreword

Source offirewood and

logs

Wildlife habitats

Timber for usearound the home

and garden

Somewhereto walk

Provides privacy

Timber and woodproducts to sell

Filters noise and dust

Shelter fromwind

Place for thechildren to

play and learn

Rural sports

Adds value toyour property

Somewhere topick wild

mushrooms


To maintain and enhance these benefits,there is a good chance that it will need somehelp. You may already be keen to go out anddo lots of work in the wood – so please readon for practical advice on the best way tocare for your wood and the sources of helpthat are available. A small booklet like thiscannot provide all the answers but it doeshighlight key issues to consider.

Many people, though, think that woods arebetter left untouched, and that a wood left tonature becomes a haven for wildlife. Butthere are lots of simple things that you cando to make it a better place to visit, to attractmore wildlife and to contribute to its upkeep.

So why is it that woods need our interventionto make them better for wildlife? Before manarrived on the scene, forests covered muchof the land. There would have been amosaic of habitats within the forest, assaplings and young trees grew into the gapscreated by storms or disease. Wildlife couldmove through the forest to suitable newhabitats as old ones disappeared. The small,fragmented woods that survive today are notbig enough to develop this range of habitatsnaturally. Sensitive management maintainsthis diversity of habitats, and this allows ournative woodland plants and animals tosurvive and thrive.

Traditional management practices have notonly provided supplies of timber and coppiceproducts but have maintained habitatdiversity in our woods over many centuries.Now such activities are in decline, but someof our best-loved woodland wildlife dependsfor its survival on woodland management –woodland wild flowers and butterfliesflourish in these traditionally managedwoods. By leaving dead wood and old trees,birds like woodpeckers, lots of interestingbeetles and a range of fascinating fungi canbe encouraged too.

But remember: No two woods are alike. This booklet does notattempt to cover all the options; it is primarilyintended to help you look at your wood in anew light, and consider ways of improving it.The old adage ‘a little knowledge is adangerous thing’ is never more true than inwoodland work, especially where equipmentsuch as chainsaws are involved. Felling, forexample, is an operation that should only beundertaken by someone trained in chainsawuse, preferably an experienced local contractor.Before beginning any major work, you areadvised to contact a professional woodlandmanager who can also advise you about fellinglicence requirements and other legalresponsibilities you have as an owner towardsendangered and protected species such asbats and badgers.


IntroductionHaving your own wood amounts to much more than just owning agroup of trees – as you are sure to have discovered already. Theillustration opposite highlights just some of the many benefits thata wood can provide.


Tree and shrub species As anyone who visits woods will know, thereis a huge difference between a beech woodin spring, as the delicate green leaves startto filter the sunlight, and a shady, cool pinewood with a carpet of springy needlesbeneath. The first is an example of adeciduous or broadleaved woodland, andthese are often composed of a mixture ofdifferent species, depending on what suitsthe soil, and what has been added byplanting. The second is a conifer wood, andin the lowlands most of these will have beenplanted for timber, though pines will spreadnaturally onto former heaths.

There are numerous books which can helpyou to identify the main tree and shrubspecies, and two of these are listed under‘Publications and websites’ on page 34.

Structure An older wood will often have vegetation inall layers from what is called the top ‘canopy’through to sub-canopy layers, down toshrubs (the understorey) and plants on theground (the ground flora). In reality, many

woods do not have all these layers. At thebase of the trees the leaf litter includes manyfungi which break down the dead leavesand fallen wood to return the nutrients to thesoil.

Open space Another way that woods vary is in theamount of open space that exists withinthem – and hence the amount of sunlightthat reaches the woodland floor. In somewoods the only openings in the canopy arethe little spaces between the leaves. Largeropen spaces can be found in the form ofrides, glades and ponds. Open space withinthe wood favours woodland-edge plantsand their associated insects, birds andanimals. Much of the flora and fauna in awood lives in the first 10 metres from thewoodland edge, so maintaining open spaceenhances its value for wildlife.


Getting to know your woodlandThe first step in managing a wood is to have a really good look atit. A wood is much more than just a collection of trees – andvariation in all of the following characteristics is what makes yourtrees into a unique woodland.

Adding a whole different dimension to thewood is the history of the site. If the site hasalways been wooded then it will have hadthe chance to be colonised by the richestpossible range of native plant species. Thesewoods will also have been managed intraditional ways, such as by coppicing, andthis means that today they can be veryvaluable for wildlife. In these woodlands,termed Ancient Woodlands (described in thebox below), you will often find bumps andhollows giving evidence of past boundaries,tracks or workings.

The best way really to get to know yourwood is to ask an expert to do a survey. Thiscan then lead to a management plan, whichwill suggest the most appropriate activitiesfor your wood. The Forestry Commission maybe able to contribute to the costs of themanagement plan. Such a grant would needto be agreed in advance, so contact yourlocal Forestry Commission office for details(see page 33).


The age of the trees Woods have different age structures as shown in the following two diagrams.

A tree does not stop being part of the woodland ecosystem just because it is dead – a deadoak can supply a valuable rotting wood habitat for insects and fungi for more than a centuryafter it dies.

History


Ancient treescontaining bothliving and dead

branches

Middle-aged trees

Fallen dead trees

Understorey of shrubs and

small trees

New saplings

Uneven-aged woodland – many wildlife habitats because of high diversity

Even-aged woodland – tidy but of low diversity

Ancient WoodlandsSites which have been continuouslywooded for at least the past 400 years aredescribed as Ancient Woodland. Theseare shown on our earliest reliable maps.Many of these woodlands will be mucholder and some will be directly descendedfrom the ‘wildwoods’ that covered Britainat the end of the last Ice Age. Woodlandwhich is still composed of species nativeto the locality is termed ‘Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland’ (ASNW). Those sitesthat have been managed as plantations,often with conifers, are called ‘Plantationson Ancient Woodland Sites’ (PAWS). ASNWmakes up about 18% of England’swoodlands, with an additional 13% beingPAWS. Though felling of trees within thesewoodlands may have taken place manytimes, ancient woodland sites are, bydefinition, irreplaceable.

1 Mature oak tree2 Young ash tree3 The canopy of the wood4 Understorey of shrubs5 Ground flora, here thriving

in sunlight reaching the woodland floor

1

Improving your woodlandNow that you have had a good look at your wood, you may find that there are some improvements that can be made. The descriptions below aim to give you general ideas, andprepare you for some of the terms used by woodland managers and contractors.

Other books are available which can givemuch more detailed advice and some ofthese are listed under ‘Publications andwebsites’ at the end of this booklet.

The aspects of management described onthe following pages are some of the mostimportant things to consider in small lowlandwoods. Many of the practices describedhave been carried out for centuries and havebeen shown to lead to improvements in thewildlife value of woods, and in their capacityto produce timber.

Managing woodland tracksMany woods lack open space and sunlighton the woodland floor, so flowers andbutterflies that favour open-spaceenvironments at the woodland edge cannotthrive. One of the simplest things you can dois to look for old woodland tracks (oftencalled rides) or glades, and open them out.To let in maximum light with minimum treefelling, concentrate on any rides running in agenerally east–west direction, because they

get more sunlight. The diagram on pages 12and 13 gives an idea of the layout of an‘ideal’ ride and shows you how to manage itto benefit wildlife.

You should find that the sunny ride edgesquickly develop grasses and a range ofplants that are scarce or not foundelsewhere in the wood. These might includeviolets, primroses and red campion or, onsandy soils, heathers and bilberry. Shrubssuch as goat willow may grow on ride andglade edges; this is a food source for manybutterflies and other insects.

Another benefit to opening up the ridesystem is that access for management isgreatly improved. Wet rides soon becomeheavily rutted and sometimes unusablewhen traversed by today’s low-impacttimber-harvesting machines during wintermonths. Even small-scale work requiresaccess usually by four-wheel drive vehicles.Providing drier rides will attract coppiceworkers and firewood contractors to work inyour wood.

So, you own a woodland? | 1110 | So, you own a woodland?

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3

4

5

Centre of ride or field edge

The ride centre needs to beopen to permit access; shortgrass also provides a habitatfor plants like wild strawberry.Let the grass seed in by itself

Cut annually at the end of thesummer – not in winter whentracks could be very muddy

Medium and tall grass andherbs with overwinteringseed-heads

A location for plants like bird’s-foot trefoils and vetches, foodplants for the common blueand wood white butterfliesrespectively

Cut on a roughly three-yearcycle in late summer

Coppiced shrubs andbushes with brambles

Tree species like goatwillow may grow here –this provides a breedingsite for the purpleemperor butterfly. Birdsand small mammals (likedormice) live and nesthere

Cut or coppiced every 5–20years

Woodland canopy


Another important aspect often overlooked isthe need for off-road stacking of produce,places where timber can be temporarilystored to dry out for firewood or awaitinguploading onto timber lorries. These do notneed to be permanent hard standing areas.They can be expanses of open ground left tonature between periods of use every 10–15years.

In some kinds of woodland, brambles maygrow quite densely at first. These are anexcellent food source for butterflies andbees, birds and small mammals, andbramble thickets make great places for birdsto nest. So while you might wish to keepbrambles from pathways, don’t treat themas weeds.

You will be surprised to see what naturalbulbs and seeds are waiting in the groundfor the opportunity to flower, and what seedswill come into the wood on the wind. Avoidplanting ‘improved’ varieties from the gardenwhich could easily take over and out-compete the natural plants. Garden varietiesoften flower and seed at different times fromthe native plants, which can make themmuch less useful as food sources for nativeinsects and other wildlife.


Bat roost

Dense ivy – good fornesting birds andprovides a latenectar source forinsects. Good wintercolour in the barewood

Loose bark wheretree creepers nestand look for insects

Hole in which birdsor dormice mightnest or roost

Bracket fungus

Standing dead trees provide a different kindof habitat from dead wood lying on thewoodland floor, and it’s not just completelydead trees which contribute. As trees reachold age, rot-holes, hollow trunks and deadbranches all start to make these ‘veteran’trees more interesting as habitats for wildlife.

If you have very old trees or dead trees inyour wood, and they are not posingimminent danger to people or property, i.e.not standing near a footpath, building orroad, then leave them to decay naturally.Ancient hollow trees are particularlyimportant features to retain. Even if yourwood has no old trees, dead branches in thecrowns are a useful habitat and should, ifpossible, be left. If there is not much fallendead wood, you could create ‘habitat piles’ –piles of cut wood stacked in a shady area ofthe woodland and left to rot away.

If you really can’t resist the urge to tidy up,remember that it’s better to stack dead woodinto neat piles and leave it in the woodlandthan to remove it altogether. Of course thesepiles should not be your firewood storesbecause you could burn all the creaturesthat are sheltering there.

Another feature of woods that many peopletry to control is ivy on trees. Contrary topopular belief, ivy does not strangle ordamage trees, and should be left on thetrees to provide nest sites, winter shelter andfood for birds and insects.

Remember, you may want to keep yourgarden ‘spick and span’ but naturalprocesses are worth encouraging in yourwood. Intensive care of a wood is notnecessary and may be harmful.

Establishing new trees


Dead wood and old treesTry to resist the urge to ‘tidy up’ the wood;dead wood and dying trees are very usefulas homes for a large range of wildlife likebats, fungi, lichens and mosses. Around athird of woodland bird species nest in holes

in trees, insects such as the rare violet clickbeetle are found in hollow trees, and birdssuch as woodpeckers feed by seeking outinsects under bark. Dead wood is not athreat to the health of the remaining trees.


Rotting wood inbranch ends wherewoodpeckers dig forbeetle larvae

their suitability for factors such as timberproduction or firewood use. Amongst ournative species, oak, ash, cherry and beechare renowned for their timber qualities.Sycamore and sweet chestnut, though notnative, are also highly valued, but thegeneral view is that non-native species likesycamore should not be planted in ancientwoodlands where they can out-competenative species. Most species of tree aresuitable for firewood once they have beencut and dried for a year or two. Ourforebears would have had a use for mostspecies of tree, whether it be hazel forbeanpoles, hornbeam for chopping blocks,alder for clogs or birch for brooms.

Conifers generally grow faster and produce

more timber than broadleaves, so can bevaluable as crops. They can also help toprovide shelter and visual diversity in winterwhen other trees have lost their leaves.Felling licence regulations, however,nowadays prevent the conversion ofbroadleaved woodlands to coniferwoodlands, so these can only be planted asreplacements for other conifers. Anexception to this is the native yew – aspecies which was venerated in the past,and will produce valuable timber in thefuture. In Ancient Woodlands it is oftendesirable to replace any conifers felled withnative species as a means of improving thewoodland habitat for the native flora andfauna. Native flora will often quickly re-establish itself from seed deposited in thesoil long ago before the conifers wereplanted. It often only needs the extra lightand disturbance that the tree felling willprovide to re-establish native plants thatwere thought to have gone long ago.

• Planting

Surprisingly, it is best to avoid planting largetrees. The best trees to plant are bare-rootedtrees, up to 60 cm high, obtained from areputable forestry nursery. Your local ForestryCommission office can supply lists of suchnurseries. The trees should be handledcarefully and the roots should not be allowedto dry out or become damaged. Onceplanted, the soil should be firmed around theroots using, for example, steady pressurefrom the toe of your boot. Planting should,ideally, take place in the autumn althoughspring planting is possible providing it isdone while the tree is still dormant, beforethe buds start to open.• Protection and weeding


Encouraging mature, dying and dead treesin the wood is good, but you will also needto consider the other end of the agespectrum, the new trees. As well as beingthe next generation to ensure a constantsupply of middle-aged and older trees, thedense growth of young trees makes avaluable habitat in its own right. Establishingnew trees can make the wood look moreinteresting, and in some cases may bedesirable for introducing different treespecies.

New trees can be allowed to grow naturallyfrom seed, or you can plant them. Usingnatural processes ensures that the treeswhich develop will, like their parents, be welladapted to the local environment and soshould do well in your wood. However,rabbits and deer can cause a problem byeating your tree seedlings (see page 8).

If you need to plant trees then it is usuallybest to use stock sourced from parent treesin your local area. There are several stagesinvolved in tree establishment; here aresome tips to help ensure success.

• Clearing space for the trees

You may already have some space in yourwood where you want to establish newtrees, for instance areas covered in bracken.But, as described earlier, some open spaceis valuable, and ways of managing edgeshave already been described. If you do notalready have spaces, and your wood islacking in young trees, space can be createdby felling.

To give the trees enough light and moisture

to grow, the establishment area should be atleast twice as wide as the height of thesurrounding trees. Keep the shapes ofclearings natural and in keeping with thelandscape. Young trees should always beplanted outside the canopy of existing trees– they like neither being too dry, nor beingdripped on after rain, but do need a lot oflight.

Felling is something that should beundertaken by a professional, and you mustalso consider whether you need consentfrom the local authority or a felling licencefrom the Forestry Commission (see page 31).Local contractors may also be able to helpfind markets for the timber, thereby reducingthe cost of the operation.

• Choosing the species

If you are planting, you have the option ofchoosing the species you want in the wood.The table on page 29 gives guidelines onchoice of species, and there are manypublications that can give you furtherguidance; some of these are listed under‘Publications and websites’ in the informationat the end of the booklet. In general, ifyou are looking to improve wildlife habitats,aim to choose species which are native toyour locality. Looking at those alreadygrowing in your area will give guidance onwhich ones do well.

If you are lucky enough to have an ancientsemi-natural woodland, resist the temptationof introducing any new species. Instead, tryto improve the conditions for this to occurnaturally.

Of course different tree species will vary in


Even if timber is low on your list of priorities,there is no reason why some of your treescannot be cultivated in this way (maybe 100per hectare). Eventually this could yield avaluable resource for which yourdescendants may thank you.

CoppicingWe often hear that coppicing is good forwildlife. So, should you coppice your wood?When you coppice, you cut down to groundlevel all of the multi-stemmed broadleavedtrees and shrubs in a block. The stumps or‘stools’ shoot and in 5 to 20 years produce acrop of poles that is cut again.

Coppicing creates ideal conditions for somewild flowers in the first few years after cutting– the sudden influx of sunlight can stimulatea wonderful display. As the coppice growsand becomes denser, good conditions fornesting birds are created.

Many old woods were managed as

‘coppice-with-standards’. This is where thecoppice, for example hazel, forms an‘underwood’ below large standard treessuch as oak or ash. Such woods have oftenfallen into neglect, since many of thetraditional markets for their products havebeen lost.

If you have such a wood, you could considerrestoring traditional management practices.However, coppicing is only appropriate forwoods that have been managed in this wayin the relatively recent past – in the last 60years or so. Woods that have not beencoppiced for a very long time or have neverbeen coppiced may be best managed inother ways.

To bring such a wood back into good heart,the standards will probably have to bethinned out to let more light down onto theunderwood. To give the underwood sufficientlight, the standards should form a scatteredcanopy covering not more than a fifth of thearea – up to about 20 mature standards per

hectare, with some 20 other young trees


Your new trees will be very attractive toanimals looking for tasty young growth tobrowse – rabbits and deer are likely to eatyour trees within months of planting if theyare not properly protected. In small areas ofplanting, the most cost-effective form ofprotection is usually a tree shelter. At least1.2 metre high shelters are necessary toprotect against muntjac and roe deer, andfor red, sika and fallow deer, 1.8 metre highshelters are needed.

Tree shelters not only protect the trees butalso serve to mark them when brambles andweeds grow up around them. The sheltersshould split open as the tree grows, but itmay be necessary to slit them with a knifeafter a few years to avoid constricting thetree. Leave the split shelters in place for 7–8years to protect the trees from ‘fraying’ (deerrubbing) which can occur for some yearsafter planting.

Weeds compete for water and nutrients, sothe new trees need to be kept free of weeds,especially grasses, if they are to establishsuccessfully.

Aim to keep a weed-free spot of at least 1metre diameter around each tree from Aprilto August. The cheapest way of doing this isby using herbicides. The tree shelter has theadded benefit of preventing spray drift fromreaching the young tree. Always read theinstructions on the label before using anychemical and if in doubt seek professionaladvice.

If you prefer not to use herbicide, you couldmulch the trees with wellrotted bark, or withplastic sheeting held down with turves.Surprisingly, strimming, mowing or handweeding close to the trees is not a good wayto care for them. Not only is there a high riskof damage to the trees, but grasses andweeds grow back more vigorously after thistreatment and compete even more stronglyfor nutrients and water.

Weeds need to be controlled for at leastthree years after planting, or more if thetrees appear to be struggling to establish.

• Pruning

The most valuable trees for timber are thosewhere the trunk is perfectly straight andbranch free. To achieve this, either the treesmust be allowed to grow extremely densely,or you can remove unwanted branches withsecateurs while the branches are very small,i.e. not thicker than a finger. For largerbranches use a saw or loppers; remove theweight of the branch first, before removingthe stub, as shown in the diagram. Thishelps to avoid tearing the bark below the cut.


Second cut

First cut

Remove stub

Branchbarkridge

Tree shelter

Sturdy stake

Weeds kept downusing herbicide or amulch in a 1 metre

diameter spotaround the tree

and rabbits love to browse new coppiceshoots and repeated browsing will kill even alarge, ancient coppice stool (stump) within afew years. Unless the local rabbit populationis very high, however, it is generally deer thatcause the biggest problem, simply becausethey are taller and the coppice takes muchlonger to grow beyond the reach of theirmouths.

Many parts of the country have high deerpopulations and even those with few deerare unlikely to remain this way for long, so it

is not advisable to consider coppicingwithout putting in place adequate protectionfor the stools. The most effective form ofprotection is a deer fence, and temporaryfences can be put in place for three years orso until the regrowth is taller than 1.5 metres.The Forestry Commission has a helpfulleaflet on deer fencing (see ‘Publications andwebsites’ in the information at the end of thisbooklet).

An alternative that many people use is deadhedging (making a fence with the cutcoppice tops or brash) or piling light brashover each stool. Unless a great deal of effortis made to form a barrier that will beeffective for three years or more, suchmethods are not to be recommended.Furthermore, such piles of twigs can formexcellent hiding places for rabbits to feed onthe coppice in relative safety. If you plan topile brash around individual stools,remember that the ground flora between thestools has no protection and is likely to beeaten. In time interesting species like orchidsand wild daffodils can disappear, therebynegating some of the beneficial effects ofyour work.

Ideally, control of rabbits and deer shouldalso be carried out. This should beconsidered and undertaken in co-operationwith neighbours across the feeding range ofthe animals. If you are in any doubt aboutwhether coppice will be damaged, seekadvice from your local Forestry CommissionWoodland Officer, or avoid coppicingaltogether.

ThinningIn many woods, the trees are growing soclosely together that very little light gets to


being brought on to form the standards ofthe future. The underwood can then becoppiced in blocks (variously known ascoupes, cants or parcels) to establish achequerboard pattern throughout the wood,which wildlife will follow.

The coupes should not be too small or thecoppice will be shaded. In addition, if smallcoupes are not adequately protected frombrowsing (see page 21) they are, in effect,secluded ‘salad bowls’ for deer to enjoy! Asa rough guide, coupes should be between0.25 and 1 hectare in size, but take up notmore than a fifth of the wood at one time. Anecological survey of the wood will help youto decide which pattern of coppicing andlength of coppice cycle are most appropriatefor the species in your wood.

When considering coppicing a new area,inspect the adjacent woodland. If it is verydark and has not been thinned for quite a

while, it would help to let as much light infrom the sides as it does from directly abovethe coppice by thinning the adjacentwoodland (see page 23). A small coupe inan otherwise dark woodland will not havesufficient light to grow well. For this reason itis often better to cut your first coupe on aride edge, opening up the ride at the sametime to provide easy access plus the addedadvantage of extra side light.

From the above description, you will see thatto restore such a wood is a majorundertaking, and will completely alter the'feel' of the wood. It may be a good idea tohave a look at some restored coppice woodsbefore you take the plunge with your ownwood. Your local Forestry Commission officemay be able to direct you to such woods inyour area.Even if your wood seems ideal for coppicing,the problem of browsing should not beignored, particularly in lowland woods. Deer


Eight years of coppice cutting inneighbouring areas: better forspecies like fritillary butterflies withpoor colonising ability

Eight years of coppice cutting spreadthrough the wood: species likedormice can still move betweensuitable sites without descendingfrom the trees

Pole

Before cutting

Stool

Cut

Shootsgrowing intonew poles

One year after cutting

the woodland floor. In some types of woodthis is good for the species living there, but inmany others, it means that few herbs andshrubs can survive and the wood looks darkand uninviting. The trees are all competingwith each other for light and they oftenbecome tall and spindly.

Thinning removes the less healthy or lessdesirable trees and gives the remainingtrees more space to develop. It also allowslight to the woodland floor, encouraging an‘understorey’ of small plants, shrubs andtrees to grow. Thinning occurs naturally in awood as weaker trees die, and yourinvolvement should be seen as ‘working withnature’. The art of the forester is to changethe light levels to the benefit of theunderstorey and ground flora, to allow theremaining trees to develop better crowns butwithout letting in too much wind, which maycause damage.

To find out if your wood might benefit fromthinning, stand in the wood when the leaf ison the trees and look upward. If thecanopies of all the trees are touching, andyou can see very little sky, then it may well betime to do some thinning. In a well-managedproductive forest, thinning is an operationthat is carried out at regular intervalsthroughout the life of the trees: maybe every10 or 15 years for broadleaved trees, andmore often for conifers.

Thinning is an operation for a professional toundertake, and you should engage areputable contractor if you think that yourwood needs thinning. Take your contractor’sadvice about the timing of the work;generally the bird nesting season (end ofMarch to July) should be avoided, and when

ground conditions are very soft work willneed to stop. You will probably need a fellinglicence from the Forestry Commission if youwant to thin – see page 31.

Invasive plantsCertain plants are unwelcome invaders ofour woods. One of the most damaging, andunfortunately most common, isrhododendron (Rhododendron ponticum).This is the mauve-flowered variety that canspread through woods, sometimesproducing dense thickets up to 10 metreshigh. The thick evergreen foliage smothersnative plants, and its roots exude a ‘cocktail’of toxic chemicals including cyanide whichfurther poisons the ground. Eventuallynothing is left beneath the trees butrhododendron, to the detriment of wildlife.

The best way to eliminate rhododendrondepends on the height to which it is growing,but may include spraying with herbicide,grubbing it out or cutting it and treating thestumps. Local woodland agents andcontractors can advise.

Other exotic species that invade anddamage woods include laurel, gaultheria,Himalayan balsam, Japanese knotweed,periwinkle and bamboo. Many of these areintroduced to woods when peopleunthinkingly dump ‘harmless’ garden waste.

Sycamore is a species whose value causesmuch debate. It is not a native tree andsupports a lower diversity of insects thanmost native trees. It comes into leaf early, soshading spring-flowering plants. Its leaf litterrots slowly and does not provide such a


Using products from your woodUsing or selling products from your wood isan excellent way to offset some of the costsof management. To have value as timber,trees must generally be very straight withmuch of the trunk free of branches, knotsand rot. They must also be accessible froma road or good track. If you have such treesthen selling some of them could be worth atry. Timber marketing is a relativelycomplicated business and it is worthengaging an experienced contractor oragent to help. There are also publicationswhere you can advertise small amounts oftimber for sale.

Given that most trees are of lowcommercial value, the best way of usingthem might be for the benefit of your ownproperty. Not only can this be a sustainableuse of local resources, but it can be arelatively cheap source of quality materials.Sheds and barns might need repairing, oryou could use the timber in fences, gatesand stiles. A good way to do this is to

engage a contractor to fell the trees andthen bring a mobile sawmill to the site toproduce planks and beams. Even if youdon’t have trees worth sawing into planks,you can save yourself money by usingother woodland products such asbeanpoles and peasticks. It may not saveyou a fortune, but using sustainableproducts from your own wood will be verysatisfying.

In recent years wood-burning stoves havebecome more common. These are muchmore efficient in producing heat than anopen fire. As energy prices rise, then theattractions of wood become ever moreapparent and with just two or threehectares of woodland it should be possibleto obtain enough of a sustainable yield offirewood to heat a family home. Owners oflarger woodlands may find that the energymarket will provide good financial returns,but this will often involve the industrialproduction of wood chips or pellets neededin larger boilers.

In smallwoods it isdifficult tocontrol deereffectivelyby culling, although owners can help by co-operating with neighbours. If deer numberscannot be controlled, then it is very importantto protect vulnerable young trees or coppicewith shelters or fencing as described earlier(pages 18 and 21). Where ground flora isbeing damaged or where browsing isremoving the shrub layer, it may be best toexclude deer from certain areas, or even theentire wood, by using fences. The ForestryCommission has a helpful leaflet on this –see ‘Publications and websites’ in theinformation at the end of this booklet.Another animal which damages woods isthe grey squirrel. Introduced from America, itstrips bark from trees, disfiguring them badly

or killing them. Where owners are trying togrow quality timber of species like sycamoreand beech, they may need to control greysquirrel numbers using special traps or bait.Unless done in co-operation withneighbours, in a small wood such action isoften inappropriate. You can at least avoidattracting them to your garden by usingspecially protected bird feeders.

In mainland areas where red squirrels arepresent, the grey not only out-competesthem for food but also passes on a viruswhich reduces the red squirrels’ alreadysmall numbers. The only lowlandstrongholds for the native red squirrel areislands such as the Isle of Wight. If you are ina red squirrel area, it is a good idea to seekspecialist advice on habitat management forred squirrels, so as to give these threatenedanimals the best possible chance.

European Protected Species

There are a number of species that are nowgiven additional protection under the Wildlifeand Countryside Act that use woodland.These include all bat species and a numberof other species such as the dormouse. A fulllist of these species and advice in the form of‘Good Practice Guides’ are available from theForestry Commission website. It is theresponsibility of woodland owners to beaware of this extra protection before startingany work, however small.


good environment for the ground flora. Forthese reasons, it should be discouragedfrom our most important woods, the ancientsemi-natural woodlands.

It would be wrong to be too hard onsycamore, however. Where it is growing wellaway from these special woods, it can bepromoted, grow vigorously and yield high-quality timber, and it supports raremosses and lichens as well as largenumbers of certain insects. Unfortunately it isfavoured, with other trees such as beech, bygrey squirrels (see page 25).

There may be financial support for work toremove invasive species from importantwoods.

Woodland wildlifeThe best way to encourage wildlife to yourwood is to manage a diverse range ofhabitats as described previously. You can

also add nest boxes for birds, includingraptors such as owls, and for bats anddormice. The choice of tree species that youplant can increase the availability of foodand nectar sources. See the tree and shrubspecies list on page 29 for furtherinformation.

In addition to the species that you want toattract to your wood, don’t forget there aresome animals that harm woods. One of themost damaging is deer, many of which areintroduced species, e.g. muntjac and fallow,the populations of which are currently manytimes higher than they would have been inthe past when coppice management waswidespread. The presence of a ‘browse line’– a lack of green leaves on the bottom metreor so of the trees and shrubs of thewoodland – indicates that there are a lot ofdeer using the wood. Rabbits and hares mayalso be browsing in the wood, although ingeneral they cause less damage than deer.Some browsing is beneficial to woodland, sothe aim is not to stop all browsing butinstead to manage the amount, making itsustainable.

Loss of vegetation from the bottom layer ofthe wood has a variety of impacts. Wildflowers are eaten, the lack of cover stopsground-nesting birds from breeding, treeseedlings cannot grow up to form the nextgeneration of trees, coppice is destroyed.The threats that deer pose to coppice arecovered on page 21.


Hazelnuts opened by dormice have acharacteristic smooth circular hole inthem – finding these in your wood

tells you that it is a home for dormice

Dormouse about half life size

Hazelnut life size


Benefits of a managed woodlandIt is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim uponmen’s hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air,that emanation from old trees, that so wonderfully changes andrenews a weary spirit. Robert Louis Stevenson

This booklet started with a look at some ofthe benefits of woodlands – and has alsoconsidered some of the potential threats tothem.

Whatever you want from your woodland,whether a beautiful backdrop to your home,a place to take the dog for a walk, a place toconserve wildlife or a growing store oftimber, we hope that the advice andinformation in this booklet will help you tomake the most of your wood.

Even if you have no desire to ‘improve’ yourwood but simply want to be sure you’redoing the right thing, again we hope theadvice will help you recognise damage andprevent decline. Above all, we hope that youwill take pleasure from your wood, and willfind owning it a rewarding and enjoyableexperience.

P.S. ... Supporting themanagement of other local woods

A good way to help ensure the viability ofwoodland management in your local area isto buy products from local woods.

• Charcoal from local coppice is not only easy to light and of excellent quality, but italso substitutes for products produced in far less ecologically sensitive ways overseas.

• Instead of imported canes, try beanpoles and peasticks from local suppliers, and use local timber stakes to support new trees.

• Try hazel hurdles, sweet chestnut paling or post-and-rail instead of an unsightly chainlink fence.

• Seek out some of the beautiful furniture made from local timber.

Using products from local woods is good forthe woods, and good for the rural economy.

Native tree and shrub speciesNotes on their special value


Species Cultivation notes / value

Alder Plant in damp areas. Seeds eaten by birds, especially ducks, redpolls and siskins

Alder buckthorn Previously coppiced for charcoal. Berries for birds, food plant for yellow brimstone butterfly

Ash Good timber species. Food plant for privet hawk moth. Much prized for firewood

Aspen Intolerant of shade. Food plant for many species of moth

Beech Good timber species. The beechnuts are eaten by many mammals and birds. Can be

badly damaged by grey squirrels

Birch Quick growing. Excellent for moths, and seeds eaten by many birds

Blackthorn In dense thickets it is a favoured nesting site. Food plant for black and brown hairstreak

butterflies

Buckthorn Plant several individuals to ensure cross-pollination and successful fruiting. Food plant for

yellow brimstone butterfly

Crab apple Attractive blossom in spring, fruits eaten by many birds and mammals

Dogwood An edge species (dislikes shade). Berries for birds, food plant for green hairstreak butterfly

Field maple Beautiful autumn colours, good for wildlife and lichens

Goat willow Plant on ride edges, damp places. Great value for wildlife, especially moths

Grey willow Early pollen valuable to bees and other insects, leaves act as food for purple emperor

butterfly caterpillar. Prefers damp ground

Guelder rose Attractive red berries, eaten by birds

Hawthorn Attractive blossom and berries, food plant for birds, many insects and moths

Hazel Coppices readily, giving good nest sites for birds and dormice

Holly Good both as a tree and in hedging. Food plant for holly blue butterfly

Hornbeam Can be coppiced or pollarded. Fruits favoured by hawfinches

Oak Excellent timber species. The best of all trees for wildlife

Privet Good nesting cover – evergreen. Main food plant for privet hawk moth caterpillar

Rowan Suitable for acid, sandy soils. Attractive berries, eaten by a variety of birds especially

thrushes

Small leaved lime Coppices well, and flowers have abundant nectar (good for bees)

Wayfaring tree Good on thin, dry soils. Fruits attractive to birds

Whitebeam Very wind resistant. Fruits attractive to birds, especially thrushes

Wild cherry Plant several individuals to ensure cross-pollination and to obtain the fruits which are

favoured by birds. Attractive to insects

Yew Valuable timber species. Fruits enjoyed by birds


Tree felling laws and grants

Most tree felling requires a felling licencefrom the Forestry Commission: contact yourlocal office for details and an explanatorybooklet.

There are a number of exemptions,including:

• Trees with a diameter at chest height of less than 8 cm, or 10 cm if thinning and 15 cm if the stems are on a coppice stool.

• Trees in gardens, but only in the immediate surroundings of a house.

• Dead trees, or those that pose an imminent hazard.

Some trees are covered by Tree PreservationOrders or are in Conservation Areas,designations administered by the localauthority. Contact the local authority treeofficer or planning department to checkbefore you fell any trees.

The main source of grant aid for woodlandwork, including improvements to existingwoodlands, is the Forestry Commission’sgrant scheme; your local ForestryCommission office can send you furtherdetails and an applicant’s pack. Somecounty councils and local authorities havegrant schemes and woodland advisers.Contact individual councils for details.

Transferring obligations

If you buy a wood, you may find that thereare already Forestry Commission grantschemes or felling licences in place. Yoursolicitor should inform you of these.

In the case of a felling licence (includingfelling done under a grant scheme), theconditions go with the land and not with theowner. So if your predecessor felled sometrees on the condition that new trees wereplanted and maintained for 10 years (atypical felling licence condition) then you, asthe new owner of the land, will beresponsible for maintaining the trees untilthe 10-year period is up.

In the case of grants, the obligation to repayif things go wrong goes with the person whoreceived the first instalment of payments. Soif your predecessor planted some trees andreceived the first instalment of grant, thensold the land, they would be liable to repaythe grant with interest if you subsequently letthe trees die. Most solicitors will advisevendors to transfer these obligations ontothe purchaser, and you may be asked tosign a ‘Transfer of Obligations’ form. Youshould ensure before you sign that the treesin question are established and growing. If indoubt, check with your local ForestryCommission office.

Supporting information



OrganisationsNumerous organisations can help thoseembarking on woodland management, andyour local Forestry Commission office canprovide you with further contacts. Thefollowing are likely to be of relevance tomany owners.

Forestry Commission

Offices throughout the country. For details ofyour local office visit www.forestry.gov.uk orcontact:

Forestry Commission National Office620 Bristol Business ParkColdharbour LaneBristol BS16 1EJ

Telephone: 0117 9066023 Email: [email protected]

Small Woods Association

Courses, information, networking – a mustfor anyone who owns a small woodland.SWA can also recommend a low-cost publicliability insurance scheme for woodlandowners.

The Old BakeryPontesburyShropshire SY5 0RR

Telephone: 01743 792644Web: www.smallwoods.org.uk Email: [email protected] Wildlife Trusts

Information, surveys and managementplans.

Telephone: 0870 036 7711 Web: www.wildlifetrusts.orgEmail: [email protected]

The Deer Initiative

Information on deer management groups.

Telephone: 0870 774 3677 Web: www.thedeerinitiative.co.ukEmail: [email protected]

Tree Advice Trust

Advice and information about trees.

Alice Holt Lodge WreccleshamFarnhamSurrey GU10 4LH

Tree Helpline

Calls are charged at £1.50 per minute.

Telephone: 09065 161147 Web: www.treehelp.info

Tree Council

‘Umbrella’ for a wide range of organisationsconcerned with the management andconservation of trees and woodlands.

The Tree Council,

Sources of further information and advice



51 Catherine PlaceLondon SW1E 6DY

Telephone: 0207 828 9928 Web: www.treecouncil.org.uk Email: [email protected]

Publications and websitesForestry CommissionMany useful publications are listed on theForestry Commission’s website:www.forestry.gov.uk/publications

They can be obtained from: Forestry Commission PublicationsPO Box 25WetherbyWest Yorkshire LS23 7EW

Telephone: 0870 121 4180 Email: [email protected]

Alternatively, contact your local ForestryCommission office.

The following are examples of useful

practical guides available:

Forestry Practice Guides 1–8 The management of semi-naturalwoodlandsForestry Practice Guide 9 Forest operations and badger setts

FC Practice Note 3 Prevention of mammal damage to trees inwoodland

FC Practice Note 9 Recommendations for fallow, roe andmuntjac deer fencing

FC Field Book 8 The use of herbicides in the forest by Ian Willoughby and Jim Dewar.

HMSO, London. Gives comprehensiveinformation on herbicides.

Other publications

Caring for small woods by Ken Broad.Earthscan Publications. An excellent practicalguide to management and conservation ofsmall woods.

Trees in Britain, Europe and North Americaby Roger Phillips. Ward Lock.

A field guide to the trees of Britain andnorthern Europe by Alan Mitchell. CollinsField Guides series. Collins.

Tree planting and aftercare – a practicalhandbook and Woodlands – a practicalhandbook, both produced by the British Trustfor Conservation Volunteers.

BTCV Enterprises Ltd, Conservation Centre,Balby Road, Doncaster DN4 0RH. Telephone: 01302 572200 Web: www.btcv.org Email: [email protected]

Woodland archaeology in Surrey by NicolaBannister. Surrey County Council. A

fascinating insight into recognisingwoodland archaeology, relevant to ancientwoods wherever they are located. Tel: 08456009009 www.surreycc.gov.uk

Management choices for ancient woodland:getting it right. English Nature. NorthminsterHouse, Peterborough PE1 1UA. Telephone: 01733 455000 Web: www.english-nature.org.ukEmail: [email protected]

Woodland rides and glades: theirmanagement for wildlife and Coppicedwoodlands: their management for wildlife,both by M. Warren and R. Fuller. Available from: NHBS Ltd, 2–3 Wills Road, Totnes, Devon TQ9 5XN. Telephone: 01803 865913 Web: www.nhbs.comEmail: [email protected]

Silva: the tree in Britain by Archie Miles. EburyPress. A fascinating book describing the partthat trees have played in all areas of Britishlife. A wealth of information to inspire youwhen the weather keeps you out of thewood!

Other advice and servicesBritish Trust for Ornithology (for information

on nest boxes)

Telephone: 01842 750050 Web: www.bto.org/notices/nnbw2.htm

Royal Forestry Society

An excellent website (www.rfs.org.uk) andlocal meetings in woodlands.

102 High StreetTringHerts HP23 4AF

Telephone: 01442 822028 Email: [email protected]

Ecolots

Provides advice and contacts for themarketing of woodland products throughoutEngland.

Web: www.ecolots.co.uk

Woodnet

Provides similar advice and contacts for themarketing of woodland products in SouthEast England.

Web: www.woodnet.org.uk



Acknowledgements

This third edition of So, you own a woodland?follows closely the style and content of the 2002first edition which was produced for woodlandowners in South East England. Some updating hasbeen included to reflect new legislation and thereis also more information on woodfuel. The adviceof woodland owners and support of local ForestryCommission staff in the original production of thisbooklet is gratefully acknowledged.

Original text prepared by Jo Ellis, revised andupdated for this edition by Alan Betts.

© Crown Copyright 2009Application for reproduction of any part of thispublication should be addressed to:HMSO, Licensing Division, St Clements House, 2–16 Colegate, Norwich NR3 1BQ.First published in 2002. Second edition published in 2003. Third edition published in 2009 by Forestry Commission National Office 620 Bristol Business Park Coldharbour LaneBristol BS16 1EJISBN 978-085538-793-8Stock code FCMS 202

Enquiries relating to this publication should beaddressed to the Forestry Commission,South East England, Alice Holt, Wrecclesham,Farnham, Surrey GU10 4LFEmail: [email protected]


Foreword · 2018. 12. 20. · Contents Foreword 2 Introduction 5 Getting to know your woodland 7 Improving your woodland 11 Managing woodland tracks 11 Dead wood and old trees 14

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