The BeWILD Legacy Report An evaluation of the BeWILD Project 2008‐2011, an ancient woodland management project in Berkshire Meg Chambers, Karen Davies and Melanie Hardie, 2013 Meg Chambers, Karen Davies and Melanie Hardie The BeWILD Legacy Report An evaluation of the BeWILD Project 2008-2011, an ancient woodland management project in Berkshire January 2013 1 2 THE BeWILD LEGACY REPORT Funders: This report has been funded by the North Wessex Downs Sustainable Development Fund, the Friends of the Pang, Kennet and Lambourn Valleys Countryside Projects (FWAG) (now West Berkshire Countryside Society), and the Gerald Palmer Charitable Trust. It has been hosted and supported by the Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre (TVERC). Acknowledgements: Project manager and editor: Meg Chambers Authors: Meg Chambers, Karen Davies and Mel Hardie Map production, grant administration and report printing: Gavin Bird, TVERC Contributors: William Hamer, FRICS Forestry consultant contributed towards Chapter 7 and 9. Patrick Stephens and Matthew Woodcock, Forestry Commission provided data and maps. Thanks to all those who have given comments, and provided input and support in the production of this report. Maps: All maps were produced by the Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre (TVERC) in 2012. Maps are reproduced from Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office ©Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown Copyright, and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Oxfordshire County Council Licence No 100023343 (2010) FOR REFERENCE PURPOSES ONLY, NO FURTHER COPIES MAY BE MADE Photographs: Photographs have kindly been provided by FWAG, TVERC, Meg Chambers, Blue Sky Images/North Wessex Downs 2009, Greenaway Collections, Forestry Commission picture library, Jessica Pelling/Butterfly Conservation and Peter Eeles/Butterfly Conservation. Author’s contacts: Meg Chambers, Independent woodland advisor [email protected] Karen Davies, Independent farm conservation advisor [email protected] 3 Structure of the Report: This report is not designed to be a detailed account of the BeWILD Project, rather it is a record of our experiences in planning, organising, carrying out and evaluating a woodland project. Wherever possible, it has been presented in a Toolkit format aimed at those considering and planning a new woodland project. Each chapter describes the process of that aspect of the project and what the BeWILD Project achieved, and then presents a summary of the Successes and achievements: what worked well, the Problems and limitations: what could have worked better, and shares our Findings and recommendations: lessons learned. Finally, we have provided practical recommendations for those setting up woodland projects in order to learn from our experiences and ensure you have a successful project. These are presented in the form of Top Tips in a text box at the end of each chapter. Each chapter is set out accordingly. We hope that you find our experiences and the content of this Report useful in whatever work you do. Best wishes, Meg, Karen and Mel, January 2013 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY By Mel Hardie The BeWILD Project was a partnership project primarily funded by Natural England’s Countdown 2010 Biodiversity Action Fund that ran 2008-2011, and aimed to identify and restore ancient woodlands across Berkshire. Through the collaboration of multiple conservation partners, volunteers and willing woodland owners, the Project delivered substantial outputs in a limited time frame and in a financially challenging climate. This report has been written by the three former BeWILD project managers in order to pull together the Project’s successes and achievements and share the experiences and findings of the Project, to encourage the partner organisations and others to pick up and build on the progress and connections made and develop new woodland initiatives which will help secure the future of our ancient woodlands. It is designed to be used as a toolkit with explanations of how the Project was undertaken, key findings and recommendations for future woodland conservation and management projects, and potential areas of work identified for future projects and partnerships. Ancient woodlands are important habitats, not just for their inherent biodiversity value but also as part of the UK’s cultural and heritage landscape. It is often not appreciated that they need management to maintain them in good condition as dynamic habitats, ensuring thriving wildlife populations, and to protect them from pest plants and animals, particularly browsing deer, rabbits and squirrels, diseases and the uncertain impacts of climate change. The BeWILD Project demonstrated the importance of a partnership approach, building on the skills, contacts and ideas of multiple organisations and individuals. The networking and skill sharing woodland events built relationships between woodland owners and volunteers, craftsmen, consultants and contractors, which often went beyond the scope of the Project work. Through the promotion and organised training workshops, many volunteers were engaged in the Project and became instrumental in carrying out much of the woodland management for conservation and in surveying for protected species, continuing after the Project funding had ceased. One of the key outcomes was the establishment of the Berkshire Mammal Group, through the connections made and their discovery of previously unknown dormouse populations in the county. Achieving these networks is only possible with a co-ordinator acting as the principal contact point, helping to make the links and respond to the individual needs of woodland owners, managers and volunteers. This role can bridge the gaps in the current online and specialist advice to allow owners of small and medium sized woodlands access to a range of information and make informed decisions on possible management options. The co-ordinator is also instrumental in pairing woodlands (and their owners/managers) with a conservation volunteer workforce, as well as working with commercial woodland managers to optimise management for wildlife through their mechanised operations. Details of a rich variety of woodland products and markets are given, which can be used as economic drivers to stimulate more and better quality woodland management work. The Forestry Commissions’ English Woodland Grant Scheme (EWGS) provides some structure and support for the long-term management of ancient woodlands. However, some woodlands may need further support, such as the small neglected ancient woodlands on the 5 margins of economic viability, as found in Berkshire. This report addresses how and why the scale of management should be matched to the woodland size and situation, enabling holistic woodland management for the benefit of wildlife, woodfuel supply and economic return, engaging woodland owners and managers as well as the volunteer community. As future funding streams for similar projects are uncertain, there is a real need to look at sustainable market-driven solutions to maintain and encourage further woodland management work. Through woodland events and activities, this Project demonstrated to the Berkshire community how woodland management links in to the wider woodfuel supply chain. The BeWILD Project was also able to create a small market for woodfuel and a lasting legacy through the installation of a woodfuel boiler, part-funded by the Project and used to heat Hampstead Norreys Community Shop. In summary, there are many, varied and complex socio-economic reasons why woodlands are being neglected across the county, and no one solution is able to address this, but the emphasis must be on encouraging woodland owners and managers to see the value of their woodlands financially, environmentally, as a local fuel resource and to the local community. BRINGING BERKSHIRE’S ANCIENT WOODLANDS BACK TO LIFE By William Hamer, Forestry Consultant 1. Assess what your woodland includes by way of timber crops, other sources of income and nature conservation interest. 2. Develop clear management objectives, seeking advice from specialists. 3. Direct the produce from your woodland to the best market. 4. Work at the most appropriate scale. Make the most of the economies of scale but work at a scale that suits the size of woodland and the markets your products are aimed at. 5. Co-operate with others to get the best result. Use the skills of established practitioners to fill gaps in one’s own knowledge and capabilities. Working together helps achieve good scales of operation and access to markets. 6. Develop a woodland infrastructure which will allow suitable access to the woodland and allow woodland produce to be brought to the most appropriate market. 7. Make the best use of free money through grants, free advice where available and free labour from volunteers where they can make a meaningful contribution. 6 CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION 9 by Mel Hardie 1.1 Importance of ancient woodland.................................................................................. 9 1.2 Woodland cover in Berkshire ...................................................................................... 11 1.3 Need for the BeWILD Project ...................................................................................... 11 2. PROJECT DEVELOPMENT 15 by Karen Davies 2.1 Securing funding ........................................................................................................