FINGLE WOOD MANAGEMENT PLAN Date: 15/07/2015 Version: Final Author: Footprint Ecology Recommended Citation: Fingle Woods conservation plan – information to inform HLF bid FINGLE WOOD MANAGEMENT PLAN Contents FINGLE WOODS CONSERVATION PLAN .......................................................... 7 Introduction ................................................................................................... 7 Who wrote the plan? .............................................................................................. 7 Who participated and who was consulted? ............................................................. 7 Scope of the plan. ................................................................................................... 7 Links to other planning work including your activity plan. ....................................... 7 Any gaps in the plan including any limitations......................................................... 7 Any other documents that need to be read with the plan. ...................................... 7 1. Section 1 Understanding the Heritage .................................................. 8 Describe the Heritage ............................................................................................. 8 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 8 Archaeology ......................................................................................................... 13 History .................................................................................................................. 14 Landscape ............................................................................................................. 21 Biodiversity .......................................................................................................... 24 Habitats ......................................................................................................................... 24 Species .......................................................................................................................... 33 Bats ............................................................................................................................... 34 Dormouse ...................................................................................................................... 35 Local Context ........................................................................................................ 37 Put your heritage in a wider heritage context ....................................................... 37 Archaeology and history ................................................................................................ 37 Cultural ......................................................................................................................... 38 Landscape ...................................................................................................................... 38 Wildlife .......................................................................................................................... 39 Describe how the heritage is looked after ............................................................. 41 2. Section 2 Statement of Significance.................................................... 44 Value for Wildlife/Biodiversity .............................................................................. 44 Habitats ......................................................................................................................... 44 2 FINGLE WOOD MANAGEMENT PLAN Species .......................................................................................................................... 44 Landscape Value ................................................................................................... 46 Historic Value ....................................................................................................... 48 Historic Importance for Modern Forestry and value as a Demonstration Site for Sustainable Forestry ............................................................................................. 48 Value to the Local Community .............................................................................. 49 Value for Formal/Informal Learning ...................................................................... 51 Formal Learning ............................................................................................................. 51 Informal Learning........................................................................................................... 51 Value for Recreation ............................................................................................. 52 How the value of the heritage has changed through time ..................................... 55 3. Risk and Opportunities ....................................................................... 57 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 57 Risks ..................................................................................................................... 58 Condition of the heritage through to ownership ................................................... 58 Use ....................................................................................................................... 59 Boundaries ........................................................................................................... 59 Resources ............................................................................................................. 60 Opportunities ....................................................................................................... 61 Management problems ........................................................................................ 63 Access ................................................................................................................... 66 Public Expectations ............................................................................................... 67 Competing priorities ............................................................................................. 68 Opportunities for preserving or improving the significance of the heritage ........... 72 Increasing access .................................................................................................. 73 Providing better recreational facilities. ................................................................. 73 4. Section 4 Policies ................................................................................ 74 Conservation: How we will: .................................................................................. 74 Conserve or enhance each of the different types of heritage ........................................... 74 Protection ............................................................................................................. 74 Semi-Natural Broadleaved Woodland ............................................................................. 74 Veteran Trees ................................................................................................................ 75 River .............................................................................................................................. 76 Open Habitats ................................................................................................................ 77 3 FINGLE WOOD MANAGEMENT PLAN Species .......................................................................................................................... 78 Archaeology................................................................................................................... 79 History ........................................................................................................................... 80 Access ........................................................................................................................... 80 Restoration ........................................................................................................... 81 Semi-natural Broadleaved Woodlands ............................................................................ 81 Veteran Trees ................................................................................................................ 82 River .............................................................................................................................. 83 Open Habitats ................................................................................................................ 84 Creation ................................................................................................................ 85 Veteran Trees ................................................................................................................ 85 Open Habitats ................................................................................................................ 85 Access ........................................................................................................................... 86 Education ...................................................................................................................... 87 Resolving conflicts between different types of heritage ........................................ 88 Meet conservation standards for each