About

The Robin and Repton Forest Plan (FP) summarises proposals by the Forestry Commission for the management of five woodlands, Robin Wood (98.1ha), Repton Shrubs (83.4ha), Hartshorne Wood (31.7ha), Poppy Wood (26.6ha) and Stanton by Bridge Woodland (19.2ha) which lie in The National Forest, South Derbyshire.  The plan area of 259ha lies between 10km south of Derby, 7km east of Burton upon Trent and have easy access from both the M1 and A38.

The Robin and Repton Woods are largely dominated by productive mature conifer forest with Hartshorne and Poppy Wood being new woodlands recently planted with mixed hardwoods and Stanton by Bridge ex-agricultural land due to be planted in 2017. The management plans objectives will be to continue to grow commercial crops on a sustainable basis, diversify the forest structure through harvesting operations, revert Robin and Repton back to become broadleaved woodland, conserve ancient woodland features, increase the number of deadwood habitat and trees of special interest, improve the value of the woodlands for butterflies and visitors.

Objectives

The main objectives for the Robin and Repton Forest Plan are:

Economic

• Continue production of commercial conifers and broadleaves.

• Demonstrate the continuation of a structured and sustained programme of clearfell and thinning to include infrastructure requirements.

• Make the economic potential of the forest more resilient in the face of a changing climate, pests and diseases.

Social

• Maintain existing provision for informal recreation and continue to work in partnership with local businesses and stakeholders to facilitate the future demand for recreation and tourism.

• Consider all aspects of informal public access in the design of all woodlands within the Plan area except Repton Shrubs due to restrictions imposed on the lease under which its managed.

• Plan sympathetically designed and appropriately scaled interventions to improve and maintain the visual integration of the forest into the wider landscape.

Environmental

• Restoration of plantation back to broadleaved woodland without compromising long term productivity or the focus on quality timber production.

• Manage the forest for the conservation of the wide range of species which are found there and demonstrate appropriate management to improve the value of the new community woodlands for butterflies.

• Increase structural diversity in the woodland, Trees of Special Interest and deadwood habitat.

What we'll do

The plan details approved management operations including felling and restocking for the ten years to 2027, with outline proposals for a 50 year period.

The threat to timber production from climate change and more directly from pest and diseases is already having a major impact in the forests, with Corsican pine and ash being worst affected. To ensure longterm sustainable timber production, the present tree species will be diversified in selecting species that are more resistant to the current and increased incidence of pests and diseases. Corsican pine will be targeted where possible for early removal in the future harvesting programme due to the effect of DNB. The planned areas of clearfelling, restocking and permanent open space creation during the ten years are summarised below.

Felling of 20.9ha of conifers. Planting of 19ha of conifers and 1.5ha of broadleaves. Underplanting in shelterwood stands of 1ha of conifers and 7ha of broadleaves. Creation of 3.5ha of open space.

In addition to these defined operations, ongoing thinning and selective felling of both conifers and broadleaves will be carried out in the plan area at five to ten year intervals.

The species composition will also change from 18% open ground, 39% broadleaves, 43% conifer in 2017 to 20% open ground, 60% broadleaves, 8% conifer and 12% mixed stands dominated by broadleaves in 2067.