About

Ingleby Greenhow is a 546.8 hectare Forest located along the northern scarp of the Cleveland Hills, south of Great Broughton and Ingleby Greenhow villages, on the edge of the North York Moors National Park. It lies on a steep curving hillside above a relatively flat plain, and has acquired prominence in the local landscape.

Pine and spruce are the dominant species groups at 24% and 21% respectively of the overall area, distributed across all soil types. Larch and broadleaf species are the next largest species groups, accounting for 16% and 13% by area. Hemlock, cedar and fir species are minor components. Although predominantly coniferous in character, following recent management and conversion to broadleaf species it is becoming more mixed.

Ingleby Greenhow is situated in the Cleveland Hills, Upland Fringe landscape character area on the scarp between the Cleveland Hills plateau and the plain to the north. Over its 12 kilometre length it is never more than 650 m wide, and is often much narrower.

The car park at Clay Bank provides a starting point for a large network of pathways: some formal FE paths, a number of rights of way, and more general access to the surrounding woodlands. Although registered as open access under CROW legislation, potential for an increase in recreational use and facilities is limited.

The woods are predominantly secondary plantation conifer/broadleaf woods, although 69 hectares of low-lying land associated with alder carr and ash woodland are designated as Plantation on Ancient Woodland Site (PAWS). In addition, there are a small number of ancient veteran oaks recorded across the site. There are also two SSSI/SAC/SPA sites across the forest.

Objectives

This plan aims to deliver an increase the proportion of native broadleaf cover, particularly across areas of PAWS and the upper slopes adjacent moorland SSSI. The objectives of the management of Ingleby Greenhow are:

Environmental

Conserve ancient and veteran trees and continue the restoration of PAWS to native dominant woodland, to be measured by the sub-compartment database.

Ensure SSSI’s are maintained in target condition, to be monitored through liaison with Natural England.

Economic

Maximise and maintain a sustainable supply of timber from site-appropriate conifer and broadleaf species.

Social

Conserve all cultural and heritage features. Avoid damage and when possible improve any issues which increase the risk of deterioration.

Maintain the wooded landscape and design coupes to enhance external views.

What we’ll do

The current plan outlines management proposals including felling and restocking over several decades, with felling licence approval for operations up until 2021.

The planned areas of clearfelling, restocking and permanent open space creation during the ten years to 2021 are summarised in the table.

In addition to these defined operations, selective thinning and group-felling will be carried out on a small scale at five and ten year intervals.  

We will continue to sustainably harvest timber both from clearfell and thinnings, and where appropriate develop broadleaf stands to increase their contribution to timber production. These operations will be planned and controlled to ensure due regard for all other objectives of management at Ingleby Greenhow.