Forest Research is looking for people who may be involved in planning decisions relating to existing woodlands in England to take part in a survey about the language used to describe old woodland.
This survey is aimed at four groups:
- Private woodland owners (i.e. people who own or lease woodland which includes woodland believed to be at least 100 years old)
- Grassroots woodland supporters (i.e. people who hold a voluntary role supporting local woodland, for example, a member of a ‘friends of’ group, or community initiative)
- Environmental advisors involved in planning decisions (i.e. those with some experience in planning-related projects involving existing woodland)
- Local authority planning professionals (i.e. those with some experience in planning-related projects involving existing woodland)
The survey takes just five to ten minutes.
By taking part, you’ll help us to understand how terms such as ‘ancient woodland’, ‘long-established woodland’, and ‘irreplaceable habitat’ are interpreted. We’ll compare our findings from the four groups to highlight where interpretations align or differ. This will help us to explore how woodland-related terms are understood and used in planning contexts in England.
The project is funded by Defra and Natural England.

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