Forest of Avon
3.2 Method
This section outlines the method used to identify land with potential for woodland planting within the study area. This method was developed following a review of national and regional scale woodland planting opportunity studies.
This methodology seeks to identify land that has potential for woodland planting at a strategic scale. However, further site-based local assessment, as noted below, will be required in order to determine if particular sites are suitable for woodland planting, in conjunction with additional biodiversity, archaeological, landscape and other assessment as required.
Spatial framework for the assessment
The study area comprises all land located within Landscape Character Types (LCTs) identified by the district-wide Landscape Character Assessment for North Somerset. This spatial framework was selected to align with the Landscape Sensitivity Assessment component of this project. Urban areas are excluded from the North Somerset LCA (and also from this assessment), however smaller scale planting within these urban areas can still make an important contribution to canopy cover across the district, as well as contributing towards the Council’s tree planting targets.
The map below shows the LCTs and LCAs in North Somerset - View map full screen
For help on how to use this map click here.
Type and scale of woodland planting considered
The types and sizes used for the woodland planting opportunity assessment are set out in Table 3.1 and are consistent with those considered within the separate Landscape Sensitivity Assessment, as well as the previous B&NES study. The Landscape Sensitivity Assessment judges the suitability of different scales of woodland planting, based on bandings that reflect the sizes of existing woodlands that are currently characteristic of the local landscape and sizes of woodlands most likely to be accommodated.
Table 3.1 Woodland types
| Woodland types | Area | Description |
| Small size native woodlands and trees outside woodlands | ≤5ha | Small native woodlands ≤5ha including copses, spinneys, hill-top clumps, farm woodlands, shelter belts or riparian woodlands. Trees outside woodland including trees occupying field corners, hedgerows with hedgerow trees, and in-field trees. Traditional (non-commercial) orchards and wood pasture are also considered under this woodland type. |
| Small-medium size native woodlands | 5 to 15ha | Small-medium size native woodlands between 5 and 15ha. including copses, hill-top clumps, shelterbelt woods or riparian woodlands. They could range in size from a small woodland extending along a riverbank to more extensive woodland wrapping around the lower slopes of a hill, filling a field or capping a small hill. |
| Medium size native or mixed woodlands | 15 to 30ha | Medium size native or mixed woodlands, between 15 and 30ha. These could extend to occupy a more extensive hill slope, plateau or ridge top or valley floor extending over several fields. |
| Large size native or mixed woodlands | >30ha | Large woodlands comprising native or mixed species. |
| Medium to large size conifer plantation | >15ha | Commercial plantation typically comprising non-native coniferous species. |
Review of comparable methodologies
A number of recent national-scale studies have been undertaken looking at woodland planting potential. A range of methodologies were reviewed for this study including:
- Forestry Commission (2024) A guide to Forestry Commission’s Sensitivity Maps for Woodland Creation.
- RSPB (2021) Methodology for “Nature must be at the heart of woodland expansionâ€.
- Northumberland County Council (2021) Northumberland Woodland Creation Potential.
- Terra Sulis Research CIC for Friends of the Earth (2020) Opportunity Woodland Mapping in England.
- LUC (2020) Clydeplan Forestry and Woodland Strategy.
Whilst broadly similar in many ways, each study used its own set of assumptions about what constitutes a constraint for woodland planting. In particular, assumptions about the potential for woodland in areas currently classed as high-grade agricultural land differed between the studies.
The range of constraints and datasets used to map them was evaluated and modified to suit the scale of this assessment as well as local considerations for the study area.
Assumptions used to identify land with potential for woodland planting
Following the review of comparable approaches, a set of assumptions about factors constraining potential for woodland planting was developed. All the factors considered needed to be paired with a suitable dataset in order to develop the mapping.
The constraints considered varied dependent upon the size of the woodland planting being considered. Some constraints were not considered for small scale woodland planting as, due to the small nature of these woodlands, they have the potential to be sited within or alongside many constraints.
The constraints used within the assessment and notes on how they were used are set out on the 3.3 Cultural constraints, 3.4 Natural heritage constraints and the 3.5 Physical and land cover constraints pages.
Mapping of constraints
The assessment of potential for woodland planting was undertaken using Geographical Information Systems (GIS). By layering the constraints in GIS, it was possible to identify areas with no potential for woodland planting, leaving only those areas without environmental/heritage/physical constraints to progress through to the next stage of the assessment.
Overlaying the outputs with the Landscape Sensitivity Assessment
The outputs from the initial constraints mapping exercise were combined with the outputs from the Landscape Sensitivity Assessment for each woodland size class. This produced a map showing the level of landscape sensitivity (to woodland planting) of those areas identified as having potential for tree and woodland planting. This can be viewed on the 5. Combined Results.