Forest Ecology in Woodland Creation & Management

Join our South West England Regional Group for their autumn workshop that will focus on woodland ecology.

The morning session will involve indoor presentations at Failand Village Hall and joined by a range of speakers. Two ecologists, Jack Dunn and Richard Flight, will be joining us to talk about their day-to-day role supporting Forest Managers, with an ecology-focussed Q&A. April Windle from the British Lichen Society will be speaking on lichens, bryophytes and mosses in our woodlands, particularly their importance in temperate rainforests. The morning session will close with a general Q&A.

After lunch and the opportunity to network, members will travel the short distance to the National Trust’s Tyntesfield Estate west of Bristol where there will be two field discussions. The first field discussion, hosted by Jack Dunn and Richard Flight, on bats will explore how management has an impact and what needs to be considered when planning operational activity.

The second field discussion will be led by Rhianna Drury, a Senior Advisor working for Natural England who has been advising on new woodland schemes across the Wessex area as part of the Tree Action Plan Delivery (TAP-D)  team since 2021. The TAP-D team ensure new woodland schemes maximise benefits to nature recovery and ensure new woodlands do not impact existing environmental assets (protected Sites, priority species, priority habitats and peat soils). Members will be led through the grounds to see important examples of lowland wood-pasture and parkland, with species-rich calcareous grassland that is a priority habitat. Rihanna will discuss how to assess grasslands and other priority habitats and explain when and why they might not be compatible with woodland creation.

Programme

Speakers

Jack Dunn – Ecologist, Tilhill

Richard Flight  – Founder, Flight Ecology

April Windle – Co-Chair of Education and Promotions Committee, British Lichen Society

Rihanna Drury – Senior Advisor (Woodland Establishment), Natural England

Locations

Failand Village Hall, Ox House Lane, Failand, Bristol, BS8 3TS  |  ///shakes.tend.marked

Tyntesfield Estate, Wraxall, Bristol, BS48 1NX  |  ///sofa.pints.fled