We are delighted to announce a collaboration between Sylva Foundation and the Forestry Commission to support woodland creation across England. From today, myForest will provide access to more information about the historic environment which will enable users to consider historic environment data at an early stage when developing their plans.
Designing a new woodland can be a complex process. Even small woodland creation projects need to consider multiple aspects, including soil, landscape, climate change and biodiversity. Whilst it can be difficult to assess and understand historic features, especially those that are hidden or buried, the UK Forestry Standard does require these heritage assets to be identified and protected.
The challenge when designing a new woodland has often been the difficulty in accessing the information on the historic environment. Data is held in multiple places; some at a national level and some at a local level. Landowners and managers working on woodland designs can now use myForest to access a range of key historic environment datasets. As well as mapping that shows the extent of historic features, attribute data and links to the individual online records relating to many heritage assets can also be viewed, all from one place directly in the myForest mapping interface.
Newly available data layers include designated heritage assets, such as Scheduled Monuments and Registered Battlefields. Crucially, these features can also now be buffered, enabling users to ensure their woodland creation plans comply with the latest guidelines in the UK Forestry Standard. Powerful additional functionality has been added which will provide access to locally held historic environment data – SHINE (Selected Heritage Inventory for Natural England) which covers non-designated heritage assets for land management. Thanks to an agreement between the Forestry Commission and the Association of Local Government Archaeological Officers, myForest is now able to provide access to SHINE data from 26 Local Historic Environment Services which covers almost 40% of land in England. It is hoped that more SHINE data will be available in the coming years.
Woodland Creation Full Sensitivity Map showing interaction with Registered Parks and Gardens and buffered Scheduled Monuments data layers
Finally, myForest now display’s the Woodland Creation Full Sensitivity Map (v4.0). This allows myForest users to see how land has been classified to support woodland creation, taking into account a wide range of constraints. Importantly, this can be used to support the EWCO Fast Track process.
Combined with the existing woodland creation and management mapping and planning tools, the new data layers will allow users in England to take into consideration a wide range of historic environment data at an early stage when developing their plans. Ultimately this will save time and result in more robust plans.
Andrew Clark, Head of Forestry at Sylva Foundation, commented:
”This is an exciting development for myForest. We hope these new historic environment data layers, together with the updated mapping interface, will enable users to design new woodlands (and indeed manage existing ones) taking proper account of the historic environment, improving outcomes and reducing delays.”
Tom Sunley, National Historic Environment Datasets Project Manager at Forestry Commission, said:
“It is great to have a wealth of information on such a wide range of historic environment sites and features all available in one place. Whilst the historic environment datasets in myForest don’t negate the need for applicants to contact their local historic environment services, using them is an excellent first step to consider this aspect at the earliest stages when planning for a successful scheme.”
More Information
To speak with a member of the project team, please contact Sylva Foundation:
01865 408018 or info@sylva.org.uk
myForest is a mapping and data solution provided by Sylva Foundation, designed by foresters for foresters. It provides access to mapping backgrounds, data layers, drawing tools, data storage and unique reporting linked to regulation and incentives. Its user base includes private woodland owners, community groups, and forestry professionals who have mapped more than 210,000ha of woodland across the UK. myforest.sylva.org.uk
Sylva Foundation is an environmental charity focussing on trees and woodland. It uses its forestry knowledge and information technology skills to provide innovative solutions to some of the greatest environmental challenges facing modern society. As well as myForest, in collaboration with partners it has also developed tools such as the Woodland Wildlife Toolkit, the Woodland Condition Assessment app and land-based matchmaking platform NatureBid, which has supported the delivery of more than £35M of environmental funding in the last seven years. From its base in south Oxfordshire, Sylva Foundation runs a Wood Centre and Wood School supporting training and promoting the use of home-grown timber. www.sylva.org.uk
