ANCIENT SEMI-NATURAL WOODLAND
Hampshire Biodiversity Partnership
2.2 Distribution and Extent 1 INTRODUCTION
Hampshire is one of the most well-wooded Ancient semi-natural woodland (ASNW) is counties in the UK: 19.7% woodland cover woodland which has existed at least since (75,422 ha) compared to the county average 1700 and is usually of much older origin. It of 7.5%. About one-third of the woodland in contains stands of native trees that are not Hampshire is ancient, although not all of this obviously planted. Although usually is semi-natural. modified by management over the HABITAT
centuries, this type of woodland retains There has been a 50% decline in ancient ACTION many species that are associated with the semi-natural woodland in Hampshire in the original primary woodland. ASNW is PLAN last 70 years, with 40% removed for particularly rich in species compared to agriculture, mineral extraction and more recent woodland. development, and 60% converted to forestry
plantations4. Approximately 16,735 ha of This plan covers all ancient semi-natural ASNW remains in Hampshire, or 5% of the woodland in Hampshire, with the exception UK total. of wood pasture which is covered by the
Wood Pasture and Parkland Plan, and The distribution and extent of ASNW in ASNW in the New Forest which is included Hampshire reflects many cultural and in the Wood Pasture Plan and a Biodiversity historical influences such as the Action Plan for the New Forest. establishment of numerous hunting forests,
the spread of sheep farming, and, in later Under the UK Biodiversity Programme, years, cereal growing. Most of the largest separate action plans have been prepared 1 concentrations of ASNW remaining today are for eight types of ASNW . Three of these associated with sites of former hunting occur in Hampshire: Lowland Beech and forests: for example, Chute (Harewood, Yew Woodland; Wet Woodland; and north/west Hampshire), Forest of Bere Lowland Wood Pasture and Parkland. This (central/south Hampshire), and Pamber (north action plan covers lowland beech, yew and Hampshire). wet woodland, but also the much larger
extent of other types of ASNW such as lowland oak wood. Another important area of woodland is the Hampshire Hangers on the interface of the Western Weald and Hampshire Downs. Here, steep slopes and deeply incised 2 CURRENT STATUS valleys have preserved a unique woodland system that has close affinities with primary 2.1 Description of Habitat woodland. The area contains predominantly beech, but also has There is great variation within ASNW in substantial areas of yew, wych elm, ash, Hampshire: in total 39 stand types have field maple and mixed lime woods. The been identified (Appendix 2). These cover majority of ASNW in Hampshire has been nearly all the possible variations of lowland traditionally managed as coppice and this is woodland in the UK, with the commonest being ‘ash-field maple’ and ‘lowland hazel- particularly important in maintaining the pedunculate oak’ woodland – a reflection of botanical diversity of these woods. the preponderance of fertile neutral to alkaline soils in Hampshire. The county The lowest density of woodland is found also contains some nationally rare stand- along the coastal plains, the river valleys types such as large-leaved and small- and the relatively level chalk landscapes of leaved lime, wych elm, hornbeam, native the mid-Hampshire Downs. These areas beech and alder2. support some of the most productive farmland in the county. Out of the 493 Hampshire Priority Species identified in the Biodiversity Action Plan for Hampshire, 103 occur in ASNW (see Appendix 1).
1 Biodiversity Action Plan for Hampshire: Volume Two July 2000 Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland
AREA OF WOODLAND IN HAMPSHIRE
All WoodlandA Hampshire County Forestry Council Commission (1999)B (1999)C
Broad-leaved 49,230 ha 37,318 ha
Conifers 14,766 ha 11,838 ha Mixed 6,213 ha 9,673 ha HABITAT Scrub, new planting, felled, open space etc. 5,213 ha 6,903 ha ACTION Total Woodland Area 75,422 ha 69,724 ha PLAN (includes estimate of 3,992 ha between 0.25-2.0 ha)
Ancient WoodlandD (>2 ha)
Ancient semi-naturalE 16,735 ha Ancient woodland sites replanted 9,438 ha
Total Ancient Woodland 26,173 ha
Notes:
A Figures include pasture woodland and woodland in the New Forest. B Habitat and land-use survey, Hampshire County Council, 1999. This classifies all woods >0.25 ha from aerial photographs and ground surveys and is contained in the Hampshire Biological Record. C Forestry Commission Census, 1999. This identifies woodlands > 2.0 ha from aerial photographs and classifies them from sample ground survey. D Ancient Woodland Inventory for Hampshire, English Nature and Hampshire County Council, 1995. E The figure for ancient semi-natural woodland (ASNW) includes approximately 6,000 ha of pasture woodland, 4,000 ha of which occurs in the New Forest.
2.3 Legislation and Site Designation SINCs 15,085 ha LNRs 269 ha National forestry policy includes a NNRs 203 ha presumption against clearance of broad- leaved woodland for conversion to other land These figures do not include the New Forest. uses, and in particular seeks to maintain the The areas for SACs, LNRs and NNRs are special interest of ASNW. Felling is also included in the figure for SSSIs. controlled by felling licences issued by the Forestry Commission; these are required for Many priority species associated with woods not managed under an approved ASNW, such as dormouse and the critically woodland grant scheme. endangered red helleborine, receive special protection under Schedules 4, 5 and 8 of the In special circumstances, local authorities Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981 and its have served Tree Preservation Orders revisions. (TPOs) to protect threatened woodlands or ancient veteran trees.
Most ASNW in Hampshire is covered by one or more site designations: