West of England Woodland Opportunity Study

LUC were commissioned by the Forest of Avon Trust to produce a landscape sensitivity assessment to tree and woodland planting for the West of England region. The assessment forms an extension of a previous study undertaken by LUC for Bath and North East Somerset Council in 2021 and covers both North Somerset and South Gloucestershire local authority areas. This report covers the North Somerset local authority area.

The Landscape Sensitivity Assessment (LSA) to Tree and Woodland Planting provides judgements on the landscape sensitivity of different parts of the North Somerset landscape to future tree and woodland planting. This is a strategic level assessment and is not indicative of specific, locally targeted woodland creation opportunities.

The existing classification of Landscape Character Types (LCTs) and Landscape Character Areas (LCAs) as set out in the North Somerset Landscape Character Assessment (2018) form the spatial framework for the landscape sensitivity assessment. Areas within LCT L: Intertidal Bays have been excluded from the study as their land cover of inter-tidal sands, rocky shore, and beaches would largely be unsuitable for tree and woodland planting. A map showing the extent of the study area is provided at 6. Landscape Profiles.

The method for this assessment is described at the 4.3 Method page and the results presented on the 4.4 Landscape Sensitivity Assessment results page. Individual assessment profiles for each LCT are presented at the relevant 6. Landscape Profiles pages of this website.

According to data recorded in the National Forest Inventory (NFI) where woodland is defined as areas greater than 0.5ha (National Forest Inventory (NFI) data published annually by Forest Research maps the extent and location of all woodland over 0.5ha in size), North Somerset has 4,019 ha of woodland, or 10.7% of total land cover in the district. This compares to 8% across the West of England region and is slightly higher than the national average of 10% across England. Trees outside woodland, including hedgerow and field trees, copses, riparian corridors and scrub, also contribute to the wooded character of the landscape. The Forest of Avon Plan states that ‘if individual trees, groups of trees and woodland less than 0.5ha in size are included, and extrapolating from SW survey figures, actual tree cover…across the West of England is estimated to be approximately 30% higher’.

Trees and woodlands across North Somerset mainly comprise native broadleaf species. Ash is the most common tree species in North Somerset. Other species frequently occurring in woodlands across the region include sycamore, beech, English oak, English elm, hazel, field maple, holly, wych elm, yew, common hawthorn, and blackthorn.

The proportion of coniferous woodland cover in the West of England is 13%, significantly lower than the proportion in England (26%) (Forestry Commission, (2020), Forestry Statistics 2020 Chapter 1: Woodland Area and Planting  ).

According to NFI data, current woodland cover in North Somerset is highest in LCT D: Limestone Gorge, at 88%. The side of the gorge are heavily wooded, associated with the large area of woodland (including ancient woodland) at Leigh Woods National Nature Reserve (NNR) and Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The Ridges and Combes (LCT E) are also relatively highly wooded, with woodland concentrated on the sloping side of the combes, including a large area at Brockley Combe. Areas with the lowest woodland cover include LCT A: Moors, and LCT K: Farmed Coal Measures, both with around 1% woodland cover. Woodland cover across LCT L: Intertidal Bays (excluded from this study due to land cover being predominantly intertidal sands and beaches) is less than 1%.

Defined as woodlands that date back to at least 1600 AD, Ancient and Semi-Natural Woodland (ASNW) and Planted Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS), are nationally important because of their rich and complex ecology, as well as their landscape and cultural value. North Somerset has 1156 ha of ASNW and PAWS, the highest in the region, (accounting for 3.4% of land cover) and above the national average of 2.5%.

Ancient woodland accounts for almost 50% of land cover in the Avon Gorge (LCT D), and 12% of LCT E: Ridges and Combes. Conversely, several of the LCTs do not have any ancient woodland (LCT L: Intertidal Bays, LCT K: Farmed Coal Measures, LCT C: Settled Coastal Edge, LCT A: Moors) whilst a further three LCTs have less than 1% ancient woodland.

Trees outside woodland (TOW) play an important role in contributing to the canopy cover across North Somerset, particularly in LCTs where woodland cover is low. For example LCT A: Moors and LCT K: Farmed Coal Measures have only 1% woodland cover, but trees outside woodland account for 6% and 8% of tree canopy cover respectively.

Woodland condition across the region is varied and there are challenges to protecting and managing existing woodlands, as well as establishing and maintaining new woodland. Fragmentation as a result of urban development or clearance for agricultural use is a significant pressure, and can degrade habitats and damage ecological corridors. Under-management and increased levels of recreational disturbance also present a threat to the integrity and condition of woodland habitats.

Woodland condition and extent will be increasingly affected by climate change (with beech and sycamore coverage expected to decline). Tree health is declining due to pests and diseases, particularly ash dieback (with 85% of ash trees expected to succumb to the disease in the West of England), as well as increased prevalence of Phytopthora spp. and localised occurrences of Dutch Elm disease.

Grazing pressure from domesticated and wild animals presents a threat to existing woodlands as well as the establishment of new woodlands. Ageing field and hedgerow trees are also at risk from disease, lack of management or from the intense flailing of hedges. Traditional orchards have historically been an important feature of the landscape, but many have been lost or removed. This follows a national trend – it is estimated that 90% of traditional orchards have been lost since the 1950s nationwide.