FARMERS in the Dales will be able to take advantage of increasing opportunities to plant and manage woodland during the next ten years, helping to maintain the viability of their farm businesses, an online public meeting of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority was told.

Members of the Authority voted to adopt a new ten-year ‘Dales Woodland Strategy’, the second of its kind.

The strategy has been devised by the Dales Woodland Forum, a partnership of landowners, charities and public bodies such as the Forestry Commission.

It sets an ambition to enhance the landscape by creating 6,000 ha - equivalent to around 14,800 acres - of woodland habitat in the Yorkshire Dales National Park by 2030.

That would take the area of the National Park covered by woodland, which is currently smaller than London (4.5 per cent) and the smallest of any of England’s National Parks, from 4.3 per cent now to 7 per cent.

It was confirmed at the meeting that the ambition in the first Dales Woodland Strategy 1995-2020, to plant 2,000 hectares - 5,000 acres - of new woodland, had been met.

Member Champion for the Natural Environment at the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, and member of the Dales Woodland Forum, Ian McPherson, said:

“We have agreed that the open, farmed character of the Yorkshire Dales must be conserved. That’s why the new Dales Woodland Strategy clearly sets out that any new woodland must enhance the landscape.

“The new ambitions represent a significant scaling up of woodland creation and management in the National Park, but we are all clear that trees must be planted in the right place and for the right reasons.

“For example, we must ensure tree planting doesn’t adversely affect habitat used by birds of conservation concern such as the curlew.

“The new strategy acknowledges the role that existing conifer plantations play within the Dales and careful management of them will be key to survival of the native red squirrel.

“Creating further conifer plantations could be possible but only when they provide tangible benefits to the natural beauty, wildlife, and cultural heritage of the National Park.

“I would like people to share my enthusiasm about the prospect of more trees in the National Park. New woodland is beautiful. It attracts wildlife. The good news is that public money is available for it. Trees sequester carbon and can help with water quality, natural flood management and, crucially, farm business viability.

“Managing existing woodlands will become an equal priority to creating more woodlands.

“Existing mature field trees, usually marking boundaries, are hugely important in the landscape, as are existing hedgerows, such a feature in the Cumbrian part of the National Park.

“Our starting point will be to work with people to expand or connect existing native woodlands.

“If we can do this and improve public access to woodlands, so much the better.”

The Dales Woodland Strategy 2020-2030 has been guided and produced by the Dales Woodland Forum, a partnership of local organisations that have an interest in the future of woodlands within the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

The strategy is key to meeting the Yorkshire Dales National Park Management Plan objective D2

The report noted that ancient semi natural woodlands take centuries to develop and are therefore a difficult habitat to recreate.

Some areas of ground flora, however, will indicate the previous presence of woodland. Former ancient semi-natural woodland sites (identified from ground flora and historic map comparison) will be treated as a priority for woodland creation.

A significant amount of new woodland has been created since 1995. Many of these new

woodlands require urgent action in order to ensure they reach their full potential as woodlands.

Scrub is an important woodland habitat for wildlife, and needs care, consideration and

management.

Such a habitat provides links between woodland areas and will be utilised to

contribute towards woodland connectivity.

Scrub can develop into new native woodland of

high wildlife value if managed appropriately.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park was designated in 1954 and is one of ten National Parks in

England, which cover around 9per cent of the country.