West of England Woodland Opportunity Study

This study is intended to develop woodland opportunity mapping tailored to the study area of South Gloucestershire and North Somerset, and builds on the examples of similar mapping produced by others such as Friends of the Earth, RSPB, and the Forestry Commission. This study differs from these in that it also takes account of landscape character, and is broadly consistent with the study undertaken by LUC for Bath and North East Somerset Council in 2021.

The woodland opportunity mapping is designed to inform plan-making, development management and land use decisions within the study area. A map showing the study area is shown below .

The mapping in association with the guidance in this report form a tool that is available to local authority partners and to the public when considering tree and woodland planting within the study area. It is designed to encourage and enable the planting of the right trees and woodlands in the right places.

This study seeks to identify land that has potential for woodland planting at a strategic scale. The mapping is used in combination with the results of the associated 4. Landscape Sensitivity Assessment, which has been undertaken in parallel with the opportunity mapping , to support the Council’s tree planting targets.

As noted in the 3.2 Method, once a particular site is identified as having potential for woodland planting, further, more detailed site-based assessments will be required in order to determine if it is suitable for woodland planting. This may include additional biodiversity, archaeological, local landscape character (including views), and other assessments, as required.

For help on how to use this map click here.