Correspondence

eAlert: 25 February 2022 - Weathering the storms

Published 10 March 2022

Applies to England

• Publication for Northern Ireland
• Publication for Scotland
• Publication for Wales

1. Refreshed Guidance for afforestation proposed on or near important upland breeding wader areas in northern England

Read our refreshed guidance and new zonal wader maps.

We have been working with the sector and colleagues across Defra to refresh the Guidance for afforestation proposed on or near important upland breeding wader areas in northern England. It’s aim is to ensure adequate consideration of priority wader species recovery as new woodlands are designed and established. Due to the complexity of this work, a full refresh will not be completed in time for this survey season.

You can read about the new zonal wader abundance maps that we have produced and included in our Land Information Search in our recent blog: New wader zonal maps - helping to ensure new trees are put in the right place. They can be used by anyone considering woodland creation to give an initial indication of the potential for breeding waders within the area before progressing with an application.

Applicants for the Woodland Creation Planning Grant and the England Woodland Creation Offer can be supported by Forestry Commission and Natural England area teams to take this guidance into consideration as they design their woodlands.

2. How does the England Woodland Creation Offer Work?

Find out in our new animation.

How the England Woodland Creation Offer works

We have lots of new quick guides and case studies on our website to give you inspiration and help guide you through the process of planning a project and applying for funding.

Read our quick guides and case studies

3. Weathering the storms: what to do if you have windblown timber

If your trees or woodlands have been impacted by the recent storms, we would like to remind customers that a Felling Licence is often still required in clearing up after windblow. Trees that remain standing and are not an immediate danger will require a licence. If you are in any doubt whether a felling licence is required or not, see our guidance, Tree felling: getting permission, or contact your local woodland officer.

We would like to ask that all those submitting a felling licence application relating to windblown timber, should add Windblow clearance to the name of the woodland on your application. Please don’t include routine felling proposals in the same felling licence application as those areas affected by the storm; make a separate application for clearance of areas affected by storm damage.

We are asking for clear indication that the licence application relates to windblow to help enable Woodland Officers make use of the exemption for felling licences to be published on the Consultation Public Register that was announced by Defra in September last year. These exemptions will be granted on a case-by-case basis predominantly to address any safety or tree health concerns.

4. Windblown timber and biosecurity

What is the threat and what can we do to reduce it?

With the recent storms and the need to clear windblown timber we need to consider the impact of biosecurity and the likelihood that some pests and diseases becoming more prevalent in the windblown trees. Some tree pests are likely to feed on dead wood and will not switch to feeding on dying wood or stressed trees with a reduced defensive response. However, a number of insect species are currently of concern and to help reduce the threat they pose woodland owners should take steps to manage storm damaged spruce.

Ips typographus Larger eight toothed European spruce bark beetle. This species can establish on windblown spruce and has caused significant damage in central and Eastern Europe. There is an outbreak of the beetle in Southern England and restrictions on the movement of spruce timber are in place within the demarcated zone established to control the pest. We recommend that woodland owners and managers take the time to clear up fallen and snapped spruce in the south east of England before spring when the first bark beetles emerge and disperse. For authorisation to commence felling, move or process spruce material that has originated in the demarcated area please contact ipstypographus.authorisation@forestrycommisson.gov.uk Though we recommend people remain vigilant, the likelihood of establishment of this insect in Northern England is somewhat lower.

Ips sexdentatus may also benefit from storm damaged trees. This beetle is associated with pine and where populations are high the beetle can infest and damage live but stressed trees as well as deadwood.

Ips cembrae is a third bark beetle species that has the potential to cause damage to stressed trees where beetle populations are high and it likely to benefit from more storm damaged wood in the environment. This beetle is associated with larch.

Both Ips sexdentatus and Ips cembrae are likely to pose more of a threat in Southern England where warmer temperatures result in faster lifecycles and more rapid population growth. Again, we recommend owners of woodlands containing larch and pine remain vigilant and remove fallen and snapped trees.

We urge woodlands owners and managers to take care when mapping windblow, salvaging timber and clearing sites. Considerable tension can be present in lodged trees presenting potentially lethal risks to those harvesting the timber. Trained harvesting contractors following FISA guidelines should be used to reduce risks.

Finally, those moving from site to site should follow the principals of the ‘Keep it Clean’ campaign and clean vehicles, boots and equipment before moving to the next site to reduce the risk of inadvertently spreading pests or disease.