New research shows the devastating impacts of developments on ancient woodland
The potential impacts on the ecology of nearby woodland caused by adjacent development have been highlighted in research commissioned by the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity, the Woodland Trust.
The research indicates that substantial negative impacts can arise from developments built too close to ancient woodland sites. Developments such as roads and motorways, commerce and industry, energy generation and supply; quarrying and mineral extraction; waste disposal facilities; and the cumulative effect of these developments all have a major impact on this fragile habitat.
Ed Pomfret, Head of Campaigns for the Woodland Trust comments: “The Trust isn’t against all development. But even when a road or housing estate doesn’t directly cut down trees it can have a devastating impact on the neighbouring wood. Ancient woods have been there for centuries and it is a matter of basic respect that our desire for new development allows the wood to live on. When developments are planned much more attention needs to be paid to the effects that any new development may have on neighbouring ancient woodland. We need buffer zones between the wood and the development. Ancient woodland is irreplaceable, the UK’s equivalent of the rainforest and we must do everything we can to ensure its protection.”
The five main impacts on irreplaceable ancient woodland - the richest habitat to species in the UK and very susceptible to ecological changes - caused by adjacent developments, is highlighted below :*( full summary document attached )
Chemical effects: Chemicals such as herbicides, pesticides heavy metals and nitrogen oxides can reach nearby ancient woodland through spray drift, application of road salt, contaminated water flows and gaseous pollution. These could cause reductions in species population numbers, nutrient enrichment that can alter the composition of ground flora, inhibit roots in trees, retarding growth as well as poisoning animals, reduced feeding rates and increasing susceptibility to drought, frost and leaf loss.
Disturbance: Developments in the vicinity of ancient woods may cause direct disturbance effects from vibration, noise and light pollution, vehicle collisions with wildlife, external activity visible from the wood, trampling of vegetation, vandalism and dumping. Engineering works can also affect water hydrology leading to drought or flooding. Disturbance increases the mortality rates of animal species. Noise and light pollution interfere with interaction between species, affecting foraging, predation, and reduced breeding success. Disturbance may, therefore, lead to species being eliminated from woods, tree defoliation, crown dieback, and death.
Fragmentation: Ancient woodland is already fragmented with eight out of ten woods less than 20 hectares (50 acres) in size and nearly 50 per cent of ancient woods less than five hectares. New developments including roads and urbanisation cause the break up of habitats leading to the creation of large areas of terrain inhospitable for woodland species, increasing distances between favourable habitats that woodland species must cross to disperse, forage or breed interrupting natural habitat flows. In addition, developments creating a disturbance or chemical effect may effectively reduce woods to habitat islands.
Invasion by non-native plants and species:
The likelihood of ancient woodland being invaded by non-native species is increased by a range of factors associated with construction, including: soil excavation and movement, altered environmental conditions and modified hydrological processes.
Cumulative effects:
There is a combined threat to ancient woodland from multiple developments and impact types. There are frequently long time lags before the combined impacts of chemical effects, disturbance, fragmentation and invasion by non-native plants become apparent but it has serious consequences.
All development types (with the exception of permitted development) are associated with substantial effects of at least one impact type (chemical effects, disturbance, fragmentation, alien invasion). In addition, some kinds of development are likely to be associated with the effects of multiple impact types.
The Woodland Trust is asking for people to send in their pictures of bad neighbours affecting ancient woodland and to register them on the WoodWatch website. With the help of local people across the UK we can safeguard the future of this irreplaceable precious habitat. With careful, sensitive planning new development can work in harmony with the natural environment.
Find out more about the neighbours from hell campaign