Tayside Biodiversity Partnership Local Action Plan

Upland Oakwoods

CURRENT FACTORS CAUSING LOSS OR DECLINE
In Scotland large scale planting of oaks was undertaken on estates between 1780 and 1830 for tanning bark, timber, coppice for charcoal making and general landscape value. In the last hundred years, the advent of the First World War
saw a severe decline in oakwoods which continued during the Second World War as timber was utilised for the war effort. There has been a decline of about 30 - 40% of oakwoods across the British Isles over the last sixty years.

Lack of management of the remaining oakwoods, grazing pressure and adjacent land use changes (for example development pressures such as new roads, quarrying and recreational access) have led to a limited age structure within
most of these woods. With increased planting of exotics from 1940 onwards the last sixty years has seen a further reduction. In more recent times such woods have remained relatively stable with only slight decreases being recorded
by the Forestry Commission between 1980 and 1995.

There is, however, a wide range of factors that have contributed to Upland Oakwood decline. Those contributory factors, specific to Tayside, are listed below in order of priority of seriousness:

1	Historical under-planting of oakwoods with coniferous species, for example Carie Oakwood (case study).
2	The spread of Bracken Pteridium aquilinum which can limit regeneration. Because the oak is a strong light demander, regeneration of oak under oak canopy is difficult enough without other competition. Invasion of species such as Rhododendron Rhododendron spp. and Sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus also provides competition against oak seedlings.
3	In some cases unsympathetic forest management practices do not produce the biodiversity benefits such woodlands can provide, for example inappropriate planting for game cover or a lack of appropriate management.
4	Limited markets for hardwood timber products produced in Scotland.

OPPORTUNITIES AND CURRENT ACTION
The government through the Forestry Commission (FC) regulates the management of all woodland in the UK. The Commission also encourages forestry expansion through the payment of grants where creation of new woodland is in accordance with forestry and conservation policies. Such policies are informed by both national and international priorities and these are set out in a series of publications that provide the framework for environmental regulations and incentives. The UK Forest Standard defines and applies government commitments to sustainability and biodiversity and this is augmented by a series of environmental guidelines on conservation, landscape and water. The Scottish Forestry Strategy contains a strong commitment to achieve the current Action Plan targets.

There are a number of resources available, both financial and advisory support, for native woodland management and establishment. The main sources of funding are through the FC which offers a wide range of grants to private landowners to assist specifically for native woodland management, improvement and expansion.

Opportunities are also available through:

The introduction of a new grants initiative - Scottish Forestry Grants Scheme - to be launched in April 2003. The key changes to the FC grants will allow greater focus on the management of existing oak woodlands and will target grants towards areas where significant Habitat Action Plan (HAP) targets can be met.
LIFE European funding to manage SAC (Special Areas of Conservation) designated oak woodland sites (for example: Comrie woods cSAC)
Ongoing development and promotion of training on the conservation and management of oak HAP types with particular reference to the problems associated with regenerating oakwoods. At present, for example, Scottish Native Woods organises a range of courses tackling the issue of regeneration.

Case Study
COMRIE WOODS

The Comrie Woods SSSI and cSAC lies just north of the town of Comrie and the Highland Boundary Fault. This part of the wood is situated to the west of the River Lednock gorge.

As a whole the SSSI is a primary woodland site representing the largest area of acid sessile oakwood (Quercus petrea/Betula pubescens/Dicranum majus W17
community) in Perth & Kinross. In addition, the Lednock gorge and adjacent areas contain fragments of richer mixed ash, hazel, wych elm woodland (W9b) whilst bluebell dominated oakwood (W11) is characteristic on more neutral soils.

The primary objectives of management are:

To enhance and safeguard the integrity of natural woodland communities on the site principally by managing beech colonisation and promoting regeneration of native species.

To maintain the intrinsic qualities of the woodland experience available to visitors. The factors that define this experience also include large veteran trees and conifers.

OBJECTIVES AND TARGETS
The UK Habitat Statement for Upland Oakwoods gives a conservation direction to Local Biodiversity Action Plans which may adopt some or all of the relevant measures identified nationally to be applied locally. The targets established for local plans are based on maintaining the current extent of Upland Oakwoods and encouraging the balance of appropriate management regimes across the distribution of the type.

Objectives		Targets
1	Maintain existing area and improve the condition of Upland Oakwoods in Tayside and prevent net loss or reduction in area. The core areas for Scotland total 30,000 ha. The Tayside area is approximately 2,600 ha.	All 2,600 ha. to be identified and managed to increase their biodiversity value whilst not compromising any existing commercial operations or other nature conservation interests by 2005.
2	Restoration of upland oakwood cover. The restoration figures for upland oakwood in Scotland are 3,000 ha. by 2010. This is made up of 10 ha. in Angus and 350 ha. in Perth & Kinross.	Restore 360 ha. by 2015, completing half of this by 2010.
3	To bring under management existing upland oakwoods to increase their biodiversity/ conservation value.	Raise the awareness of the importance of upland oakwoods to woodland owners through examples of good practice, workshops, publicity and other promotional opportunities. Provide habitats for associated key species utilising current European LIFE funding initiatives (such as at Comrie Wood cSAC and SSSI case study).
4	Increase the area of upland oakwoods on suitable sites within Tayside. The expansion targets for upland oakwood in Scotland are 3,000 ha. by 2005. This is made up of 110 ha. in Angus and 280 ha. in Perth & Kinross.	Revised IFS (Indicative Forestry Strategy) to be drawn up by Local Authorities incorporating the figures below by 2005. Expansion of upland oakwood area, preferably through natural regeneration, in suitable sites in Tayside by 390 ha. by 2005.
5	Ensure the long term future of this habitat.	Raise the public’s awareness of the importance of upland oakwoods and newly planted oakwoods within the Tayside area through examples of good practice, workshops, publicity and other promotional opportunities.
6	Ensure the long term future of upland oakwoods.	Ensure all new upland oakwood sites are incorporated into positive management through the new Scottish Forestry Grant Scheme by 2005.
7	Extend and enhance upland oakwoods by developing Forest Habitat Networks as detailed in the Scottish Forestry Strategy.	Priority action point in SFS document. Partnership involvement from grant setting (FC) to guidance (SNH) and adoption by private sector, FE and woodland Initiatives providing ongoing advice. Target is to act on advice and recommendations currently being prepared by FC and SNH. Also required are revised IFS (Indicative Forestry Strategies) to be drawn up by Local Authorities by 2005.
8	To improve the ecological value of native woodlands through work related to native woodland Habitat Action Plans.	To deliver new FC grants by April 2003 that will be designed to contribute towards costs for work that achieves at least one of the following: improves the natural heritage value of semi-natural woodlands; restores native woodlands on ancient woodland sites; secures natural regeneration within or immediately adjacent to native woodlands.
9	To improve the environmental value of woods and forests through work related to Biodiversity Action Plans (Habitat and Species Action Plans and Local Biodiversity Action Plans) and designated sites or species listed in the schedules of the Wildlife and Countryside Act or the EU Habitats and Species Directive.	To deliver new FC grants by April 2003 that will be designed to contribute towards costs for work that is necessary to implement agreed HAPs, SAPs & LBAPs including work in open space and non-woodland habitat within the woodland or forest area.
10	To put forward recommendations for changes to the Woodland Grant Scheme and Farm Woodland Premium Scheme in Scotland so as to improve their effectiveness in delivering priorities identified in the Scottish Forestry Strategy.	A joint Forestry Commission / Scottish Executive Steering Group report submitted for European approval in autumn 2002. Provisional launch of new scheme (Scottish Forestry Grants Scheme) in April 2003. Revised IFS’s put in place across Tayside incorporating HAP and LBAP targets by 2005.

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