myForest • wsr

Woodland Star Rating is a self-assessment scheme based on the UK Forestry Standard* (UKFS).

The scheme aims to make more people aware of the UKFS, encourage sustainable forest management in all woodlands, and promote greater understanding of good woodland stewardship among the general public. We hope it acts as a stepping stone to the production of a UKFS-compliant management plan, and for those owners with an existing plan, that it helps them communicate the standard of their stewardship to others.

* The UKFS sets out requirements and guidelines for good woodland stewardship.

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You will be able to complete a Star Rating but not save it or print the certificate.

If you have an account please log in before completing your Star Rating.

If you don't have an account, you can register here.

What is the Woodland Star Rating scheme?

Woodland Star Rating is a self-assessment scheme designed to help people understand the best approach to woodland management. The scheme is based on the UK Forestry Standard (UKFS)¹.

We hope the Woodland Star Rating scheme will:

help more people engage with UKFS
encourage sustainable forest management in woodlands across the country
promote a greater understanding of what good woodland stewardship means amongst the general public

Why has the Woodland Star Rating been created?

The scheme uses a light-touch approach that enables woodland owners to get a feel for what the UKFS means for the stewardship of their woodland. The Woodland Star Rating encourages woodland owners to advance their own stewardship standards and provides a step-by–step basis for moving towards a woodland management plan.

Good woodland stewardship & Ecosystem Services

The Woodland Star Rating scheme provides a measurable indicator of the standard of woodland management being practiced, and how this relates to the ecosystem services that a woodland provides.

Using the Woodland Star Rating scheme

Create a woodland owner account on myForest.
Start mapping your woodland with the GIS tools that myForest provides.
Click on the "star rating" tab on your account home page.
Detail what you are doing in your woodland by answering the questions.
Submit your assessment and download your certificate.

The Woodland Star Rating score

The questions were developed following a review of scientific evidence, and are based directly on the UKFS. Each question is matched to ecosystem services (e.g. carbon storage, habitat provision, flood alleviation, products and other public benefits) that each of the specified management actions are deemed to enhance. A complex scoring system was developed that took all these factors into account and is now presented with a user-friendly interface on myForest.

Woodland Star Rating is part of the Good Woods Project

The scheme has been developed by the Sylva Foundation as part of the B&Q Good Woods project, with the support of BioRegional, Lantern and others in the forestry sector.