KEEPERS OF TIME, Forestry Commission, 29th June 2005
Ancient woodland is land that has been
continuously wooded for at least 400 years and longer. Ancient woods are
our richest, most important sites for a vast range of insects, birds,
animals, flowers and trees, and are home to more threatened species than
any other UK habitat.
The Government recognised
the importance of ancient woodland with the introduction of the
Broadleaves Policy of 1985. Now, with the launch of the Keepers of Time
initiative on 29th June, Government is to significantly raise
the profile and importance of ancient and native woodland by placing it
right at the heart of it's
policies
on woodlands and forestry. The
policy can be
found here, and
the
following is
abridged from the policy document:
The
opportunities for improving ancient and native woodlands for both
people and wildlife are manifold. Much of the 140,000 ha of
plantations on ancient woodland sites (PAWS) is currently in urgent
need of management if we are to prevent any further loss of the
surviving wildlife and historic features. Many of these plantations
could, through careful and gradual improvement, be restored to rich,
ancient semi-natural woodlands. Most woods do not need intensive
management, and often it is only a ‘light touch’ that is required to
remove or reduce a cause of decline or gradually improve their
ecological quality. To safeguard their value for future generations we
need to prevent further loss, improve condition and restore severely
degraded sites.
Ancient
and native woodlands have produced renewable products such as fuel and
timber for generations and have enormous potential to continue to do
so. When managed in a sustainable way, quality hardwood timber
production can be perfectly compatible with wildlife conservation and
recreational activities.
The
opportunities for the public to enjoy these woodlands is sometimes
limited. There is therefore scope for working in partnership with
owners to increase the area of our woodland, which is accessible for
quiet recreation, particularly in those areas where there is limited
access to woodland.
The key
priority of the policy is the protection and enhancement of the
existing ancient and native woodland resource. This can be achieved by
focusing activity both within and without woodlands.
For example by taking opportunities for creating strategically located
new native woodlands or reducing the general intensity of surrounding
land use. New woodlands are particularly valuable where they buffer,
extend or even link England’s highly fragmented wooded landscapes. By
seeing woodlands as an integral part of the wider landscape, we will
create opportunities to develop networks of woodland and other
semi-natural habitats into ecologically functional landscapes. Taking
this ‘system approach’ will increase the resilience of wildlife to
external threats, particularly climate change and diffuse pollution.
The habitat networks which could be created will not only benefit
wildlife, but could also make landscapes more accessible to people and
provide ‘green transport routes’ – particularly where they interface
with urban areas.
The
Government owns and manages a significant proportion of the ancient
and native woodland resource. Most of this is managed by Forest
Enterprise, who will be aiming to deliver this policy energetically
and innovatively through a range of actions on the estate.
This
policy is a framework under which specific initiatives, projects and
delivery measures will be developed. An Action Plan will accompany
this document, which will build on the many positive initiatives
already underway. The Forestry Commission will act as the lead body,
but it will also involve action from many other sectors of Government,
statutory agencies and non-governmental organisations. Most
importantly, it will require positive partnerships between the
Forestry Commission and private and other woodland owners.
The
Woodland Trust welcomed Keepers of Time as one of the most important
developments in forestry policy in the last twenty years. The Forestry &
Timber Association (FTA) welcomed the policy focus on ancient woodlands
at a critical time when the predicted effects of climate change and a
whole range of factors are combining to act against the sustainability
of our valuable ancient woodlands. The FTA had reservations, one being
how the policy will be applied and achieved in privately owned ancient
woodlands, and thus the FTA looked forward to
the next stage, which will be a consultation
on draft management guidelines.
