Woodland work

Information about woodland work in Doncaster, the benefits of management and further contacts.

Background

Doncaster Council owns and manages 53 woodland sites across the borough, spanning 475.12 ha.

The Council is continuing with its Woodland management of its woodland estates with a view to meeting the multipurpose objectives of; biodiversity, recreation, access, education, and landscape value, whilst also assisting towards offsetting the impacts of climate change.

A well-managed woodland will provide:-

Light Woodland plants

Includes trees, shrubs and ground flora, require sufficient light entering the woodland periodically for germination, establishment, flowering and seed production. These plants are also the food source for many woodland insects and animals and birds. So sufficient light in a woodland is essential to healthy ecosystems. Dense canopy woodlands do have their role in providing shade loving species like ferns and mosses and some fungi to thrive.

Structure Woodlands

This is where the trees are of a uniform age and structure, and do not provide a range of habitats. The canopy is closed and all other light requiring species below are shaded out. A healthy woodland has a range of ages and heights of trees within it with canopy gaps and rides and edges providing a range of habitats for woodland species to colonise.

Species mix

Healthy woods have a good mix of tree species and as such are an important habitat for plethora wildlife. We are looking at creating maximum biodiversity in our woodlands.

Benefits of woodland management

• Managed woodlands have greater diversity of wildlife habitat (biodiversity)
• They offer increased opportunity for recreation, exercise and volunteering
• They absorb more dust, noise, pollution
• They absorb more carbon dioxide and release more oxygen
• Urban woodland can significantly assist urban cooling
• Diversification is also used as anticipatory adaptation to climate change, with the view that diversity provides enhanced woodland resilience.

Numerous woodland estates have already benefited from woodland works

These create a good mix of tree species and a range of habitats for plethora wildlife  -  Previous Woodland Works 

Get involved

Sandall Beat woodland welcomes volunteers through the Friends of Sandall Beat volunteers programme.

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