Nagshead and Russells Forest Design Plan 2014 – 2024
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Nagshead and Russells Forest Design Plan 2014 – 2024 Application for Forest Design Plan Approval Forest District: West England Woodland or property name: Nagshead and Russells Nearest town, village or locality: Coleford OS Grid reference: Nagshead: SO 600 100 Russells: SO 614 100 Local Authority district/unitary Gloucestershire CC, Forest of Dean Plan area Total Plan area: 1070 Ha - SSSI area: 130 Ha - Non SSSI area: 940 Ha Conifer Felling 31.3 Ha Broadleaf Felling 1. I apply for Forest Design Plan approval for the property described above and in the enclosed Forest Design Plan. 2. I confirm that the scoping, carried out and documented in the Consultation Record attached, incorporated those stakeholders that the FC agreed must be included. Where it has not been possible to resolve specific issues associated with the plan to the satisfaction of consultees, this is highlighted in the Consultation Record. 3. I confirm that the proposals contained in this plan comply with the UK Forestry Standard. 4. I undertake to obtain any permissions necessary for the implementation of the approved Plan. Signed………………………………………. Signed…………………………………. Deputy Surveyor Regional Director Date…………………………………… Date of Approval…………………….. Date Approval Ends……………………………………………………………………… Author: Francis Raymond-Barker Planning Forester (WE north) December 2013 1 Nagshead and Russells Forest Design Plan 2014 – 2024 WEST ENGLAND FOREST DISTRICT Forest of Dean Forest Plan Nagshead and Russells Plan period 2014 – 2024 File Ref OP10/41 & 42 Author: Francis Raymond-Barker Planning Forester (WE north) December 2013 1 Nagshead and Russells Forest Design Plan 2014 – 2024 Forest Plan Plan Period 2013 – 2023 Contents Page 2 General Description 3-6 Location 3 Tenure & management agreements 3-4 Physical environment 4-5 Landscape setting 5-6 Woodland structure 7 Objectives of Management 7 Explanation behind Plan proposals 8-9 Silviculture 9-30 Species choice 9-14 Current landuse and species 15 Current species inside and outside of the SSSi 16 Age-class structure and distribution 12-13 Thinning & felling 18-21 Woodland naturalness 22-24 Woodland structure 25 Conservation 225-28 Archaeology 28-29 Landscaping 29-30 Meeting Objectives 31-35 Option Testing 36-38 Appendix 1: Nagshead SSSI management plan 40-51 Appendix 2: Extract from RSPB reserve plan 52-87 Maps Location Geology and soils Landform Current species Age-class Woodland naturalness NVC Communities Archaeology Conservation features, conservation areas Other constraints, utilities, mines and quarries Public access Site analysis Design concept Silvicultural systems Felling coupes 2013 – 2023 Felling coupes 2020 – 2051 inc. felling coupes in adjoining FP areas Current stock maps Indicative future species Native woodland restoration Author: Francis Raymond-Barker Planning Forester (WE north) December 2013 2 Nagshead and Russells Forest Design Plan 2014 – 2024 GENERAL DESCRIPTION Topic Description Implications for Proposals Management Location Nagshead and Russells The boundaries of this consists of 1070Ha of plan area are clearly mixed woodland in the defined by public roads. heart of the Forest of Views of the woodland Dean, with extensive areas edge are common but of woodland lying to the long range external north, south and east. views are few. The Town of Coleford and The woodland is often satellite villages lie to the accessed informally by west, with the village of local people and Parkend lying on the formally by visitors southern boundary with using the cycle trail and other small settlements range of way-marked close by. trails that are provided. The RSPB nature reserve also draws in many visitors from further afield. Tenure & The area is Freehold and Much of the plan area Under planting, group Management part of the Statutory Forest forms part of an area planting and Natural Agreements of Dean. that has been Inclosed regeneration will be for the past 20 years, used alongside with areas outside the clearfelling. Additional Inclosure being subject fencing maybe needed to grazing by sheep. for establishment purposes. An area of 305 Ha in the Nature Conservation is The SSSI plan can be south of the woodland that the primary objective found in appendix 1 straddles Nagshead and within this area. and relevant extracts Russells is let to the RSPB from the RSPB on lease as a Nature management plan reserve. 145Ha of this found in appendix 2, reserve is a SSSI. whose objectives will be consistent with those of the Forest Plan within the affected area. Several working quarries Whilst occupying Existing quarrying and numerous mines with considerable areas of activity fits comfortably their associated surface land the working area is with management Author: Francis Raymond-Barker Planning Forester (WE north) December 2013 3 Nagshead and Russells Forest Design Plan 2014 – 2024 Tenure & leases exist within the area relatively small and objectives. Management and include the extensive many areas now have Agreements Bixhead Quarry in the west geological and ecological (cont) of the woodland along with value. Cannop Stone Firm who operate in the centre of the area just south of Cannop Ponds. Spion Kop and Cannop Spion Kop is noted for Forest operations must Bridge Marsh are two its geological exposures, recognise the value of reserves managed by GWT plant and bird life whilst these habitats and covered by the 2012-2022 Cannop is valued for its refer to the respective concordat with GWT. marshy wet woodland GWT management habitat, plant, bird, plans when preparing Lepidoptera and work in these areas. Odonata interest. There are several privately These are relatively few Take into account owned properties within and scattered across the when drawing up plans the woodland. whole area. for forest operations. Physical The northern end and Some parts of Nagshead Ensure that coupe Environment western side of Nagshead are more exposed than boundaries are wind- sit on a plateau at an others, especially the firm in most sensitive altitude of 200m tailing off higher ground in the areas. Natural to 100m in the south and is north and northwest. regeneration and punctuated by 2 steep These areas have a establishment of any sided valleys. One valley DAMS * score of 16, under/group planting runs from Hopewell colliery although the DAM score will be aided by the in the north to Bostonbury for the lower and more shelter afforded by the Hill in the south the other sheltered eastern side of overstorey. starts at Cannop Stone Nagshead drops to 7. Firms and runs northeast *DAMS is a method for to the Bixhead quarries. measuring levels of Russells is situated to the Russells is generally exposure and the east of Nagshead and sits more sheltered than likelihood of wind comparatively lower at an Nagshead, with a DAMS damage. average altitude of 100m. score of 13 along the The eastern boundary sits eastern edge, dropping at 165m with the ground to 9 in the Cannop gently sloping westward Valley, exposure should into the Cannop Valley at be less of an issue. an altitude of 65m. Running from Parkend in Potential for Forest operations the south to Cannop cross- contamination of ground should adhere to roads in the north, Cannop water by insensitive Landscape, Forest and Valley divides the two forestry operations. Water Guidelines to Author: Francis Raymond-Barker Planning Forester (WE north) December 2013 4 Nagshead and Russells Forest Design Plan 2014 – 2024 Physical areas of woodland and avoid contamination. Environment contains a complex of (cont.) ponds at its northern end fed by Cannop Brook, whose catchment area covers the whole of Nagshead and Russells. Soils in Nagshead are Nagshead enjoys good There are opportunities predominantly brown fertile soils on the slopes to grow high quality earths with some surface and plateau with heavier conifers and water gleys toward the soils in the Cannop broadleaves on the Cannop Valley that Valley, that also cover better soils although continue easterly into most of Russells; where on the wetter heavier Russells with fresh to very these heavy wet soils soils that moist Soil Moisture become a major limiting predominantly occur in Regimes, with drainage factor to the tree and Russells, drainage will improving slightly on the woodland types that can be critical for effective higher ground on the east be established here. establishment and side of Russells, giving way Crop stability can also should increase the to some areas of brown be local problem. range of species earths. available both in terms of restocking and the suitability of ground for natural regeneration. Mining and quarrying Poor soils are localised, These areas are best activities across a large but are unlikely to be left to encroachment area of Nagshead has suitable for productive by natural successional produced some areas of woodland. vegetation. skeletal soils poor in nutrients. Landscape The landscape is physically Due to the topographical Internal and External Setting diverse consisting of a high nature the only views landscaping will need plateau to the west in over Russells are from consideration. For Nagshead falling easterly the higher ground in Nagshead external down into the Cannop Nagshead, but reveal landscaping will be Valley – that runs north to little of the character of more important with south – before gently rising the woodland, due to lowland landscape again in a easterly the views being design principals to direction through Russells generally semi-oblique apply on the plateau. joining the Speech House in nature. Whilst the In Russells internal to New Fancy road. viewpoint above landscaping will play a A number of minor valley Beechenhurst Lodge is much more significant systems run easterly into still a significant vantage part. the Cannop Valley that point over the Nagshead drain into the Severn basin landscape, it is now and produce a very somewhat filtered due Author: Francis Raymond-Barker Planning Forester (WE north) December 2013 5 Nagshead and Russells Forest Design Plan 2014 – 2024 Landscape diverse, highly conspicuous to the crop of young p87 Setting topography.