Deadwood in Forestry Commission Forests
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Bringing forests alive! A guide to managing deadwood in Forestry Commission forests Forest Enterprise is an agency of the Forestry Commission 2 Foreword Contents The nation’s woods and forests managed by Forest Enterprise Introduction 3 are currently undergoing a massive transformation. Native Native pinewoods and long woodlands are being restored and expanded whilst the large established pine plantations in the post-war forests, established as predominantly even-aged Scottish Highlands 6 conifer plantation, are being redesigned. This involves Upland broadleaved native woodland diversification of age classes through planned, sequential in the north and west of Britain 8 felling of coupes followed by restocking with a greater range Lowland broadleaved woodland in of species including a higher proportion of broadleaves. Some the south and east of Britain 10 stands of timber will be managed using silvicultural systems 20th Century conifer plantations 12 which avoid clear felling and utilise natural regeneration. Areas will be left unplanted as important open habitats to link Native riparian woods 14 key sites and encourage wildlife to move through the forest Planning 15 landscape. Operational Management 16 Forest Enterprise has recognised the importance of such Acknowledgements 17 ‘macro’ landscape scale changes to forest structure. References and Further Reading 17 Increasingly our managers are turning to the equally Glossary 18 important ‘midi’ and ‘micro’ scale aspects of management which will benefit forest ecosystems and hence biodiversity. One such activity is the imaginative creation and appropriate management of deadwood. Historically, managers removed deadwood as a hygiene measure to protect the timber resource from what were perceived to be dangerous threats from insect and fungal attack. This has resulted in levels of deadwood in British woodland which are too low for sustaining populations of many woodland species of key conservation importance. Forest Enterprise is committed to rectifying this biodiversity deficiency. This guide is primarily intended to help our staff – managers and planners, as well as frontline wildlife rangers and machine operators – play their part in increasing the volume of beneficial deadwood in Forestry Commission forests. However, this guide should also provide valuable insight into deadwood management for other forest managers, our stakeholders, students and all with an interest in life in the deadwood. Alan W Stevenson Head of Environment and Communications, Forest Enterprise Text: Jonathan Humphrey, Alan Stevenson, Phil Whitfield, Janet Swailes Illustrations: Janet Swailes Design: Melville Design Associates A guide to managing deadwood in Forestry Commission forests Introduction Upland native Native pinewood and 2 Standing dead and dying is a longhorn beetle - 7 Crested tits nest in well- natural supply of fallen 12 The timberman beetle 13 Stumps have a rich 15 Dead and dying aspen 20th Century conifer 3 Retention on a felling streams provides habitat structural diversity and 9 Retain veteran native broadleaved woodland long established pine pines provide a stable Leptura sanguinolenta. decayed pine snags >30 deadwood. Acanthocinus aedilis is lichen flora and provide provides a unique plantations coupe, combining for bryophytes and the deadwood trees and open up long-term habitat. cm in diameter. an early colonist of dead rot holes for the larvae deadwood ecosystem. maturing trees and larvae of craneflies accumulation. surroundings within 5 Weight of snow and ice 10 Logs bridging rivers form in the north and west plantations in the fallen pine - a host of of the rare hoverfly 1 Retention within deadwood: retentions (Lipsothrix species). plantations on ancient 3 Capercaille and osprey in canopy breaks 8 Pine snags provide an access routes for 8 Windthrow is an Dead and dying trees play a key role in the of Britain Scottish Highlands other rare deadwood Blera fallax. developing stand, >30m diameter are woodland sites. on the structure and dynamics of our managed roost in large dead branches. important habitat for animals and hiding 6 Stumps provide important source of beetles inhabit well combining maturing more valuable. 1 Veteran birches provide 1 Actively eroding scree branches. ‘pin-head’ lichens places for fish. 14 Root plates provide a important niches for deadwood and could be 10 Retain large logs 6 Hoverflies Calicera rufa decayed fungal-infected native trees, fallen and habitat for moths such slope generates Chaenotheca species. sheltered microclimate 4 Retain cut snags. lichens (Cladonia species). left uncleared in some (≥20cm diameter) to 4 ‘Bog woodland’ contains and sawflies breed in 11 Seedlings regenerate wood. standing deadwood. as the Rannoch sprawler deadwood. and allow seedlings to stands. benefit bryophytes e.g. stunted veteran juniper crevices on standing 9 Actively eroding river within the dead 5 Partially submerged 7 ‘Continuous cover’ Brachyionchya escape browsing. 2 Snags provide raptor the liverwort Nowellia and pine - a key species dead pine. banks provide a good branches of fallen pine. deadwood in ponds and stands encourage nubeculosa, and for pine perches on clear-fells. curvifolia. marten. 11 Retain snags (>2m high) 2 Birch is a short-lived - split with a chainsaw tree and is a good to mimic natural source of ‘instant processes and improve functioning and productivity of forest deadwood’. forests including the provision of better habitat value for hole-nesting birds. 3 Birch rots from the 1 inside creating hollow 2 12 Brash piles provide tubes of deadwood temporary shelter for which provide roosts for 2 invertebrates. bats and nest sites for 3 1 hornets and woodpeckers; bracket fungi Fomes fomentarius ecosystems through effects on biodiversity, are a distinctive feature. for deadwood species. 4 Fallen logs are best left 6 9 where they fall or 8 13 Locate old conifer stacked in partial shade. 7 ‘natural reserves’ near to semi-natural woodland. 5 Oak deadwood takes a 4 long time to decay 5 10 14 Clear young dense providing continuity of conifers from riparian habitat over hundreds of 4 woodland: plan mosaic years. of open and wooded 6 Debris dam affects river 3 habitats retaining carbon storage, soil nutrient cycling, energy flow and stream 11 5 deadwood. morphology, creating 12 7 15 Permanent shelter belts valuable habitat provide continuity of diversity. 2 15 deadwood and wildlife 1 13 6 7 Polypody fern growing ‘corridors’. 14 on large dying branches 16 De-stumping removes on mature oak. below ground deadwood 8 Oak heartwood although important for hard and stable is invertebrates. Scope of the guide 8 broken down over time 12 17 Small groups of veteran flows, hydrological processes, and natural by fungi such as the larch provide nesting 4 beefsteak fungus sites for goshawks 3 Fistulina hepatica. 10 Accipiter gentilis. 9 11 9 Active callousing in 18 Retain snags in stands response to injury ‘seals’ as they mature. in deadwood creating rot columns within 19 Stump piles (created trunks and branches of 13 after de-stumping) living trees. provide shelter for adders and perches for regeneration of trees. Recognition of the value 10 Burrs, epicormic shoots woodlark. and rough bark This guide is focused primarily on managed complement deadwood 20 Various species of habitats. clearwing moths use stumps for egg-laying. 11 Upland oakwoods often contain a high biomass of fallen dead branches. 15 14 Lowland native 16 Native riparian woods broadleaved woodland 18 of deadwood for biodiversity (Ratcliffe, 1993) 1 Native riparian conifer and broadleaved forests (both of planted in the south and east woodland including of Britain mature and overmature 6 17 trees and deadwood. 1 Exit holes left by 5 insects. 2 Alder carr provides a 19 good natural reserve 2 Insects and fungi 1 and pollarding can depend on each other - provide a wetland insects breakdown the source of deadwood. structure of deadwood, has led to the development of standards and fungi cause chemical 3 Veteran trees next to breakdown. freshwater provide nest and semi-natural origin) where there is scope for cavities for birds and 20 3 Rot hole created by burrows for fish. pollarding creates 7 deadwood habitat on a 4 Retain rare black living tree. 2 poplars in lowland riparian zones. 4 Beech deadwood supports the widest 5 Allow dieback of non- native poplars to range of insect species 1 within lowland provide nest holes for willow tit Parus guidelines for managed forests, which are in the woodland. 2 improving deadwood habitats to benefit both 3 moutanus; lunar hornet 5 Sapling regenerating on clearwing moth Sesia a root plate. 3 bembeciformis larvae 8 6 Cracks and rot holes in live in poplar stumps. veteran holly provide 6 Recreation and amenity food for tree creepers use should be planned and nests for redstarts. 9 5 to avoid safety problems 7 Below-ground from deadwood. 10 deadwood provides a 4 7 Nectar-rich plants in 4 process of being implemented (e.g. Anon, 2000a; rich habitat for beetles. glades, rides and forest generalist and specialist saproxylic species. 8 Over-mature pollards margins provide food for 5 deadwood invertebrates. brought carefully back 6 into management. 8 Large log developed as 9 Pollards with dead 11 an informal play and branches left on the amenity resource. tree; branches left on 7 9 Tree surgery stabilises the ground protect the 6 deadwood in public root zone from places ensuring public trampling. safety and long term Anon, 1998; Hodge and Peterken, 1998; Kirby et continuity in deadwood 10 Hawthorn is an The guidance comprises this booklet and the important nectar source supply. 8 for deadwood species at certain points in their life cycle. 7 Key to Forest Zones 11 Decaying pollard containing detritus of Native pinewood leaves, insect and bird 20th Century faeces and dead conifer plantations animals. Upland 8 native al., 1998; Ferris-Kaan et al., 1993). broadleaved 12 accompanying poster tucked into the rear cover. 12 Willow pollard provides 10 woodland a temporary otter holt. 11 Native 9 riparian 13 Raptor perch on dry Lowland native woods beech snag.