Set out with warden Marina on the Conservation trail.
1992: FC management split up into 3 sections
- Policy Resources (MAFF)
- Forest Authority - overseers - give grants and handle felling
- Forest Enterprise - deal with public access to F.C land
Sub-section of Government agency - idea of stewardship
Forestry is a type of crop rotation, but the rotation takes around 70 years. Gain around 9% profit. The money raised goes to the Treasury and then they are paid a certain amount. Education service is for PR reasons, and is non-profit making. Will be under review in the year 2000.
Have to cater for all age groups e.g Giant badger sett and adventure playground for younger age group. FC have ‘owner’s liability’ due to it being on their land, so has to be regularly inspected to check the equipment is safe and that it is being safely used.
Also set up several children’s nature trails where they follow clues and have worksheet to fill in as they go.
Around the Visitor centre have problems with footpath erosion due to ‘desire lines’. Surface has to be pitched.
Timber extraction tends to be by chainsaw. Contractors do this, as work teams employed full time would not be economically viable.
Exposed tree roots also have to be removed from the areas around the footpath.
Have to be involved in estate management. All trees have to be planted manually and ‘heeled in’ - best method of planting.
Land has a carrying capacity: most people don’t walk further than a mile or so from the car park so most of the facilities are located in that area.
Fences have to be erected to keep out ‘tree munchers’ such as sheep and deer. Fences cheaper than dry stone walls and can be moved - are used several times.
In addition to deer fences, the roe deer population is culled. There is a ranger who covers the Northern Lakes area (16-17 forests) and shoots any deer beyond the capacity of 150 deer. Deer cause damage to trees as they eat the bark and once the ring of bark around the trunk is completed the tree will die. Fences can be re used every 10 - 15 years. Numbers are estimated from a survey of dung counts. The weaker deer are killed off. The quality of the antlers gives an idea of the health of the deer.
The weaker deer are killed off. They have no natural predators: used to be attacked by wolves. Deer can’t be herded out of the area as sheep can as they run against the fences and cause themselves damage and injury.
There are 4 main areas of concern:
1. Woodland
2. Recreation
3. Biodiversity
4. Landscape
1. Crop needs to be grown and maintained.
Take out the weak trees (‘beating up’) and replant with new trees.
Forestry commission is a major timber producer, and is aiming at producing Sustainable timber (sustainable timber stamp has been introduced by B&Q/Do it All)
2. The forest is the 3rd most popular tourist attraction in the Lake District after Windermere Ferries and Grizedale Forest (with sculpture trail)
People come because it is Free and there are all the facilities close to the car park.
Along the trail is an old sheepfold which has been upgraded by the BTCV.
3. Deer live in the deepest part of the forest. Also nesting sites for birds of prey.
One issue has been the introduction of grey squirrels which have largely driven out the native red squirrels.
Red only eat hazel nuts which are in their second year and ripe whereas the greys will eat them before that, so there are less available for the reds. Reds will also abandon the family group if they are disturbed, and abandon their kittens. There are plans for squirrel culling also.
Have areas of bilberry moorland which are where black grouse may be re-introduced from Scotland.
Around 20-25% moorland/heathland. Need to have a mosaic of different environments and allow room for animals to leave areas which have been clear-felled.
4. Forest plantations used to be planted with straight edges.
All the watercourses and streams which flow through the forest drain into Bassenthwaite Lake (a National Nature Reserve) which is home to rare Arctic Chad. It takes a day and a half for any pollutant to pass down the streams so have to put down pillows into the stream which filter out the pollution, and inform the Environment Agency.
Clearfelling is used in ‘coupes’ after the trees have reached maturity which takes anything up to 70 years.
Blue crosses are put onto the trees around the boundary of the area to be cleared.
Timber is sold by ‘standing sale’ which means that it is felled and extracted.
Or by ‘roadside sale’ where the timber is taken to the roadside and collected when already cut.
This creates a problem as with free access to the forests, tourists have to be warned. Paths are diverted for safety reasons. No gates to close so have to rely on people being sensible.
To extract the timber, they use a cableway or ‘skyline’ to drag out the timber, and in the past mountain bikers have ignored signs and risked their lives cycling under the lines (also encountered some on the paths as we went round the conservation trail)
Once tree is felled, they paint urea around the stump to protect the layer immediately under the bark. If this isn’t done, can be invaded by pests and get into the soil. This dries to a white layer around the trunk.
Once clear felled they ‘sned’ the trunks: remover the branches (although trees are planted close together so that they concentrate on growing tall and straight)
Trunks etc. are left for 2-3 years to rot down as 80% of nutrients are left in the ground once the trunks are removed. Also a habitat for creatures. The area is then cleared and trenches are dug to drain the area and the small trees (which are grown in special nursery nearby) are planted.
Once an area has been felled, trees on the outside of the area tend to fall as they are not ‘wind firm’ in all directions due to the way that the roots have developed as the tree has grown,
Rated according to a ‘wind throw hazard class’ which depends on soil depth, drainage and the exposure of the site.
Can have a ‘domino effect’ when felling as they continually expose trees which may not have felt the wind throughout their lives.
Need to remove any trees overhanging footpaths as they are a hazard to the public. Horses are used to drag out trees close to the visitor centre.
Genetically refined stock of saplings are planted. These have the best chance to grow.
In marshy areas they attempt to allow natural succession.
Timber is graded by colour. Red is poor quality. Green is good. Classification affects the price.
Timber wagons have a load of about £300-400 worth.
Area of Dodd Wood (see slides) has the old fashioned straight edges. Some trees have been removed to ‘feather’ the edges and improve the aesthetics. Has to be remembered that the impact of any planning will be in the landscape for 50 years.
Fire rendezvous points with beaters are clearly signposted. Need to protect their investment. Have 3 ponds in the area which are the source of water used for fighting fires. The more people who come to the forest, the greater the fire risk. Have been recent fires, e.g next to A66 near Keswick. Early spring is the worst time for fires as the vegetation has dried out.
Don’t plant for 6m either side of streams to protect the riparian environment.
A main problem is acidification, which is a particular problem in coniferous forests as the pine needles filter out the pollution, which is absorbed in the needles. When these fall to the floor, the pollutants are leached out, and these acidify the water of runoff.
Also allow the RAC rally to take place through the forest. Once they have used the road they have to regrade them by pushing material to the side of the road which the vehicles have churned up. Also used for Husky racing, and by the Army.
Forests are zoned.
Portfolio of maps which are produced by the FC
- Location
- Present Species
Done by colour coding. Blue is Norway and Sitka Spruce, Gold is Larch (this has higher amenity value) Broadleaves are confined to small areas.
- Survey of Recreation Access (also mark on SSSI’s)
- Survey of Conservation
Oaks, Deer glades, Riparian areas and Marshes
- Landform appraisal (including views)
- Design Concept - put all 5 of the above on one map
- Felling Proposals map - felling tends to be done in oddly shaped areas called coupes, which are sympathetic to the nature of the landscape.
Felling is carried out over 5 year periods. Rotation felling is carried out, rather than clear felling.
- Restocking proposals - tend to adapt so that future planting is different to the existing situation. Often plant more larch, more Douglas Fir in pockets and still lots of Spruce for economic reasons.
Computers can be used to show how the planting will look in the years ahead.
Try to maintain an age structure with trees of different sizes to cater for different types of wildlife.
EXERCISE
Designing how best to use an area of the forest. Fairly flat gradient, but with stream running through it.
Ideas of people:
Timber Production
Wildlife in deciduous areas
Tourism
Car Park
Different ‘levels’ of walking by building new bridge.
Benches
Interpretative signing
Fell tall trees to give a better view
Visitor Centre
Disabled Orienteering course
Notes taken by A. Parkinson during Field Trip visit in July 1999
