Forest renaissance - The role of state forestry in Britain ... - WWF UK

“FE is now probably thesingle largest providerof outdoor recreationin Britain...”12“Monitoring and adaptivemanagement areevolving but need to befurther strengthened...”towards traditional forestry. Empoweringregional staff has increased responsivenessto local needs, eg through stakeholderpanels that inform decision-making.Increased efficiency moved FE into profitafter three years, but collapsing timberprices forced it into loss in 1999. Lossescontinue, putting pressure on non incomegeneratingactivities. Forest Enterprise hasaddressed this by levering additionalresources, allowing £20 million extrainvestment over 10 years.• Planning has been strengthened and nowneeds to move to a landscape level: newplanning procedures supported by GIS helpto integrate management, resource valuesand development, although this processnow needs to extend to the widerlandscape. Forest District Strategic Plansand Forest Design Plans are available forareas scheduled for harvesting andplanting; and Site Management Plans forprotected sites and features. Monitoringand adaptive management are evolving butneed to be further strengthened,particularly for non-market activities.• Management is focusing on newapproaches: alternatives to clear felling arebeing piloted, although large-scale clearfelling continues. Guidance on alternativesto pesticides helps managers to minimiseimpacts. Best practice guidelines and use ofdifferent species are improving freshwatersand mitigating impacts on water yield.Research into alternatives to road transportand cooperation with private forestry arereducing timber traffic nuisance.• External impacts have been partiallyaddressed: impacts of high deerpopulations are being tackled throughintegrated management. FE has beenslower at responding to climate change,with more work needed on planning,species selection and management.• Biodiversity has been more effectivelyprotected and restored: all statutorilyprotected areas on FE land havemanagement plans agreed by natureconservation agencies. Plans are beingimplemented for all priority woodlandhabitats and framework plans for prioritynon-woodland habitats. All plantations onancient woodland sites have been surveyedand work programmes are being developed.New guidance on dead wood is helpingconserve biodiversity. Weaknesses incatering for natural reserves in ForestDesign Plans have been addressed. Furtheraction is needed to bring protected areasto favourable conservation status. Forwardplanning for native woodland restorationshould be improved. Local plans are neededfor priority non-woodland habitats. Moreeffective links are also needed to nationalhabitat and species action plans and localbiodiversity action plans, along with closercollaboration in developing forest habitatnetworks.• Landscape planning has become moresophisticated: Forest Enterprise hasimproved landscape planning, withcomputer-aided 3-D visualisation ofdifferent management patterns. Formerindustrial areas have been improvedthrough partnerships leading to newownership and management structures.A planning framework for ancientmonuments, agreed with the nationalheritage agencies, should improveprotection. Local authority archaeologistsand archaeological trusts input to ForestDesign Plans.• Recreational opportunities have beenexpanded and access improved: ForestEnterprise offers 703 forest walks, 392cycle trails, nearly 800 car parks, morethan 500 picnic sites, 82 orienteeringcourses, 41 children’s play areas, 31 visitorcentres and 27 wildlife hides. FE hosts