Woodland Creation: Geoff Garrett, Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority

1. Woodland Creation in the
Yorkshire Dales National Park.

2. Tie a yellow ribbon
What types of woodlands do we
plant in the National Park?
What type of woodland do we have
in the National Park?

3. Tie a yellow ribbon
What types of trees are found in the
National Park?

4. Used as a punishment
Large trees Common Alder
Ash
Elm
Wild Cherry
Small leaved lime
Pendunculate Oak
Sessile Oak
Crack Willow
White Willow

6. Small trees Downy birch
Silver birch
Bird Cherry
Crab Apple
Field Maple
Holly
Rowan
Whitebeam
Goat Willow
Hazel

7. Light green colour

8. Shrubs
Blackthorn, Broom,
Dogwood, Elder,
Gorse, Guelder Rose
Hawthorn, Honeysuckle
Osier, Wild privet
Grey Willow, Purple willow
Juniper

9. A nutty girl
Non native trees that are
important
Sycamore
Beech
Sitka Spruce
Larch
Scots Pine
Endless list of exotic species

10. These species make up the majority
of the tree cover within the Dales.

11. Where do you find these trees and
how are they grouped together?

12. Ancient Semi Natural Woodland
There are 25 categorised woodland communities (NVC) in
the UK.
18 are found in the Dales along with the majority of sub
communities.
7 are absent (2 are confined to Scotland, 2 are lowland
willow carr, 3 are scrub communities)

13. Upland mixed (ash) woodland
Ash
Downy birch Bird cherry
Rowan Hazel
Sessile oak Hawthorn
Wych elm Elder
Alder Grey sallow
Holly
aspen
Avoid an ash, for it courts a flash

15. Wet Woodland
Alder
Ash
Downy birch
Oak
Rowan
Holly
Willow
Hazel
hawthorn

17. Light green colour

18. Upland oak woodland
Sessile oak
Downy birch
Rowan
Holly
Aspen
Hazel
Hawthorn
juniper
“Nibble a hawthorn leaf to stop your tummy rumbling”

19. Scrub
Juniper
Downy birch
Rowan
(scots pine)

20. A nutty girl
Two species that have had an
impact on new woodland planting.
Black Grouse
Red Squirrel
Amend the existing planting mix to
benefit these species.

21. Many different plants and animals
are associated with these three
types of woodland.
The most important woodland type that
we have is the upland ash woodland
Nationally recognised as important
for the assemblage of plants
associated with the woodland

23. Total woodland cover
• ASNW – 0.84%
• PAWS sites – 0.23%
• Other types of broadleaved woodland –
1.06%
• Conifer plantations – 1.94%

24. At the seaside
How much Ancient Semi Natural
Woodland have we got in the YDNP?
Not a lot
0.84% or 1480ha
Hay Meadows – 1.6%
Limestone pavements – 0.8%

25. Ancient Semi natural woodland
• Our oldest woodlands
• Been modified in the past
• Strong historical link to the landscape
• Immensely important, being a direct descendant
from the once extensive and complex post-
glacial woodland

26. WOODLAND CREATION

27. After the fire
Progress so far
• 1995 – 2006 = 660ha
• 2006 – 2008 = approx 166ha
• 2009/10 = 127ha
• Total planted to date = 953ha
2065 acres
2000 good sized football pitches
8.26 sq km
3.2 sq miles
• Present target = 100ha/yr until 2020

28. Where have we been planting
these trees?
Hawthorn leaves make a refreshing tea.

30. • Where will we be planting new
woodlands in the future?
“Alder flowers dye clothes green” – Robin Hood’s house keeping tip
to Maid Marion

31. Existing special qualities
What needs to be taken into consideration
when planting a new woodland.
• Archaeology
• Landscape (Woodland Design Guide)
• Access
• Nature conservation value.

37. Forest Habitat Networks
Linking The Dales’ Woodlands
Druids use hazel to invoke invisibility

38. Forest Habitat Network

39. Aim:
• To identify areas which if planted with an
appropriate New Native Woodland would
provide significant woodland conservation
benefits.
Rowan berries have been ground and used instead of flour

40. What is a habitat network?
• “A habitat network is a configuration of
habitat that allows species to move and
disperse through a landscape. Networks can
be produced for a particular type of habitat.
For example, a forest habitat network
focuses on how woodland species utilise
woodland habitat and disperse through this
and other habitat types in the wider
landscape.”
(Forestry Commission, 2007)

41. The result is:
• Increased connectivity;
• Less fragmentation;
• More continuous woodland cover;
• Improved corridors for the movement of species;
• More robust and sustainable habitats;
• Lower risk of species extinctions.

42. Priorities
• Filling in gaps to join pockets of woodland;
• Increasing the width of narrow bands of
woodland;
• Increasing the overall area of woodlands;
• Planting on sites that were wooded historically
but no longer retain tree cover.

43. • Also need to consider what might eat new
trees.
• Deer, Sheep, rabbits, voles all destroy
woodlands
• Hence the use of plastic tree shelters

45. • Plastic tree shelters are many and varied
• Want protection for the tree but
• Not so that it grows so well that it bends
over when it grows too tall
Current favoured guard is A***n shelter
guard. Biodegradable. Tree Environment

46. Where does the money come from
for planting new woodlands?
•National Park Authority
•Forestry Commission
•Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust
•Agri-environment Schemes
•Woodland Trust
•Land owner