Search Results

2017 – Environment

Introduction The statistics presented in the Environment chapter of this release cover: populations of wild birds; public opinion on tree health; and woodland fires.       Woodland fires Wildfires, including woodland fires, are uncontrolled vegetation fires. Although they can start naturally, the majority are caused by people, either accidentally or deliberately. Wildfires can impact on transport network and power lines; damage property and […]

Energy crops

Summary of the use of greenspace for planting energy crops to reduce energy consumption

Phytophthora manual – 7. Policy on collecting foliage (rhododendron etc.) from woodlands in Great Britain

Explanation of British forestry authorities' policy on collecting foliage from plants susceptible to Phytophthora ramorum infection, especially Rhododendron ponticum, in forests and woodland

Bleeding canker of horse chestnut: Symptoms

Detailed descriptions of bleeding canker symptoms in horse chestnut trees, with pictures.

Historic landscapes

Issues and research projects relating to the wider historic landscape

Biomass and sustainability

A selection of publications, reports and standards relating to sustainability of biomass

2019 – Environment

Introduction The statistics presented in the Environment chapter of this release cover: populations of wild birds; public opinion on tree health; and woodland fires. Woodland fires Wildfires, including woodland fires, are uncontrolled vegetation fires. Although they can start naturally, the majority are caused by people, either accidentally or deliberately. Wildfires can impact on transport network and power lines; damage property and businesses; […]

Resource availability studies

There are many potential sources of biomass fuel in the UK. Various studies have attempted to assess the potential size of each resource

Woodfuel-End-Use-Boiler-Licence-2023

Woodfuel-End-Use-Boiler-Licence-2023 LICENCE to handle, store and burn woodchip and other co-product as woodfuel where it is sourced from Phytophthora ramorum infected areas identified by Statutory Notice.

Silver maple (ASA)

Introduction The silver maple is a relatively fast-growing deciduous tree. It is tolerant of wet conditions and is often found as a riparian species and because of this sometimes-called, water maple. The name silver maple is associated with the pale silvery underside of the leaf. The tree can be quite striking in leaf as the long petioles allow the leaves to flutter in a breeze revealing flashes of the silvery underside. Silver maple is categorised as a plot-stage species.  These are species that have demonstrated some positive silvicultural characteristics at the Specimen-stage and are now subject to further testing and development in a limited number of trial plots.

Silver birch (SBI)

Silver birch is one of two native birches in Britain and was historically an important source of wood for fuel, charcoal and small wood products, particularly wooden bobbins. It was not recognised as a timber tree and the increased use of plastics saw it fall out of general use. There is increasing interest in the potential for birch as a productive forest species. Silver birch is a pioneer species and early seed producer and can regenerate and spread rapidly in suitable conditions. Birch woodlands (B. pendula and B. pubescens) cover c 240,000 or c 18% of Britain’s broadleaved woodland cover. They are our most frequent woodland species either as a component or as pure stands. Unfortunately, birches are still considered a weed by most foresters and often an invasive by ecologists particularly on lowland heaths. There is a growing understanding of the silvicultural requirements of birch and its potential to play a significant role in future forestry. Silver birch is a native species and is categorised as a principal tree species.  This indicates that our silvicultural knowledge of the species should enable successful deployment across Britain. Such species are either already widely used or are increasing in usage. They will continue to be important unless they prove vulnerable to a new pest or disease or are adversely affected by climate change.

Continuous cover silviculture

The use of natural regeneration to create a varied forest structure containing a range of species