Wood-pasture, Parkland and Ancient Trees Habitat Action Plan

Lowland wood-pastures and parkland are the products of historic land management systems, and represent a vegetation structure rather than a particular plant community. Typically this structure consists of large, open-grown or high forest trees (often pollards) at various densities, in a matrix of grazed grassland, heathland and/or woodland floras.

Some definitions…

Wood-pastures – are areas of wooded lands which have been used for the dual purpose of growing trees and grazing deer and livestock. (Harding, P.T. & Rose, F. (1986) Pasture-woodlands in Lowland Britain. Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, Natural Environment Research Council, Huntingdon).

Parkland – examples include historic deer parks and planned landscapes where there may only be a few ancient trees surrounded by improved grassland.

Veteran and Ancient Trees – a Veteran tree is one which has passed its mature stage, while an Ancient tree is any tree which is truly old – typically over 500 years old.

Discrepancies between different organisation’s databases and incomplete knowledge clearly show that further information is required to increase our understanding about both the historic extent of wood pasture and parkland in Wiltshire, and its current extent and condition.

Actions have been included to look at how to complete Wiltshire’s wood pasture and parkland database, and to research the potential for the restoration of areas which have declined. A great deal of work has been done to map ancient trees in different parts of the county. However, this information is currently not held in a central accessible location, and actions have been included in the Wood-pasture, Parkland and Ancient Trees HAP 2008 to collate this wealth of information into one accessible database.

Species associated with wood-pasture, parkland and ancient trees

Relict areas of wood-pasture with old broad-leaved trees contain a structural variant not found in the other, more common types of managed woodland such as coppices and high forest. They are of ecological importance for the following reasons (after Harding and Rose, 1986, as above):

The species of tree present, although influenced by centuries of management often represents survivals of the genetic stock from the primeval forest, and ancient trees are often still present.

The epiphytic flora (including lichens, mosses and liverworts) in areas not affected seriously be atmospheric pollution is often very rich in these habitats.

Dead, dying and over-mature trees often contain populations of local or rare saproxylic organisms, including fungi, lichens, invertebrates, mosses and birds. Parklands and wood-pastures are also habitats for bats and birds.

Progress since 2002:

In order to establish some baseline data on wood-pasture and parkland in Wiltshire, Natural England commissioned the WSBRC in 2003 to carry out a desk study to collate existing data about this habitat. The next step for the Wiltshire BAP 2008 is to determine how to move forward with the recommendations from this report.

The Wood-pasture, Parkland and Ancient Trees HAP 2002 contained targets for dissemination of information about this habitat through events and seminars, which were vastly exceeded. Between 2002-2005 Natural England, the Forestry Commission and others held events focused on wood-pasture, parkland and ancient trees.

Taking the Wood-pasture, Parkland and Veteran Trees Action Plan Forwards

A combined working group has been set up to progress three related Habitat Action Plans. Ian Briscoe of the Forestry Commission will lead on the Woodland and Wood-pasture Plans, and Roger Griffin from Natural England will lead on Hedgerows. If you would like to join the groups, please let us know using the email box below.