The first steps have been taken towards restoring some of the most precious habitats in the Heads of the Valleys.
Forestry Commission Wales is carrying out a four-year survey of all Ancient Woodland Sites (AWS) and Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS) across South Wales, which provide a last refuge for many of our rarest plants and endangered wildlife.
The results will help FC Wales to identify which areas are under most threat and enable it to prioritise its work to restore these delicate woodlands to how they were centuries ago.
The first year of the survey has just been completed and focused on identifying the key features on all the AWS and PAWS in the Heads of the Valleys. Other areas will be targeted over the coming two years, with the final year being used to complete the work.
Rosalind Codd, FC Wales Conservation Manager, said, “By collecting this information, we have started to build a picture about the current condition of these sites and the current level of threat.
“A site with a lot of ecological potential but with a high level of threat from features such as invasive plants will be high on the list for restoration, while sites with a low threat level and low ecological potential will be a much lower priority.”
Ancient woodlands are the subject of a number of UK Biodiversity Action Plans aimed at conserving and enhancing these irreplaceable areas, which provide the sole habitat for some plants and animals.
The South Wales forest covers 30,000 hectares and the survey will examine all 4,600 hectares of AWS and PAWS across the area.
The survey covers a range of factors including:
- Amount of native tree regeneration
- Amount of non-native tree regeneration
- Abundance of invasive species such as Rhododendron ponticum and Japanese knotweed
- Abundance of ancient trees and deadwood on the site
- Woodland specialist species present, such as bluebell, wood anemone, lesser celandine.
“It’s exciting to have so much accurate data,” said Rosalind. “This information will help to determine their current state so that we can really target our work to the areas that need it most and play our part in improving the biodiversity and environment of the valleys.”
Bringing AWS and PAWS into “favourable management” for their biodiversity, landscape, heritage and cultural value is one of the objectives in Woodlands for Wales, the Welsh Assembly Government’s strategy for trees and woodlands.
FC Wales has made good progress in restoring some of our ancient woodland sites, having started work on some 5,000ha across Wales, and the survey will help to plan future work programmes for the restoration of all ancient woodland sites.
Ancient woodland is the term used to describe woodland dating back to 1600. A great deal of AWS in Wales were planted with non-native species, mostly conifer, during the 20th century, creating PAWS.
The survey is being carried out for FC Wales by international specialists, AECOM.
