Deadwood is a vital component of a properly functioning forest ecosystem. It plays an important role in sustaining biodiversity and in delivering ecosystem services such as soil formation and nutrient cycling. In the UK up to a fifth of woodland species depend on dead or dying trees for all or...
Practical solutions for woodland establishment and regeneration in lowland situations
Practical guidance covering a flexible and adaptive approach and best advice on managing continuous cover. Forestry Commission Operational Guidance Booklet No. 7. Related pages Continuous cover silviculture Integrated establishment systems for the uplands Management of upland native woodlands Woodland and habitat management publications
This four-year project involved a partnership of research organisations and local authorities from northern France and southern England, two regions with similar production and semi-natural forest ecosystems. Forest Research helped to develop common management strategies to maximise the economic, environmental and social benefits from forests in the two regions and...
this page summarises resources and guidance on managing resilient forests
The proportion of open space in many forests and woodlands is increasing as forest management plans are implemented and forests are restructured. Landowners and forest managers are increasingly being encouraged to manage this ground for biodiversity objectives but in some situations the management of open ground may […]
The aim of this Bulletin is to summarise the best current information about the birds’ requirements and to provide guidelines for forest management which will benefit capercaillie. As far as possible, we base our recommendations on well-documented facts. Where hard data are not available, we make informed guesses based on...
Landowners and managers are being urged to change their behaviours and practice to increase forest resilience, this research describes some of the barriers to change including the different attitudes and beliefs of different kinds of land managers around uncertainty and risk, and the need for information and guidance which takes...
Forestry Commission publications on resilient forests
Stronghold forests are large areas of coniferous and mixed forest identified as having the potential to sustain resilient and healthy populations of red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) over the long-term.
White-tailed eagles (sea eagles) were re-introduced to Scotland from the 1970s and there are now over 50 breeding pairs. They frequently nest and roost in woodlands and tend to use habitual nest sites. The species has a high degree of legal protection, and woodland managers need to plan operations carefully...
Current research into the role of forestry in natural flood management