West of England Woodland Opportunity Study

The following guidance notes and checklist have been produced to help the delivery of appropriately designed and managed areas of new woodland and tree planting within South Gloucestershire.

Best practice guidance

New woodland planting schemes should be designed and managed in accordance with published best practice guidance including:

• Woodland Trust: Woodland Creation Guide
• Forestry Commission: A guide to planning new woodland in England (2021)
• The UK forestry Standard (UKFS) (fifth edition, 2023)
• The Forest of Avon Plan: A Tree and Woodland Strategy for the West of England (2021)
• Bristol and Avon Rivers Trust (BART): Tree Planting Strategy and Approach to Delivery, Version 1 (November 2020).
• Natural England Technical Information Note TIN014: Traditional orchards (Edition 2).
• Natural England Technical Information Note TIN078: Illustrated guide to trees, woodlands and scrub.

Large-scale new woodland and tree planting schemes should be supported by an appropriate assessment document, which considers the site’s context and characteristics, together with associated opportunities and constraints.

General objectives

The maximum size of a new parcel of woodland in any given area should not exceed the capacity of the receiving landscape, as set out in the main report.

The location and shape of the new woodland, tree belt, or orchard should respect:

• The geographical and historic context of the landscape (including sub-surface archaeology).
• The characteristic local vegetation pattern, and reflect its indigenous species composition.
• Designed vistas and key views across the landscape towards and from notable historic features and landmarks.

New woodland should:

• Positively contribute to the network of priority habitats across South Gloucestershire through the creation and restoration of new woodland areas, including good functional connectivity.
• Create woodlands with structural diversity and complexity in terms of age classes, canopy layers, and species. Avoid use of species with known biosecurity issues.
• Incorporate well-planned public access, where appropriate.
• Preserve woodland areas from unnecessary disturbances; for example, untimely silvicultural practices, deer or livestock damage, or inappropriate public access (i.e. where not part of the original woodland design concept).
• Encourage agroforestry (combining trees with agricultural crops and/ or livestock for food production and environmental benefits) in appropriate locations.
• Enhance the appearance, longevity and habitat composition of woodlands and orchards, though the adoption of a sustainable management regime.

Woodland blocks, copses and spinneys – native broadleaved or mixed semi-natural

The new woodland should have a minimum area of 50m2.

The species mix will include taller growing, dominant canopy species (minimum of three species with no one species greater than 35-50%), and understorey and edge species that reflect the locally indigenous species of a given landscape character area or locality and are appropriate to the soil type/texture and hydrology of the planting site. The species mix should be designed to create a mosaic of woodland habitat types. Species mixes should be adapted from National Vegetation Classification (NVC) community lists so that they are site specific, with scope for natural processes to shape the composition of the maturing woodland over time.

Species are to be planted between 1m and 3m apart with staggered centres, depending on species mix and level of desired thinning. If glades, rides or new recreational footpaths are to be incorporated, then appropriate setbacks from the main blocks of woodland should be designed into the overall planting layout from the outset.

Ideally, consideration should also be given to the introduction and colonisation of ground flora species as part of the ongoing management regime.

Tree belts, conservation woodland belts and shelter belts – native

A traditional ‘timber’ belt should be minimum 15m-20m wide, comprising an average of eight rows, for reinforcement of local vegetation pattern, or to create a robust visual screen.

Shelter belts should be planted perpendicular to the direction of the prevailing wind.

A ‘conservation woodland belt’ should comprise a minimum of four rows of minimum 5m width, to be used in conjunction with a wider planted zone of woody shrub/edge and ground flora mixes.

Species are to be planted between 1m and 3m apart with staggered centres, depending on species mix and level of desired thinning

Species should complement existing indigenous species characteristic of a given landscape character area or locality.

Orchards

Traditional heritage and local varieties should be specified, as appropriate.

If the land parcel is of sufficient size, individual orchards are to be planted in traditional straight rows on a set pattern (usually square, quincunx-diamond or hexagonal) with trees planted at an average 10m spacing, depending on selected species.

The type and size of rootstock needs to appropriate for each specified fruit species to achieve the appropriate growth habit, and contributing to the function/design context of the orchard; for example, avoid dwarf stock if the orchard is to have an informal recreational usage or seating beneath trees, or where an orchard is required to contribute to visual screening, or to the overall tree canopy cover in a given area.

Appropriate tree guards should be installed where the intent is to introduce grazing animals into orchards.

Coniferous plantations

This type of woodland planting is not a typical characteristic element within the landscape of South Gloucestershire, and future planting of coniferous plantings is not desirable. The exception may be the sensitive reinstatement of coniferous tree as part of the restoration historic planting designs within a Registered Historic Park or Garden; or to supplement evergreen tree screen planting around quarry sites.

Urban areas

At a more local scale, opportunities are to be sought for the delivery of new ‘urban woods’, and tree planting within open space and verge areas, within existing settlement areas and new developments.

Management regime

An appropriate management regime for new woodland and tree planting schemes will need to be agreed with South Gloucestershire Council to ensure their successful establishment and long-term survival.