This area has a high concentration of woodland, including ancient woodland, and hosts scarce woodland species. Therefore, the relevant priorities here are targeted at building from existing woodlands and the developing Great Avon Wood to create a large area of well-connected woodland, open wooded habitat (such as wood pasture), and mosaic habitat, the latter being particularly a focus on south-facing slopes. Improving the value of existing woodland for wildlife is also important.
Habitat creation should be particularly prioritised on steep slopes and poor-quality agricultural land, which are mapped as focus areas for nature recovery. On the Best and Most Versatile Land, of which there are significant pockets, increasing the number of trees in the farmed landscape and creating thick and tall hedgerows to connect nature-rich sites would help to contribute towards the nature recovery network.
Delivering the priorities for nature recovery is particularly important in the mapped Focus Areas for Nature Recovery. ‘Landscape recovery’ measures, which will have the biggest impact on nature recovery, are particularly relevant in these Focus Areas.
There is a greater amount of land where extensive grazing creates diverse, dynamic and shifting habitat mosaic, including successional habitats and scrub.
Measures
Most relevant to
Land type
Indicative level of land-use impact for nature
On areas that are currently biodiversity-poor, use a mix of free-roaming herbivores with different grazing habits to create a dynamic and shifting mosaic of habitats. Ideally, this should be done in a large enough area for natural processes to create habitat variety.
Farmers and landowners
Countryside
Landscape recovery
Reduce the intensity of existing cattle grazing to improve biodiversity and create dynamic grassland mosaics; this could include introducing more hardy, native breeds of cattle, and introducing ponies alongside them.
Farmers and landowners
Countryside
Landscape recovery
Manage areas of scrub that are in good condition to avoid them losing their scrub or thicket-like characteristics by, for example, coppicing on a suitable rotation and using appropriate grazing regimes.
Farmers and landowners
Countryside
Landscape recovery
Measures
Most relevant to
Land type
Indicative level of land-use impact for nature
Create semi-natural broadleaved woodland, following the principles set out in the Forest of Avon Plan and ensure the woodland has a suitable management plan in place. Where possible (i.e. next to or close to existing woodland), allow woodland to naturally generate rather than planting trees.
Farmers and landowners
Countryside
Landscape recovery
Restore plantations on ancient woodland sites (PAWS) to native woodland.
Farmers and landowners
Countryside
Landscape recovery
Create or restore wood pasture and parkland, which incorporate extensive grazing alongside trees.
Farmers and landowners
Countryside
Landscape recovery
Allow natural regeneration of scrub and woodland close to existing semi-natural woodlands, which provides important ‘edge habitat’.
Farmers and landowners
Countryside
Environmental stewardship
Measures
Most relevant to
Land type
Indicative level of land-use impact for nature
Restore and establish traditional orchards, including community orchards, with a focus on maintaining locally distinctive varieties
Farmers and landowners
Countryside
Landscape recovery
Protect existing traditional orchards and continue to manage them well for wildlife
Farmers and landowners
Countryside
Landscape recovery
Measures
Most relevant to
Land type
Indicative level of land-use impact for nature
Manage existing wood pasture and parkland to maximise their value to wildlife and ensure continued survival of mature and veteran trees
Farmers and landowners
Countryside
Landscape recovery
Carry out specialist tree surgery as needed to extend the lives of veteran and ancient trees
Farmers and landowners
Countryside
Landscape recovery
There is more woodland that is managed and in good ecological condition, including minimising the impact of ash dieback and reducing grazing pressure on sensitive woodlands from deer.
Measures
Most relevant to
Land type
Indicative level of land-use impact for nature
Improve the management of existing areas of woodland for wildlife, following the principles set out in the Forest of Avon Plan
Farmers and landowners
Woodland
Landscape recovery
Reintroduce coppicing as a form of woodland management that benefits wildlife while potentially providing woodland products such as fuel
Farmers and landowners
Woodland
Landscape recovery
Open up rides and glades in existing woodland to develop ecotones and scrubby areas that better support a wider range of wildlife. Where appropriate, use new open woodland areas caused by ash dieback to create new wood pastures or glades
Farmers and landowners
Woodland
Landscape recovery
Consider introducing grazing animals in larger woodlands to create a more dynamic ecology and enable habitat succession.
Farmers & landowners
Woodland
Landscape recovery
Take measures to reduce deer grazing in woodlands, such as putting up deer fencing, to reduce their negative impact on woodland ecology due to overgrazing.
Farmers & landowners
Woodland
Environmental stewardship
Leave deadwood in situ to provide habitat for a variety of species including fungi, lichens, invertebrates, mosses, bats and birds.
Farmers & landowners
Woodland
Environmental stewardship
Periodically thin ‘high forest’ type woodlands (tall trees with little shrub layer) to maintain structural diversity and a varied age structure where appropriate
Farmers & landowners
Woodland
Environmental stewardship
Avoid placing game bird pens in woodlands with a high botanical value
Farmers & landowners
Woodland
N/A
Ensure public access to and recreational activities within woodlands minimises impacts on woodland ecology, including clearly marked paths.
Farmers & landowners
Woodland
N/A
Only fell trees affected by ash dieback when there is a material safety risk, a clear future safety risk, or as part of normal silvicultural operations, and leave deadwood in place where possible for the benefit of wildlife
Farmers & landowners
Woodland
Environmental stewardship
Where there is a diverse mix of tree species present, allow natural regeneration to replace trees lost through ash dieback. Where natural regeneration is not possible, replace trees lost through ash dieback with a suitable mix of native broadleaved species
Farmers & landowners
Woodland
Environmental stewardship
Adopt ecologically sound forestry practices in woodlands used for timber production. This can include continuous cover management regimes that attempt to mimic natural processes, and integration of areas and corridors of native broadleaved woodland in coniferous forests
Farmers & landowners
Woodland
Environmental stewardship
Include fire and fuel breaks and/or fire belts in woodland to reduce the risk of wildfires, and ensure woodlands are resilient to climate change in the future
Farmers & landowners
Woodland
N/A
Existing species-rich grasslands and meadows, including lowland calcareous grasslands, are protected and well-managed.
Measures
Most relevant to
Land type
Indicative level of land-use impact for nature
Keep or put in place the appropriate extensive grazing regime for existing species-rich grasslands and lowland meadows, avoiding overgrazing or undergrazing that can lead to grassland habitat being lost
Farmers and landowners
Countryside
Landscape recovery
Prevent scrub from encroaching on species-rich wildflower grasslands, while maintaining a minority area of scrub that is managed to create a varied age, composition and physical structure including glades and scalloped edges
Farmers and landowners
Countryside
Environmental stewardship
Where there is an absence of scrub and successional habitat in or adjacent to grasslands, encourage a minority amount to improve structural diversity and benefit wildlife
Farmers and landowners
Countryside
Environmental stewardship
Measures
Most relevant to
Land type
Indicative level of land-use impact for nature
Humane management of the non-native grey squirrel, potentially including the use of contraceptives to reduce breeding success
Farmers and landowners
Woodland
N/A
Humanely manage the impact of populations of the non-native muntjac deer, whose grazing can have severe negative impacts on woodland ecology, at the landscape level
Farmers and landowners
Countryside
N/A
The extent and quality of our hedgerow network for wildlife is improved, helping to connect wildlife-rich sites.
Measures
Most relevant to
Land type
Indicative level of land-use impact for nature
Manage hedgerows in a thick and tall condition for wildlife, following best practice set out by Hedgelink and only cutting every three years on rotation
Farmers and landowners
Countryside
Environmental stewardship
Create/restore hedgerows where they have previously existed, or where they would fit in with the existing field system
Farmers and landowners
Countryside
Environmental stewardship
Measures
Most relevant to
Land type
Indicative level of land-use impact for nature
Plant field trees within hedgerows where they are not already present
Farmers and landowners
Countryside
Environmental stewardship
Protect existing trees within the farmed landscape, particularly veteran and ancient trees, and consider fencing off ancient and veteran trees to enable new trees to grow
Farmers and landowners
Countryside
Environmental stewardship
Create shelterbelts (windbreaks) made up of trees to protect livestock and crops from inclement weather
Farmers and landowners
Countryside
Environmental stewardship
Incorporate trees in grazing systems (silvopasture). This could include trees that can produce a fruit or nut crop alongside continued livestock grazing
Farmers and landowners
Countryside
Environmental stewardship
Establish agroforestry systems alongside crop production (silvoarable systems)