We’re pleased to support the publication of an article in the Royal Forestry Society’s journal which introduces a new smartphone App which Sylva Foundation developed for the Forestry Commission.
The article is published in the Quarterly Journal of Forestry, and our chief executive Dr Gabriel Hemery is among its authors. It discusses the assessment of woodland ecological condition, methodologies, and the development of the new smartphone Woodland Condition Assessment (WCA) app to to support monitoring by land owners and managers. We provide a brief summary below. To use the new WCA app and download it (free) visit: https://woodlandcondition.sylva.org.uk
Assessing Woodland Ecological Condition
- The ecological condition of woodlands reflects biodiversity, tree health, and ecosystem services.
- Healthy woodlands provide benefits like improved air quality, carbon storage, and recreational value.
- Pressures on woodlands include pollution, climate change, and invasive species, impacting their ecological condition.
- Methodologies for assessing woodland condition have been developed to meet national and local needs.
Role of Surrogate Measures
- Surrogate measures assess woodland biodiversity and ecological functioning, as complete measurement is not feasible.
- Indicators include woodland size, composition, structure, and tree health, which are scored and aggregated into a composite index.
- Heterogeneous environments support greater biodiversity, while certain plant species indicate woodland condition.
- Surrounding land use impacts woodland condition, with favourable adjacent habitats enhancing ecological health.
Woodland Condition Survey Methodologies
- The UK government monitors biodiversity under international agreements, using Common Standards Monitoring for protected sites.
- The National Forest Inventory (NFI) assesses woodland condition across Great Britain, using 15 surrogate measures every five years.
- The Woodland Ecological Condition (WEC) score categories woodlands as favourable, intermediate, or unfavourable based on these measures.
Individual Woodland Scale
- Woodland managers aim to improve ecological condition for better ecosystem service delivery.
- The Woodland Condition Assessment (WCA) method focuses on surrogate measures that can be improved through management.
- WCA requires basic knowledge of native species and uses a scoring system similar to NFI.
- The WCA App was launched to facilitate assessments and improve user experience.
WCA Assessments by Developers
- Developers must demonstrate a 10% Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) through baseline assessments before and after development.
- The WCA method is used for BNG assessments, focusing on 13 surrogate measures of ecological condition.
- This approach helps identify areas for improvement and monitor progress toward enhanced woodland conditions.
Future Directions
- Many woodland owners lack UKFS-compliant management plans, but prioritise biodiversity and ecosystem service provision.
- The WEC and WCA methodologies aim to drive sustainable woodland management through accessible assessments.
- Ongoing research seeks to refine WCA tools and explore their application to other habitats.
The Quarterly Journal of Forestry is published by the Royal Forestry Society and is free to members.
