The Forestry Authority '/r '" J Forestry Commission Handbook 11 Creating and n WOODLANDS dlhtOUND T< Forestry Commission ARCHIVE K M fa ft Forestry Commission Handbook 1 1 Creating and managing WOODLANDS AROUND TOWNS Simon J. Hodge LONDON:HMSO © Crown copyright 1995 Applications for reproduction should be made to HMSO Copyright Unit ISBN 0 11 710328 4 FDC 270:62:91:(410) British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library KEYWORDS: Amenity, Conservation, Design, Establishment, Landscape, Management, Urban forestry. Published by HMSO and available from: HMSO Publications Centre (Mail, fax and telephone orders only) PO Box 276, London, SW8 5DT Telephone orders 0171-873 9090 General enquiries 0171-873 0011 (queuing system in operation for both numbers) Fax orders 0171-873 8200 HMSO Bookshops 49 High Holborn, London, WC1V 6HB (counter service only) 0171-873 0011 Fax 0171-831 1326 68-69 Bull Street, Birmingham, B4 6AD 0121-236 9696 Fax 0121-236 9699 33 Wine Street, Bristol, BSl 2BQ 0117 9264306 Fax 011.7 9294515 9-21 Princess Street, Manchester, M60 8AS 0161-834 7201 Fax 0161-833 0634 16 Arthur Street, Belfast, BTl 4GD 01232 238451 Fax 01232 235401 71 Lothian Road, Edinburgh, EH3 9AZ 0131-228 4181 Fax 0131-229 2734 The HMSO Oriel Bookshop The Friary, Cardiff CF'l 4AA 01222' 395548 Fax 01222 384347 HMSO's Accredited Agents (see Yellow Pages) and through good booksellers Acknowledgements The production of this Handbook would not have been I am grateful to the following for their valuable comments possible without the contributions of: on the text: • Derek Patch, Arboriculture Advisory and Information • Clive Davis, Cleveland Community Forest Service (refereeing) « Sheila McCabe, Department of the Environment • George Gate, Forestry Commission Research Division • George Barker, English Nature (photography and graphics) • Gina Rowe, British Trust for Conservation Volunteers ■ Pat Hunter Blair and colleagues in the DANI Forest ■ Vincent Goodstadt, Strathclyde Regional Council Service (help, information and Plates 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, • Paul Tabbush, Gary Kerr, Ralph Harmer, Peter Gosling, 10.4 and 10.5, and Figure 10.1) Marcus Sangster, Brian Hibberd, Andy Moffat, Richard ■ Gareth Price, Forestry Authority England (design of Ferris-Kaan, Julian Evans, Graham Gill and Sally York Freckland Wood, comments on text and Figures 9.1 and (all Forestry Commission) 9.2) • Simon Bell, Forestry Commission Forestry Practice Division (Figures 10.2, 10.3, 10.4 and 10.5) Front cover • Dee Stamp and Community Land and Workspace Ltd Multi-purpose woodlands in the urban environment of (community involvement) the West Midlands. ( 40956) ■ John Williams, Forestry Commission Research Division (line drawings) • Environmental Management Consultants (Figures 8.1 and 8.2) • Elaine Dick, Forestry Commission Forestry Practice Division (artwork in Figure 9.3) • Dave Rogers, Forestry Commission Research Division (Plates 6.3a and 6.3b) • Clive Carter, Forestry Commission Research Division (Plate 7.5) The development of the ideas and approach of the Handbook have been much influenced by working with: < colleagues at Alice Holt, in particular Ian Collier, Derek Patch, Gary Kerr, Paul Tabbush, David Williamson and Ralph Harmer < the Thames Chase Community Forest team (also for Figure 3.2) • Nerys Jones and the Black Country Urban Forestry Unit (who also provided Plates 1.3 and 3.1, and commented on the text) • Martin Glynn, Nottinghamshire County Council (who also provided the contract schedule and gave comments on Chapter 9) • Steve Potter, Staffordshire County Council I Contents Acknowledgements iii 3 Working with local people 17 Foreword vii Why work with local people? 17 Introduction viii Building links with the local community 17 Introduction viii The nature of community involvement 21 Einleitung ix Information and education 22 Intro duccion ix Consultation 26 Participation to benefit local people 28 1 Opting for woodland 1 Organising events 30 The benefits of trees in the urban For more information 31 environment 1 Why woodlands and not just trees? 5 4 The right specification 32 Urban woodland: a low-cost/high-benefit Is woodland the best use of the site? 32 land use 5 Site assessment 34 Recognising opportunities for urban woodland 7 Setting objectives and priorities 42 For more information 7 The importance of robustness 43 Drafting a specification 46 2 Issues affecting the decision to plant 8 Practical woodland design 46 Development plans 8 Work schedules and contracts 53 Landscape protection and enhancement 9 For more information 57 Providing a recreation network 9 A long-term perspective 9 5 Establishing successful woodlands 58 Grants and advice 11 Ground preparation 58 Sponsorship for tree-related activities 13 Fertiliser 61 Urban woodlands and the law 13 Species choice 63 For more information 15 Species mixtures 67 v Planting-stock quality and type 72 9 Freckland Wood: case study of a new Tree spacing 76 woodland 140 Planting 77 Getting the ball rolling 140 Implementing the design plan 79 Draft specification: the basis for Tree protection 80 consultation 141 Weed control around trees 84 The landscape design plan 143 Vegetation management between trees 88 For more information 90 Liaison with local residents 143 The final specification 146 6 Woodland creation from seed 92 Natural colonisation 92 Implementation 153 Direct seeding 96 The tree establishment contract 153 For more information 100 Promotion and interpretation 157 7 Managing existing woodlands 101 For more information 159 The management plan 101 Initiating a silvicultural system 102 10 Belvoir Park Forest: case study of an Silvicultural management of recently existing woodland 160 established woodlands 104 The woodland 160 Thinning 105 Silvicultural management and regeneration The regional context 163 of mature woodlands 107 Recreation, amenity and woodland users 164 Protection of existing woodlands 111 Wildlife conservation 166 For more information 114 Timber production and resources for 8 Woodlands for particular uses 115 woodland management 166 Woodlands for recreation and amenity 115 Management planning 167 Woodlands for wildlife 122 For more information 171 Woodlands for timber production 132 For more information 138 Index 172 vi Foreword We tend to think of woodlands as part of the countryside but, over recent years, there has been a growing awareness of the contribution they can make to the urban environment and the quality of life of city dwellers. Urban woodlands bring the countryside and its wildlife right into the city. Managed with the involvement of local people they can encourage a sense of community ownership and responsi­ bility and develop an appreciation of woodland and the natural environment. People of all ages working together can help to manage the woodland for present and future generations. This vision lies at the heart of the many community and urban forestry initiatives now in place, and has attracted people from all walks of life. These people are faced with the task of realising their vision, often on heavily used and degraded sites, and many in private ownership. Success requires the skills of the forester, community worker, land­ scape architect, ecologist, planner and negotiator all rolled into one. I commend this practical Handbook to all those engaged in the task. In a lively and accessible format it describes how to plan, create and manage multi-purpose urban wood­ lands, based on the experience gained by the Forestry Commission’s Research Division in creating demonstration woodlands in association with Local Authorities and Community Forest Teams. The Rt. Hon, Ian Lang, Secretary of State for Scotland vii Introduction Introduction Great Britain has a population of 57.4 million of La Grande-Bretagne a une population de 57.4 mil­ which 46 million live in towns and cities and do lions, de laquelle 46 millions habitent dans les not have immediate access to the countryside. The villes et les cites, et ainsi n’ont pas d’acces immedi- primary role of urban forestry is to provide wood­ at a la campagne. Le role primaire de la foresterie lands and trees which improve the quality of daily urbaine est pourvoir des bois et des arbres qui life for these people. ameliorent la qualite de la vie quotidienne pour ces Urban forestry is becoming increasingly recog­ gens. nised as a discipline in its own right but those On reconnait de plus en plus la foresterie urbaine involved come from many backgrounds and disci­ comme une discipline de plein droit, mais ses prati- plines, ranging from planning through landscape ciens ont des antecedents divers et viennent des design and horticulture to forestry. These back­ disciplines differentes telles que la planification, grounds often result in an approach that is focused l’architecture paysagere, l’horticulture et la on certain aspects of the process of woodland cre­ foresterie. Souvent ces antecedents en resultent que ation at the expense of others. This Handbook pre­ la mise au point se concentre sur certains aspects de sents practical information on the process of urban la formation des bois au prix des autres. Ce Manuel woodland planning, establishment and manage­ presente des informations pratiques sur le proces­ ment. It is designed to help practitioners to achieve sus de la planification, l’etablissement et l’amenage- results where it really matters — on the ground. ment des bois urbains. II a pour but aider les prati- The definition of urban woodland used in this ciens a parvenir a ses fins ou il importe vraiment, Handbook is groups of trees in and around towns c’est-a-dire sur le terrain. that are extensively managed to provide a naturalis­ La definition de bois urbain utilisee dans ce tic vegetation structure. This can be achieved on Manuel est des groupes des arbres dans et autour areas from less than 0.1 hectare to hundreds of des villes qui s’amenagent extensivement pour hectares.