Under pressure
In the past, many of these places have been under pressure. We’ve been working to relieve that.
- Expansion of purple-flowered Rhododendron has smothered scope for other trees and shrubs.
- High levels of grazing by sheep and deer have nibbled-out seedlings.
- Multiple ownership of some woods has made forward planning tricky.
- People haven’t always been aware of how important these places are for conservation.
- At the same time, the pool of people trained to take forward action to help native woods within their communities has been too small.
Core team
Many woodland owners and managers have been working with Highland Birchwoods and other partners in the project. They’ve been hiring local contractors, developing management plans, removing exotic trees and shrubs, repairing and erecting fences and doing many other things to help native woods.
Around £2 million has been spent on woodland restoration and management. This has created local jobs and developed skills. All of this activity has been geared to boosting regeneration of the native trees that make each Core Forest site special. At the same time, it has renewed the scope for a wealth of woodland creatures and plants to thrive.
Research
Action on the ground is based on sound science, through studies conducted by Core Sites partner, Forest Research. This has helped to improve guidelines for management of the three main forest types in the project. By providing examples of good practice, Core Forest Sites information is a valuable resource for managers of similar places. And the project shows the many benefits that have come from a working partnership between representatives of public and private interests.
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