213:
for commercial purposes. Many of these ancient woodlands were converted to conifer plantations following war-time fellings. PAWS sites, whilst not being of such high ecological value as ASNW, typically contain remnants of semi-natural species where shading has been less intense, and restoration of more semi-natural structures through gradual thinning is often possible. Since the recognition of the ecological and historical values of ancient woodland, PAWS restoration has been a priority amongst many woodland owners and governmental and non-governmental agencies, and has been supported by various grant schemes. Some restored PAWS sites are now practically indistinguishable from ASNW. There is no formal method for reclassifying restored PAWS as ASNW, although some woodland managers now use the acronym RPAWS (Restored planted ancient woodland) for a restored site.
512:(harvesting wood at about human head height to prevent new shoots being eaten by grazing species such as deer). Both techniques encourage new growth while allowing the sustainable production of timber and other woodland produce. During the 20th century, use of such traditional management techniques has declined while there has been an increase in large-scale mechanised forestry. Thus coppicing is now rarely practised, and overgrown coppice stools are a common sight in many ancient woods, with their many trunks of similar size. These changes in management methods have resulted in changes to ancient woodland habitats, and a loss of ancient woodland to forestry.
833:
314:
40:
809:
190:
469:
247:
797:
140:
821:
489:
156:
130:‘planning permission should be refused for development resulting in the loss or deterioration of irreplaceable habitats, including ancient woodland and the loss of aged or veteran trees found outside ancient woodland, unless the need for, and benefits of, the development in that location clearly outweigh the loss.’
403:
entering. They are attracted by young shoots on coppice stools, so must be excluded if the coppice is to regenerate. Such indicators can still be seen in many ancient woodlands, and large forest are often sub-divided into woods and coppices with banks and ditches as before. The hedges at the edges
212:
Planted ancient woodland (PAWS) is an ancient woodland site where the native species have been partially or wholly replaced with a non locally native species (usually but not always conifers). These woodlands typically have a plantation structure, with even aged crops of one or two species planted
82:
In most ancient woods, the trees and shrubs have been cut down periodically as part of the management cycle. Provided that the area has remained as woodland, the stand is still considered ancient. Since it may have been cut over many times in the past, ancient woodland does not necessarily contain
459:
has been planted with conifers or cleared for agriculture. Only 3,090 square kilometres (760,000 acres) of ancient semi-natural woodland survive in
Britain – less than 20% of the total wooded area. More than eight out of ten ancient woodland sites in England and Wales are less than 200,000 square
350:
in buildings, for example. Such old coppice stumps are easily recognised for their current overgrown state, now that the practice has largely disappeared. Large boles emerge from a common stump in such overgrown coppice stools. Originally, the term of 'forest' did not refer solely to woodland; it
306:, it is uncommon for a site which is not ancient woodland to host a double-figure indicator species total. More recent methodologies also supplement these field observations and ecological measurements with historical data from maps and local records, which were not fully assessed in the original
383:. This was the greatest trespass that could be committed in a forest, being more than a waste: for whereas waste of the forest involves felling trees, they can grow again; assarting involves completely rooting up trees within the woodland of the afforested area.
106:
and equivalent bodies. Mapping of ancient woodland has been undertaken in different ways and at different times, and the quality and availability of data varies from region to region, although there are some efforts to standardise and update it.
127:
published in 2012 is the government policy document relating to planning decisions affecting ancient woodland. The importance of ancient woodlands as an irreplaceable habitat is set out in paragraph 118 of the NPPF, which states:
115:
Many ancient woodlands have legal protection of various types, but it is not automatically the case that any ancient woodland is protected. Some examples of ancient woodland are nationally or locally designated, for example as
359:, upland fells, and any other territory, between or outside of manorial freehold, and was the exclusive hunting preserve of the monarch, or granted to nobility. The ancient woods that were within forests, were frequently
86:
For many species of animal and plant, ancient woodland sites provide the sole habitat, and for many others, conditions on these sites are much more suitable than those on other sites. Ancient woodland in the UK, like
294:
sites and analysing patterns of occurrence to determine which species were most indicative of sites from before 1600. In
England this resulted in the first national Ancient Woodland Inventory, produced in the 1980s.
417:, such was their value to early communities as a source of fuel, but also of food for farm animals. The boundaries are frequently described in terms of features such as large trees, streams or tracks, and even
204:
Ancient semi-natural woodland (ASNW) is composed of native tree species that have not obviously been planted; features of ancient woodland often survive in many of these woods as well, including characteristic
1191:
Centre for Earth and
Environmental Science Research, Kingston University: Dr Michael Grant and Dr Petra Dark, "Re-evaluating the concept of woodland continuity and change in Epping Forest"
1286:
1133:
1084:
367:
and other interlopers, and subject to tolls and fines where trackways passed through them or when firewood was permitted to be collected or other licence granted. The
391:
Ancient woods were well-defined, often being surrounded by a bank and ditch, so that they could be easily recognised. The bank may also support a living fence of
1306:
1265:
504:
Most ancient woodland in the UK has been managed in some way by humans for hundreds (in some cases probably thousands) of years. Two traditional techniques are
290:) for each region of England, each list containing the hundred most reliable indicators for that region. The methodology involved studying the plants of known
271:, than to animals, as they are slower to colonise planted woodlands, and are thus viewed as more reliable indicators of ancient woodland sites. Sequences of
91:
in the tropics, is home to rare and threatened species. For these reasons ancient woodland is often described as an irreplaceable resource, or 'critical
1291:
1246:
1158:
911:
429:
Ancient woodland sites over 2 hectares (5 acres) in size are recorded in
Ancient Woodland Inventories, compiled in the 1980s and 1990s by the
958:
117:
201:
The definition of ancient woodland includes two sub-types: Ancient semi-natural woodland (ASNW) and
Planted ancient woodland site (PAWS).
450:
460:
metres (49 acres) in area, only 617 exceed 1 square kilometre (250 acres) and only 46 are larger than 3 square kilometres (740 acres).
124:
1311:
170:
The concept of ancient woodland, rich in plant diversity and managed through traditional practices, was developed by the ecologist
1137:
921:
521:
1189:
Mild and moist sites in
Ireland at Connemara and in the Killarney Valley have shown AWIs to be occurring in secondary woodland:
650:
219:
Species which are particularly characteristic of ancient woodland sites are called ancient woodland indicator species, such as
433:
in
England, Wales, and Scotland; and maintained by its successor organisations in those countries. There was no inventory in
1088:
1059:
1009:
787:
95:'. The analogous term used in the United States, Canada and Australia (for woodlands that do contain very old trees) is "
1281:
1034:
1296:
455:
Britain's ancient woodland cover has declined greatly. Since the 1930s almost half of ancient broadleaved woodland in
1213:
Walker, G.J. and Kirby, K.J. (1989) Inventories of ancient, long-established and semi-natural woodland for
Scotland.
926:
430:
307:
283:
220:
861:
591:
1228:
1301:
916:
32:
This article is about ancient woodland in the United
Kingdom. For ancient woodland in other countries, see
615:
123:
Ancient woodlands also require special consideration when they are affected by planning application. The
1243:
881:
837:
413:
1190:
251:
240:
228:
313:
983:
906:
585:
579:
1173:
G. F. Peterken, "A Method for
Assessing Woodland Flora for Conservation Using Indicator Species",
79:
was uncommon before those dates, so a wood present in 1600 is likely to have developed naturally.
968:
813:
749:
743:
645:
628:
232:
39:
931:
891:
773:
689:
456:
299:
163:
96:
33:
942:
901:
896:
851:
808:
713:
701:
668:
564:
528:
434:
372:
236:
194:
144:
68:
1250:
1232:
886:
737:
707:
639:
621:
552:
540:
534:
347:
303:
287:
159:
103:
92:
1201:
Spencer, J. and Kirby, K. (1992) An inventory of Ancient Woodland for England and Wales.
683:
189:
825:
725:
678:
603:
438:
418:
279:
224:
183:
171:
52:
468:
404:
are often overgrown and may have spread laterally owing to the neglect of many years.
1275:
1010:"Ancient woodland, ancient trees and veteran trees: protecting them from development"
937:
871:
767:
695:
633:
597:
573:
558:
546:
477:
408:
246:
973:
953:
866:
856:
846:
801:
719:
380:
371:
was very strictly enforced, by a hierarchy of foresters, parkers and woodwards. In
368:
761:
656:
609:
360:
302:
can and do occur in post-1600 woodlands, and also in non-woodland sites such as
260:
179:
17:
1085:"Forestry Commission Wales Reclaiming our Forgotten Inheritance (RoFI) project"
139:
876:
674:
662:
509:
396:
272:
268:
88:
44:
1215:
Nature Conservancy Council: Research and survey in nature conservation No. 22
963:
948:
755:
505:
497:
392:
356:
343:
327:
1110:
796:
488:
978:
731:
364:
331:
291:
206:
76:
72:
326:
Ancient woods were valuable properties for their owners, as a source of
335:
155:
60:
376:
264:
1225:
493:
487:
481:
473:
467:
339:
312:
245:
188:
154:
64:
38:
400:
352:
1226:
The Woodland Trust's search for Northern Ireland's oldest woods
176:
Ancient Woodland, its History, Vegetation and Uses in England
1113:. Eighth Biennial Southern Silvicultural Research Conference
508:(harvesting wood by cutting trees back to ground level) and
1159:
Professor Oliver Rackham, historical ecologist - obituary,
785:
59:
is that which has existed continuously since 1600 in
1015:. Natural England and the Forestry Commission. 2014
178:, which he wrote following his earlier research on
1111:"Defining Old Growth: Implications For Management"
278:Lists of ancient woodland indicator species among
1004:
1002:
1000:
1244:The Woodland Trust page on ancient woodland loss
1134:"A facelift for the Ancient Woodland Inventory?"
758:, Kent: Barrows Wood, Trundle Wood and High Wood
102:Ancient woodland is formally defined on maps by
934:(ancient forest, virgin forest, primary forest)
259:The term tends to be applied more usefully to
627:Hazleborough Wood, Northamptonshire, part of
8:
1287:Forests and woodlands of the United Kingdom
263:-sensitive plant species, and particularly
209:and structures of archaeological interest.
275:are also indicators of forest continuity.
1266:Ancient Tree Guides by the Woodland Trust
764:, bordering Shropshire and Worcestershire
138:
996:
912:History of the forest in Central Europe
792:
1060:"Standing Advice for ancient woodland"
363:, enjoying special protection against
27:Type of woodland in the United Kingdom
959:Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests
407:Many ancient woods are listed in the
7:
1307:Types of formally designated forests
1109:White, David; Lloyd, Thomas (1994).
239:for example, representing a type of
118:Sites of Special Scientific Interest
451:Deforestation in the United Kingdom
334:and loppage) and forage for pigs (
125:National Planning Policy Framework
25:
1203:Biological Conservation 62, 77-93
537:, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
1292:Forests and woodlands of England
1136:. Woodland Trust. Archived from
922:List of countries by forest area
831:
819:
807:
795:
522:List of Ancient Woods in England
411:of 1086, as well as the earlier
342:was particularly important for
120:. Others have no designations.
1132:Rist, Katharine (2014-02-20).
1065:. Natural England. 30 May 2012
346:, the branches being used for
1:
651:King's Wood, Heath and Reach
425:Ancient woodland inventories
1249:September 27, 2007, at the
1328:
1268:(archived 5 November 2011)
1231:November 12, 2008, at the
927:List of old-growth forests
519:
448:
431:Nature Conservancy Council
308:Nature Conservancy Council
298:Although ancient woodland
284:Nature Conservancy Council
31:
317:Wattle under construction
1312:Ancient woods in England
862:Close to nature forestry
592:Edford Woods and Meadows
399:to prevent livestock or
338:). In southern England,
1175:Biological Conservation
917:Intact forest landscape
441:completed one in 2006.
616:Grass Wood, Wharfedale
570:Claybury Woods, London
501:
485:
318:
282:were developed by the
256:
198:
167:
152:
48:
882:Ecological succession
491:
471:
414:Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
316:
249:
192:
158:
142:
42:
606:West Gloucestershire
492:A recently coppiced
375:, it was illegal to
252:Anemonoides nemorosa
241:ecological indicator
43:Ancient woodland on
1282:History of forestry
984:Woodland management
907:Forestry Commission
580:Dolmelynllyn Estate
1297:Old-growth forests
1163:, 19 February 2015
1035:"Ancient woodland"
969:Trees of the world
770:, Northamptonshire
752:, Northamptonshire
750:Whittlewood Forest
744:Windsor Great Park
698:, Northamptonshire
646:Holt Heath, Dorset
629:Whittlewood Forest
588:, Nottinghamshire.
502:
486:
472:Ancient pollarded
319:
257:
255:, the wood anemone
199:
168:
153:
49:
47:island in Scotland
932:Old-growth forest
892:Forest management
710:, Nottinghamshire
659:, Gloucestershire
642:, Buckinghamshire
457:England and Wales
300:indicator species
174:in his 1980 book
97:old-growth forest
34:Old-growth forest
16:(Redirected from
1319:
1253:
1241:
1235:
1223:
1217:
1211:
1205:
1199:
1193:
1187:
1181:
1171:
1165:
1156:
1150:
1149:
1147:
1145:
1140:on 15 March 2014
1129:
1123:
1122:
1120:
1118:
1106:
1100:
1099:
1097:
1096:
1087:. Archived from
1081:
1075:
1074:
1072:
1070:
1064:
1056:
1050:
1049:
1047:
1045:
1031:
1025:
1024:
1022:
1020:
1014:
1006:
902:Forest pathology
897:Forest migration
852:Canopy (biology)
836:
835:
834:
824:
823:
822:
812:
811:
800:
799:
791:
702:Savernake Forest
669:Parkhurst Forest
565:Cherry Tree Wood
529:Bedgebury Forest
435:Northern Ireland
387:Boundary marking
373:English land law
233:yellow archangel
195:yellow archangel
193:Close-up of the
145:lesser celandine
83:very old trees.
69:Northern Ireland
57:ancient woodland
21:
18:Ancient Woodland
1327:
1326:
1322:
1321:
1320:
1318:
1317:
1316:
1272:
1271:
1262:
1257:
1256:
1251:Wayback Machine
1242:
1238:
1233:Wayback Machine
1224:
1220:
1212:
1208:
1200:
1196:
1188:
1184:
1180:(1974:239-245).
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1157:
1153:
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1033:
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1028:
1018:
1016:
1012:
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1007:
998:
993:
988:
887:Forest dynamics
842:
832:
830:
820:
818:
806:
794:
786:
784:
779:
738:Whinfell Forest
734:, Monmouthshire
708:Sherwood Forest
671:, Isle of Wight
640:Hollington Wood
622:Hatfield Forest
561:, Staffordshire
553:Burnham Beeches
541:Bradfield Woods
535:Bernwood Forest
524:
518:
466:
453:
447:
427:
419:standing stones
389:
348:wattle and daub
324:
288:Natural England
280:vascular plants
273:pollen analysis
216:
160:Penduculate oak
137:
135:Characteristics
113:
104:Natural England
93:natural capital
75:). Planting of
37:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1325:
1323:
1315:
1314:
1309:
1304:
1302:Forest history
1299:
1294:
1289:
1284:
1274:
1273:
1270:
1269:
1261:
1260:External links
1258:
1255:
1254:
1236:
1218:
1206:
1194:
1182:
1166:
1151:
1124:
1101:
1076:
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1039:Woodland Trust
1026:
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994:
992:
989:
987:
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976:
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849:
843:
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838:Earth sciences
828:
816:
804:
783:
780:
778:
777:
774:Wistman's Wood
771:
765:
759:
753:
747:
741:
735:
729:
726:Vincients Wood
723:
717:
711:
705:
699:
693:
692:, Warwickshire
687:
681:
679:Forest of Dean
672:
666:
660:
654:
653:, Bedfordshire
648:
643:
637:
631:
625:
619:
613:
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604:Forest of Dean
601:
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589:
583:
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520:Main article:
517:
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465:
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446:
443:
439:Woodland Trust
426:
423:
388:
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379:any part of a
351:also included
323:
320:
184:Cambridgeshire
172:Oliver Rackham
164:Wistman's Wood
136:
133:
112:
109:
53:United Kingdom
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
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1192:
1186:
1183:
1179:
1176:
1170:
1167:
1164:
1162:
1161:The Telegraph
1155:
1152:
1139:
1135:
1128:
1125:
1112:
1105:
1102:
1091:on 2012-02-18
1090:
1086:
1080:
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1061:
1055:
1052:
1040:
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1011:
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939:
938:Permaforestry
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928:
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923:
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905:
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872:Deforestation
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769:
768:Yardley Chase
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751:
748:
745:
742:
739:
736:
733:
730:
727:
724:
722:, West Sussex
721:
718:
715:
712:
709:
706:
703:
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697:
696:Salcey Forest
694:
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688:
685:
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673:
670:
667:
664:
661:
658:
655:
652:
649:
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638:
635:
634:Highgate Wood
632:
630:
626:
623:
620:
617:
614:
611:
608:
605:
602:
599:
598:Epping Forest
596:
593:
590:
587:
586:Dyscarr Woods
584:
581:
578:
575:
574:Coldfall Wood
572:
569:
566:
563:
560:
559:Cannock Chase
557:
554:
551:
548:
547:Bradley Woods
545:
542:
539:
536:
533:
530:
527:
526:
523:
515:
513:
511:
507:
499:
495:
490:
483:
479:
478:Epping Forest
475:
470:
463:
461:
458:
452:
444:
442:
440:
436:
432:
424:
422:
421:for example.
420:
416:
415:
410:
409:Domesday Book
405:
402:
398:
394:
386:
384:
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378:
374:
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149:Ficaria verna
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62:
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46:
41:
35:
30:
19:
1239:
1221:
1214:
1209:
1202:
1197:
1185:
1177:
1174:
1169:
1160:
1154:
1142:. Retrieved
1138:the original
1127:
1115:. Retrieved
1104:
1093:. Retrieved
1089:the original
1079:
1067:. Retrieved
1054:
1042:. Retrieved
1038:
1029:
1017:. Retrieved
974:Wildcrafting
954:Silviculture
867:Chase (land)
857:Clearcutting
847:Agroforestry
720:Titnore Wood
684:Queen's Wood
503:
454:
428:
412:
406:
390:
381:royal forest
325:
297:
277:
258:
250:
229:wood anemone
218:
215:
211:
203:
200:
175:
169:
148:
129:
122:
114:
101:
85:
81:
71:(or 1750 in
56:
50:
29:
1117:23 November
814:Environment
762:Wyre Forest
746:, Berkshire
728:, Wiltshire
714:Snakes Wood
704:, Wiltshire
690:Ryton Woods
665:, Hampshire
657:Lower Woods
618:, Yorkshire
610:Foxley Wood
549:, Wiltshire
445:Destruction
361:Royal Parks
261:desiccation
180:Hayley Wood
143:Blossom of
1276:Categories
1095:2007-04-22
1044:16 October
991:References
945:(forestry)
943:Plantation
877:Dendrology
675:Puzzlewood
663:New Forest
594:, Somerset
510:pollarding
464:Management
449:See also:
437:until the
397:blackthorn
369:forest law
330:, timber (
269:bryophytes
111:Protection
89:rainforest
45:Inchmahome
964:Tree farm
949:REDD-plus
756:Wormshill
740:, Cumbria
716:, Suffolk
677:, in the
612:, Norfolk
582:, Gwynedd
543:, Suffolk
506:coppicing
500:, England
498:Hampshire
484:, England
357:heathland
344:coppicing
328:wood fuel
310:surveys.
304:hedgerows
221:bluebells
162:trees in
1247:Archived
1229:Archived
1144:16 March
1069:16 March
979:Woodland
782:See also
732:Wentwood
686:, London
636:, London
576:, London
567:, London
516:Examples
393:hawthorn
365:poachers
353:parkland
332:estovers
292:woodland
237:primrose
207:wildlife
77:woodland
73:Scotland
826:Ecology
788:Portals
776:, Devon
624:, Essex
600:, Essex
555:, Bucks
496:stool.
355:, open
336:pannage
322:History
265:lichens
225:ramsons
197:flowers
61:England
51:In the
1019:18 May
531:, Kent
476:tree.
377:assart
1063:(PDF)
1013:(PDF)
802:Trees
494:alder
482:Essex
474:beech
340:hazel
286:(now
65:Wales
1146:2014
1119:2009
1071:2014
1046:2020
1021:2014
401:deer
267:and
235:and
67:and
395:or
182:in
99:".
1278::
1037:.
999:^
480:,
243:.
231:,
227:,
223:,
186:.
63:,
55:,
1178:6
1148:.
1121:.
1098:.
1073:.
1048:.
1023:.
790::
166:.
151:)
147:(
36:.
20:)
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