Developing an understanding of forest management requirements for red squirrels in the Mid-Wales Focal Site Dr S. Cartmel and H. Denman CCW Science Report No 1016 © CCGC/CCW 2012 You may use and reproduce this document free of charge for non-commercial and internal business purposes, except where other copyright is stated. You may reproduce it in any format or medium, provided that you do so accurately, acknowledging both the source and CCW's copyright, and do not use it in a misleading context. Report Number: 1016 Publication Date: December 2012 Contract Number: NW1-114 Nominated Officers: Dawn Parry and Dr Liz Halliwell Title: Developing an understanding of forest management requirements for red squirrels in the Mid-Wales Focal Site Authors: Dr Sarah Cartmel and Huw Denman Restrictions: None Distribution List: Core: CCW HQ Library (x 2 copies) CCW Newtown Regional Library CCW Llandeilo Library National Library of Wales Welsh Government Library British Library Natural England Library – Electronic Copy SNH Library – Electronic Copy Others Chris Tucker – Forestry Commission Wales James Tinney – Forestry Commission Wales Iolo Lloyd – Forestry Commission Wales Isabel Macho – Carmarthenshire County Council Lizzie Wilberforce – Wildlife Trust South and West Wales Bev Lewis – Brecknock Wildlife Trust 2 Developing an understanding of forest management requirements for red squirrels in the Mid-Wales Focal Site Date: December 2012 Report Authors: Dr S Cartmel & H. Denman 3 Contents Crynodeb ........................................................................................................................................ 7 Summary ........................................................................................................................................ 7 1. Introduction & Background ........................................................................................................ 8 1.1. General description of the Mid Wales Focal Site ............................................................. 11 2. Aims and scope .................................................................................................................... 12 3. Methods ............................................................................................................................... 13 3.1. Overview ........................................................................................................................... 13 3.2. Desktop study - Criteria for assessing Key Areas ............................................................. 13 3.2.1. Tree species ............................................................................................................... 14 3.2.2. Internal connectivity ................................................................................................. 14 3.2.3. Other qualitative aspects .......................................................................................... 14 3.3. Identification of Key Areas ............................................................................................... 15 3.4. Arboreal Connectivity ....................................................................................................... 15 4. Results and Discussion ......................................................................................................... 15 4.1. Habitat quality .................................................................................................................. 15 4.2. Factors affecting distribution of Key Areas and connectivity .......................................... 18 4.2.1. FDP Planning Guidelines ............................................................................................ 18 4.2.2. Felling of important links causing habitat fragmentation ......................................... 18 4.3. General Recommendations for Habitat Management .................................................... 20 5. Conclusions .......................................................................................................................... 21 6. Acknowledgements .............................................................................................................. 22 Appendix ...................................................................................................................................... 23 1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 24 2. Ceredigion Forests: Areas 1 and 2 (Figure 2) ....................................................................... 25 2.1. Area 1: Clywedog to Cwm Dulas (Figure 3) ...................................................................... 25 2.2. Clywedog .......................................................................................................................... 25 2.3. Pentre plantation ............................................................................................................. 26 2.4. Bryn Mawr and Llyn y Gwaith .......................................................................................... 26 2.5. Bryn Coch .......................................................................................................................... 27 2.6. Cwm Dulas, Llethr Gwyn and adjacent areas ................................................................... 27 4 2.7. Management Recommendations for Area 1 .................................................................... 29 3. Area 2: Llyn Berwyn (Figure 4) ............................................................................................. 30 3.1. Description ....................................................................................................................... 30 3.2. Management Recommendations for Area 2 .................................................................... 32 4. Bryn Arau Duon and Dalar-wen Network (Figure 5) ............................................................ 33 4.1. Bryn Arau Duon ................................................................................................................ 33 4.2. Dalarwen .......................................................................................................................... 33 4.3. Management Recommendations for Area 3 .................................................................... 34 5. Tywi Forest (Figure 6) ........................................................................................................... 36 5.1. North Tywi ........................................................................................................................ 36 5.2. Management Recommendations for North Tywi (Figure 8) ............................................ 38 5.3. South Tywi and Nant yr Hwch .......................................................................................... 41 5.4. Management Recommendations for South Tywi (Figure 11) .......................................... 43 6. Area 6: Cwm Irfon and Trallwm (Figure 12) ......................................................................... 46 6.1. Description ....................................................................................................................... 46 6.2. Management Recommendations for Area 6 .................................................................... 46 7. Area 7: Glyn Saer, Esgair Dafydd, Cefn Ystrad Ffîn and Nant y Bai (Figure 13) ................... 48 7.1. Description ....................................................................................................................... 48 7.2. Management Recommendations for Area 7 (Figure 14) ................................................. 49 8. Other areas, Dolau Cothi forests Habitat Network .............................................................. 51 8.1. Description ....................................................................................................................... 51 8.2. Management Recommendations for other areas ............................................................ 51 Food Values .................................................................................................................................. 53 Species Codes/Names .................................................................................................................. 53 Glossary ........................................................................................................................................ 54 References .................................................................................................................................... 55 5 Figure 1 Red squirrel records 2001-2012, Focal Site and Buffer Zone........................................ 10 Figure 2 Habitat Networks according to FCW ............................................................................. 12 Figure 3 Key Areas (Grade 1 = best habitat for red squirrels) .................................................... 17 Figure 4 Important Links ............................................................................................................. 19 Figure 5 Key to Areas and overview of location of important links ............................................. 24 Figure 6 Ceredigion Forest Network ............................................................................................ 25 Figure 7 Area 1 - Clywedog to Cwm Dulas area ..........................................................................