Objectives

The main objectives of the plan are;

Social

• Maintain and improve the woodlands contribution to the landscape character within the East Riding of Yorkshire – Newton upon Derwent, Wilberfoss, Allerthorpe and Hayton Farmland character type. To be measured by fixed-point photography.
• Work with and provide volunteering opportunities that derive benefits to both the participants and the woodland. To be measured through FC systems.

Environment

• Improve the resilience of the natural environment to pests, diseases and wildfires and realise the potential of these woods for nature and wildlife, to be measured by Natural England and FC systems.
• Improve and maintain the cultural and ecological heritage value of these woods, to be measured by FC systems.

Economic

• Maintain the land within our stewardship under UKWAS certification, to be measured by independent surveillance audits.
• Improve the economic resilience of these woods from a more diverse range of site appropriate conifer and broadleaf species, to be measured by FC systems.

What we will do

The plan details management operations including approved felling and restocking for the 10 years through until 2030, with outline proposals for a 50 year period.

Allerthorpe Forest will be managed using Lower Impact Silvicultural Systems (LISS) through the Strip Shelterwood silvicultural system. During the plan period, it is proposed areas of LISS where crops are over 25 years old will receive a silvicultural intervention (thinning or regeneration felling).

The planned areas of regeneration felling and restocking during the ten years to 2030 are summarised in the table.

The current proportions of conifer, broadleaf and open space habitat and projected in 50 years’ time are shown below.