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Presentation from West Weald Landscape Project Conference 22 May 2014
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A Sustainable Vision for Chiddingfold Forest – Preparing a new Forest Design Plan
Jay DoyleDistrict EcologistSouth England Forest District May 2014
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Location
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Overview
• A Key Forest complex at the Northern edge of the West Weald Landscape
• Forestry Commission England (FCE) manage 840 hectares (ha) of Chiddingfold Forest
• 500 ha or 90% of the SSSI by area managed by FCE
• Ancient woodland the dominant habitat • Land acquired between 1922 and 1958
(majority of acquisitions during 1920’s) • Significant conversion to coniferous plantation
post-WWII
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Overview
• During 1999/2000 the entire Ancient Woodland resource on the PFE surveyed
• Ancient & Native Woodland Restoration commenced from 2000 onwards
• National Policy launched in Chiddingfold Forest in 2005 – ‘Keepers of Time’
• Chiddingfold Forest is certified as been sustainably managed by the UK Woodland Assurance Standard (UKWAWS)
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Key Policy Drivers
• UK Woodland Assurance Standard (UKWAS) www.ukwas.org.uk
• UK Forestry Standard www.forestry.gov.uk/ukfs
• Ancient Woodland Restoration - ‘Keepers of Time’
• FC-BC Joint Strategy for the Public Forest Estate – Chiddingfold a Priority Site
• Biodiversity 2020• Woodland Policy Enabling Programme (WPEP)
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Landscape context
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SSSI Notification
• Largest more or less continuous area of oakwoods on the Weald Clay
• Diverse range of floristic communities • Gill woodland corridors • Extensive ride network • Diverse insect community – both open and
closed habitat assemblages • Regionally scarce bryophytes and lichens • Diverse community of breeding birds
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Tenure
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SSSI Extent
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Ancient woodland extent
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ASNW - PAWS
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Semi-natural class
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Tree species proportions 1999
Chid_ Species_ 1999
Norway spruce6%
Western hemlock7%
Mixed conifer4%
Corsican pine20%
Scots pine3%Oak
36%
Mixed broadleaves24%
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Tree species proportions 2014
Species Composition (-open)
Oak44%
MB24%
NS2%
WH4%
MC4%
CP20%
SP2%
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Timber age class
Broadleaf
4% 2%6%
20%
3% 1% 1% 2%
27%
4%1% 3% 1% 3%
0%
10%
20%
30%
1 - 10 11 - 20 21 - 30 31 - 40 41 - 50 51 - 60 61 - 70 71 - 80 81 - 90 91 - 100 101 -110
111 -120
121 -130
131 -140
Age Class
Perc
en
tage o
f Tota
l A
rea
Conifer
0% 2% 6% 2%
23%
46%
0% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%0%
10%20%30%40%50%
1 - 10 11 - 20 21 - 30 31 - 40 41 - 50 51 - 60 61 - 70 71 - 80 81 - 90 91 - 100 101 -110
111 -120
121 -130
131 -140
Age Class
Perc
en
tage o
f Tota
l A
rea
Broadleaf/ Conifer Area
0%10%20%30%40%50%
1 - 10 11 - 20 21 - 30 31 - 40 41 - 50 51 - 60 61 - 70 71 - 80 81 - 90 91 -100
101 -110
111 -120
121 -130
131 -140
Age Class
Perc
en
tage o
f Tota
l A
rea
BroadleafConifer
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FDP’s Explained
• A Forest Design Plan (FDP) is a strategic document setting out a broad vision for a Forest Block
• FDP’s set a 30-year vision• Reviewed at the 5-year interval• Re-written every 10 years • Developed through consultation• Written from a landscape scale perspective
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1999-2006 FDP
• Location Map• Design Concept layer • Survey layer – SSSI boundary, key species
locations, footpaths etc• Existing Species layer• Felling layer • Replanting proposals
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New FDP Layers
• Location map• Aerial photo• SSSI condition layer• Ancient woodland semi-natural scoring (1-4)• Indicative Species Diversity (no. tree species)• Indicative Age Diversity (20 year cohorts) • Long Term Vision• Habitat restoration and felling • Predicted Timeline for Intended Future
Habitats
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Native woodland regeneration
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Natural regeneration
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High forest restructuring
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Corridor enhancement
Butterfly Conservation
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Gill woodland
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Forest wetland habitat
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Ephemeral habitat
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Deer management
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Invasive species
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Partnership working
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Informing Planning & Management
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Opportunities
• Continued progress with ancient & native woodland restoration
• Restructuring of the broadleaf woodland component
• Gill woodland restoration• Enhance & maintain woodland rides• Increasing the dead and decaying wood
component • Deepening of partnership working & volunteer
input• Improved interpretation & expansion of
sensitive recreation & educational activities
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Opportunities
• Enhanced ecological recording & monitoring opportunities
• Better use of ecological data to inform planning and management
• Species Recovery Projects • Ecosystem service provision & Natural Capital • Expansion of the SSSI to cover the wider
ancient woodland resource
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Things to consider?
• Alternatives To Clearfell (ATC)• Balancing stakeholder aspirations to achieve a
shared vision• Sustaining uneconomic activities – derelict
coppice management • Balancing protected species legislation with
dynamic habitat management
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Things to consider?
• Climate change – potential for increased impact on woodland infrastructure
• Tree health – pathogens & pests • Species resilience• Invasive species – horizon scanning required • Deer management – landscape scale solutions
the way forward • A global timber market
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Questions?
Jay DoyleDistrict EcologistSouth England Forest District
01483 326270 [email protected]
