Restoring woods

Although damaged, these woods are not beyond repair.

Many of these planted ancient woods still have elements of the previous native woodland ecosystem surviving. Remnants of ancient-woodland features like old native broadleaved trees, woodland specialist flora like bluebells and dog’s mercury and important habitat like deadwood can be typically found here.

The unseen but very complex systems operating in the soil of these woods have lain there for hundreds if not thousands of years and often remain completely undisturbed. The delicate plants have hung on underneath. They are just waiting for an opportunity (and enough light) to thrive again.

We need to take action to save what remains and build on it - and we need this process to start as soon as possible. 

Research shows that most of the conifers planted on ancient woodland sites will reach maturity in the near future. If they are felled and replaced with more conifers, the ancient woodland remnants that hung on through the first period of conversion may not survive a second.
 
We want to see the active conservation management of all ancient woods planted with non-native conifers as a priority. Restoration needs to be carried out sensitively and gradually to bring these valuable woods back to life.  

And this work needs to begin urgently!