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Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust Biodiversity Matters II

The Conservation Strategy of the Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust 2006-2016

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Because of their unique character, British parklands and Western oak woodlands are of international importance for wildlife. In Montgomeryshire's oak woodlands, mosses, ferns and lichens thrive, and with them birds like the Wood Warbler, Redstart and Pied Flycatcher are commonly found. Sadly over the last 60 years, one in three such woodlands have been lost, and three quarters of our ancient woodlands have been reduced to blocks of less than 10 hectares in size, 4% of Montgomeryshire.

Parkland is a man-made habitat of scattered trees with grazing pasture. The most ancient of Montgomeryshire's parklands is found on the Powis Castle Estate, a medieval hunting park where many of the trees are now over 500 years old. These ancient trees provide a unique range of habitats for some of our rarest species of bats, beetles and fungi.

What are the threats to our woodland?

• Over grazing damages the ground flora and prevents young trees developing from seed.
• Air pollution is damaging the fragile lichens, mosses and liverworts of western oak woodlands.
• Inappropriate woodland management such as removing dead and dying trees, an important habitat for our rarest beetles and fungi; and the sharp decline of traditional management practices such as pollarding.

Woodland Habitat Action Plan

Action

• We will manage our woodland nature reserves in favourable condition.
• Encourage landholders to create, restore, expand and connect upland oak woods and wet woodland.
• Encourage landholders to replace lost veteran trees using local provenance stock.
• Encourage landholders to manage woodland appropriately to benefit BAP species.
• Establish a network of woodland Wildlife Sites and Private Nature Reserves.

Advice

• Advise landholders with large or important woodlands to enter into agri-environment schemes.
• Provide advice on appropriate native woodland management.

Survey and monitoring

• Monitor ancient semi-natural woodlands over 2ha.
• Survey for indicator species: Goat Moth, Small Eggar, Welsh Clearwing, and White Letter Hairstreak and Bluebell.
• Undertake a Veteran Tree Survey of Montgomeryshire's lowland wood-pasture.

Lobbying

• Ensure the local planning authority and developers are aware of woodland constraints.
• Lobby for no overall loss of lowland wood-pasture, ancient semi natural woodland and parkland sites.