About

The Forest of Dean is situated in west Gloucestershire between the Rivers Severn and Wye. Our Shared Forest (OSF) is a project to reshape and redirect our land management in the Forest of Dean. It sets out an agreed, understood and supported direction to guide what the forest will look like, feel like and be like in 100 years’ time.

OSF divides the Forest of Dean into six forest plan areas, of which Sallowvallets is the smallest. It consists of 650 hectares of broadleaf, coniferous and mixed woodland.

Like much of the Dean, Sallowvallets is a highly productive working forest – managed by Forestry England’s beat team to generate a sustainable supply of timber. Half of the block is currently planted with broadleaves (most of which are oak and beech). Conifers make up just over 40% of the land area, predominantly Douglas fir, followed by Norway spruce, with smaller quantities of Corsican pine, western hemlock, larch and Scots pine. The rest of the area is temporarily or permanently open and includes areas that have recently been felled or are being retained as open habitat, as well as Forestry England car parks and cycle trails.

As well as productive woodland and open space, wildlife habitats include ponds, watercourses and veteran trees, which support a range of bird, mammal and invertebrate species.

Sallowvallets hosts one of England’s most popular mountain biking destinations, with a range of downhill and cross-country trails that attract tens of thousands of visitors every year. Other parts of the block are used extensively by the local community.

The Forest of Dean has a rich industrial history and Sallowvallets contains hundreds of heritage features including ancient earthbanks, mines and quarries, and more recent Second World War military structures.

Objectives

The OSF vision for the Forest of Dean is 'to nurture a shared forest unlike any other'.

By allowing the decisions we take to be guided by the natural potential of the land, as well as the varied influences of our ever-changing world, we will create a diverse and inclusive forest that is a global example of what can be achieved through forward-thinking forestry.

What we'll do

Sallowvallets is already a well-managed forest providing numerous benefits for people and for wildlife. We will continue to practice exemplary forest management, endorsed by our ongoing certification under the UK Woodland Assurance Standard (UKWAS).

Three key goals for Forestry England in Sallowvallets for the coming decades are to:

• produce a sustainable supply of timber through active, responsible forest management.
• continue to develop the recreation and community offer, while protecting and improving biodiversity and heritage assets.
• diversify species composition and stand structure in order to increase resilience to pests, diseases, climate change and increasing public use.