Sheffield Lakeland Landscape Conservation Action Plan

ECOSYSTEMS SERVICES & WOODLAND ASSESSMENT
Woodland and forestry assessment
[An opportunity to] improve the
biodiversity, landscape and recreational
value of … woodlands whilst making them
more resilient to external threats such as
pests and diseases and climate change.
A separate assessment of woodlands within
the Sheffield Lakeland Landscape Partnership
area owned and managed by three key
partners; Yorkshire Water (YW), Sheffield City
Council (SCC) and Sheffield and Rotherham
Wildlife Trust (SRWT) was undertaken during
2017. The assessment identified collaborative
working opportunities between the principal
woodland owners across the Partnership
area.
The report proposes a joint approach to
the management of compartments with
limited commercial value in order to
provide long-term cultural benefits such as
habitat improvement, landscape protection
and long-term resilience. In particular, it
highlights a significant opportunity for
collaborative working around Gateway sites.
Some of the woodland areas which are
heavily dominated by a small number
of conifer species, such as those around
Langsett, Underbank and Strines Reservoirs,
may be vulnerable to pest and disease
outbreaks without increased diversification
of species. Therefore, the report further
identifies opportunities to improve the
structure and species diversity of the conifer
woodlands which are adjacent the reservoirs.
This work will improve the biodiversity,
landscape and recreational value of these
woodlands whilst making them more
resilient to external threats such as pests and
diseases and climate change.
Several new tree planting opportunities are
identified that will improve connectivity
between woodlands and complement flood
protection measures through natural flood
management.
As a longer-term measure there is
opportunity to engage with private
woodland owners in the Landscape
Partnership area. However, these
relationships will take an investment of
time to establish. The woodlands on the
Broomhead Estate in the Ewden Valley and
the Fitzwilliam Wentworth Estate above
Strines Reservoir offer similar opportunities
to the above.
40 SLLP LCAP Understanding Sheffield Lakeland