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Wildwood
Coppice Crafts |
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(revised February 2008)
Date: 2008 to 2028 1. BACKGROUND INFORMATION 1.1 Location
Nearest
village: West Malvern 1.2 Description Park Wood is located on the western slopes of the Malvern Hills, within the Malvern Hills AONB. Park Wood is almost certainly ancient woodland but it is not designated an Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland (ASNW). It lies south of West Malvern and north of Upper Colwall. It was subject to limestone quarrying circa 1870 - 1920‘s. It has a number of small disused quarries creating distinctive ecosystems within the wood. One long quarry has essentially divided the wood into two halves making the eastern half less accessible. The old lime kilns still exist on the woods west boundary on Brockhill Road. A narrow gauge railway used to run through the wood and the old earthworks are still evident. The wood consists predominantly of hazel understorey with mixed standards. 1.3 History of management Park Wood was acquired by the Conservators in the early 1990s. There is no known management plan and was subject to a non intervention policy for a number of years with occasional essential maintenance. As a result the hazel coppice understorey is very overstood with parts probably being in excess of 50 years old with an excessive loss of understorey. The standards are fairly widely spaced and mature with well developed crowns. As a result, little regeneration has occured. The woodland was probably last subject to ’management’ during the quarrying activities. 2. WOODLAND INFORMATION 2.1 Areas and features
Details: The wood is listed as an SWS but there is no information available that supports its listing.
Details: Pole cat, violet helleborine, wood barley. Alternate-leaved golden-saxifrage, toothwort & herb paris are recorded close to the site.
Details:The adjoining rough pasture has a good flora and supports the pearl-bordered fritillary.
Details:There are a number of springs in the wood feeding a number of small streams and creating wet habitats.
Details:The woodland is highly visible from the adjacent Brockhill Road and The Purlieu.
Details:There are public rights of way along the adjacent unmade roads. The wood is subject to open access rights.
Details:Whilst being of interest these features are not officially recorded. 2.2 Woodland resource characteristics The standards are predominantly oak and ash with occasional individual or small stands of birch, alder, crack willow and cherry. A high proportion of the standards are very mature in sections with poor age structure due to poor regeneration rates. The understorey is predominantly over stood hazel with occasional hawthorn, holly and field maple. Wych elm, elder, dogwood and spindle also occur rarely. There is a good quantity of standing and fallen dead timber providing valuable habitats. The policy will be to introduce a coppice rotation regime of 10 years in the west half (Zone 1) and an 18 year cycle in the east half (Zone 2). Each coup will be restocked by local provenance transplants and layering in order to restore the understorey. The standards will be selectively thinned to promote conditions for the coppice understorey and to encourage natural regeneration. It is anticipated there will be a good yield for the production of charcoal, firewood, timber and craft use throughout the duration of this plan. Some areas (Zones 3) where the coppice is very poor, will be managed as high forest with natural regeneration being the main focus. The extent of these areas will be assessed as management progresses. Areas of non-intervention (Zones 4) will be maintained and small open glades will be created within the wood (Zones 5) 2.3 Site description The wood is on a gentle to moderate south-east facing slope. It lies on Silurian Limestone, with a thin topsoil of Stagnogleyic Argillic Brown Earth. Vehicle access in Zone 1 is difficult at present but will be made possible by improving and widening the existing main tracks. The main access will be from Brockhill Road on the western boundary. Vehicle access to part of Zone 2 will be possible but not in the far south east corner. There is very good pedestrian access via a number of footpaths off Brockhill Road and The Purlieu. 2.4 Significant hazards, constraints and threats There is a power line running through the wood which may pose a threat when felling adjacent to it. An old well is fenced off but not adequately. There are many steep slopes and small cliffs to woodland edge and quarries. The safety of the footpaths are not comprimised by these hazards. The tops of the lime kilns have been partially filled in order to make safe. It is not known at this time whether grey squirrel and deer pose a significant threat. Public access is a constraint and any works being carried out shall be accompanied with suitable warning signs. Fly tipping on the Brockhill Road boundary poses an occasional threat. 3. LONG TERM VISION, MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES & STRATEGY 3.1 Long term vision The long term vision is split into two for the west (Zone 1) and east (Zone 2) areas of the wood: Zone 1 - to restore the hazel coppice, cut on a 10 year cycle to produce good quality rods for traditional coppice craft purposes. The standards will be managed to promote optimum conditions for the coppice understorey, whilst ensuring a stock of quality timber trees, standing dead trees, diverse age structure and habitat diversification. Suitable areas will be selected to be managed as high forest where the coppice is particularly poor. Zone 2 - to develop an 18 year cycle coppice rotation to promote conditions for dormice and other fauna, with a relatively high standard density . Habitat enhancement and diversification will be the main priorities in this area. 3.2 Management objectives 1. Restore hazel coppice to a productive level. In short term, restock hazel understorey (west area). 2. Target management for biodiversity, mainly through diversification of age structure and stand types balanced with non-intervention areas (west & east areas). 3. Enhancement of habitat for dormice (east area) 4. To retain the character of the many historical features of this wood by clearance of scrub or non-intervention as appropriate. 3.3 Strategy The strategy is to coppice and restock the understorey, one coup a year in each of the two areas. The standards will generally only be thinned in the current coups. However, some operations will take place in other coups to address localised issues. Generally in Zone 1, the management will be sympathetic but intensive, with productivity in mind. In Zone 2, management will be relatively low impact conservation based, with minimal extraction and the creation of dead wood habitats. 4. MANAGEMENT PRESCRIPTIONS / OPERATIONS 4.1 Silvicultural systems 4.1.1 Harvesting Coppice with standards (Zones 1 &2) - coppice all understorey in current coups and thin standards in each coup to open the canopy to allow sufficient light for coppice regrowth and natural regeneration. No clear felling is planned. Burning will occur infrequently or not at all and any brash will be left in habitat piles or windrows to rot down. Selection of standards to be harvested will be based upon spacing and age structure, quality, current demand, habitat and amenity value. Thinning will be light in first cycle of rotation to ensure a crop every cycle until the optimum density is achieved. The optimum density is not likely to be realised within the life of this plan. Oak and ash will be favoured throughout the wood, however, stands of birch, cherry and alder will also be encouraged as they have great value with regard to craft usage and biodiversity. High forest (Zone 3) - These areas will be subject to minimal thinning in order to open up the canopy to allow sufficient light in to stimulate natural regeneration. Non-intervention (Zone 4) - small areas associated with the quarries and linked corridors will be non-intervention with maintenance work as required to maintain health and safety to the woodland and public (map 4) 4.1.3 Establishment, restocking and regeneration The long term aim is to restock the hazel understorey by layering and planting with local provenance stock. Some stools will be earthed up to encourage root formation on new shoots. Rooted cuttings will then be used for restocking. A hazel restocking programme will be initiated using volunteers to accomplish this. The standards will be restocked by natural regeneration. 4.3 Other operations Temporary fencing may be required to protect each newly worked coup from grazing by deer and sheep. Fencing will be in the form of dead hedging and windrows. The need for protective fencing will be assessed on a continual basis and used when appropriate. Ride improvement and creation :- Some ancient trackways will be improved and cleared of scrub for use by modern vehicles. However, due to the sensitive nature of some of these tracks, improvements will be limited to allow extraction by small tractors and horse. Narrow paths (or Trigs) will be created to mark out coup boundarys in Zone 1 only. Very minor earthworks will be necessary to connect up a suitable ride system. 4.4 Protection and maintenance 4.4.1 Pest and disease management Since there are no known invasive plant species it is not anticipated that chemical controls will be utilised. Deer at present do not represent a serious threat but the situation will be monitored. Deer damage will be controlled by protecting newly coppiced coups with dead hedging and windrows as appropriate. Grey squirrel damage will be assessed on a continual basis and measures adopted accordingly. 4.4.2 Fire plan It is not anticipated that fires will be routinely used on site as all brash will be utilised as habitat piles, dead hedging and windrows. However, occasionally small fires may be required on suitable sites and will be attended at all times. 4.4.4 Protection from unauthorised activitie Any fly tipping will be reported and removed as soon as possible in order to discourage further tipping and to minimise environmental impact. 4.6 Protecting and enhancing biodiversity 4.6.2 Measures to enhance biodiversity ? creation of uneven age structure of canopy trees throughout ? retention of more deadwood on woodland floor and as standing trees ? Retention of shade in vicinity of exposed rock faces and quarries to maintain damp, enclosed conditions ? select suitable trees for long term retention as veterans ? avoid damage to wet areas and springs ? avoid woodland operations during the nesting season 4.7 Management of social and cultural values 4.7.1 Archaeology and sites of cultural interest ? the lime kilns will be cleared of scrub and trees which threaten their integrity ? the quarries will retain their current shaded, damp conditions through non intervention with minimal essential maintenance ? the old rail embankment will be cleared of scrub and used as a ride 4.7.2 Public access The woodland is subject to open access rights and as such all operations will be carried out with this in mind. 5. CONSULTATION
6. MONITORING PLAN SUMMARY
7. WORK PROGRAMMES 7.1 Outline long term work programmes 2008 2028
7.2 Short term work programme (2008 - 2013)
8. MAPS
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page last updated:
05 January 2010
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