This is sometimes known as ‘continuous cover forestry’ and delivers benefits for climate, nature and people by taking a whole system approach. These systems increase species and structural diversity, improving resilience and provision of ecosystem services.
Dorset’s woodland habitats of broadleaved, mixed, wet woodland, and scrub are sustainably managed, resilient, expanded, and better connected.
The priority is to make existing woodland habitats bigger and in better condition through enhanced and informed management and expansion. And to ensure woodland and supporting habitats are well-connected, allowing wildlife to travel between them for food, water, breeding and in response to climate change. Where necessary this may involve creating new areas of wildlife-rich habitat to fill in gaps where small areas of woodland are not well-connected to other areas. Woodland management and new woodland establishment should be consistent with the UK Forest Standard, working to the principle of: ‘Right Tree, Right Place, Right Management’.
Habitat restoration and connectivity are most important for Dorset’s ancient woodlands that have existed since at least 1600 and long established woodlands that have been present since at least 1893. This includes acting now to begin careful, informed and gradual restoration of Plantation on Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS). PAWS were originally ancient woodlands but have more recently been planted with non-native species for commercial purposes.
Sustainable woodland management, known as forestry or silviculture, balances our need for forest products and benefits with the need to keep forests healthy and usable for future generations. There are different types of sustainable woodland management including:
Habitat restoration and connectivity are most important for Dorset’s ancient woodlands that have existed since at least 1600 and long established woodlands that have been present since at least 1893. This includes acting now to begin careful, informed and gradual restoration of Plantation on Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS). PAWS were originally ancient woodlands but have more recently been planted with non-native species for commercial purposes.
Woodland management
Woodland management and new woodland establishment should be consistent with the UK Forest Standard, working to the principle of: ‘Right Tree, Right Place, Right Management’.Sustainable woodland management, known as forestry or silviculture, balances our need for forest products and benefits with the need to keep forests healthy and usable for future generations. There are different types of sustainable woodland management including:
Typical woodland species
Lesser spotted woodpecker
Tawny owl
Stag beetle
Nature recovery in action
Since 2007, the Cranborne Estate has fundamentally changed the way it manages its woodlands shifting from clear-felling to Irregular Forest Management (also known as Close-to-Nature Forestry). This approach works in harmony with the natural functions of the forest and seeks to maintain and restore a fully functioning forest ecosystem. Individual trees are selectively harvested every 5 to 12 years. The resulting gaps are filled by natural regeneration from the seed of surrounding mature trees. Over time this results in a resilient forest of intimately mixed species and ages with high variability in degrees of canopy openness.The method delivers multiple ecosystem services, including the sustainable production of high-quality timber, and the provision of habitat for a rich and diverse fauna including many species
of birds and bats.
Potential activities
See what activities people can carry out to help achieve this priority. These activities are a guide and are not exhaustive, as there are many small activities involved in habitat management and restoring ecosystems.The activities and Dorset’s nature recovery maps provide a starting point, but additional land management and ecological advice will often be needed to support activities on individual sites.