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Themes: Ecosystem services

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151 Search Results

  • Publications
    Forestry publication document

    Delivery of ecosystem services by urban forests
    Lead Author: Helen Davies
    This Research Report looks at a broad range of urban forest-based ecosystem services and disservices and, using a literature review, links their provision with four aspects of urban forests (physical scale, physical structure and context in terms of location and proximity to people and land use and ownership). A key objective of this report is […]
  • Publications
    Forestry publication document

    The implications of upland conifer management for breeding birds
    Lead Author: John Calladine
    Stand structure is an important determinant of habitat quality for forest biodiversity and is influenced by management. In conifer plantations, the varied structure created within a stand by continuous cover forestry (CCF) systems has been expected to be better for woodland birds than the range of discrete stand structures created through rotations of clearfelling and […]
  • Publications
    Forestry publication document

    Understanding the provision of conifer seed for woodland species
    Lead Author: Alice Broome
    Conifer seed provides an important food resource for many woodland mammals, birds and insects, including some of Britain’s rarest species. This Research Note brings together information from a number of sources on cone and seed production by the main conifers planted in Britain. This information can help managers assess the seed resources of their woodlands […]
  • Publications
    Forestry publication document

    Biodiversity and rotation length: economic models and ecological evidence
    Lead Author: N. Barsoum
    This Research Note presents the findings of a study which examined how biodiversity changes with stand age, with a view to incorporating it into optimal forest rotation length modelling. The study reviewed relevant literature and analysed Forestry Commission Biodiversity Assessment Project data. The review revealed no simple or universal response of biodiversity to stand age. […]
  • Publications
    Forestry publication document

    Ecosystem services and forest management
    Lead Author: Louise Sing
    The ecosystem services concept helps describe the benefits which humans receive from nature and natural processes in a way that can influence policy and management decision making. The ability of trees, woodlands and forests to provide a wide range of ecosystem services is very much dependent on where they are located and how they are […]
  • Publications
    Forestry publication document

    Deciding future management options for afforested deep peatland
    Lead Author: Forestry Commission (Scotland)
    This guide will help forest managers and agents in Scotland decide the best future management option for afforested deep peat sites (defined here as soils with a peat layer of 50 cm or more). It explains the principles and assessment methods of the ‘Forestry on peatland habitats’ supplementary guidance that Forestry Commission Scotland published in […]
  • Publications
    Forestry publication document

    Managing open habitats in upland forests
    Lead Author: Forestry Commission
    The proportion of open space in many forests and woodlands is increasing as forest management plans are implemented and forests are restructured. Landowners and forest managers are increasingly being encouraged to manage this ground for biodiversity objectives but in some situations the management of open ground may be more complex and challenging than the management […]
  • Publications
    Forestry publication document

    Managing forests in acid sensitive water catchments
    Lead Author: Forestry Commission
    Atmospheric pollution in the form of acid deposition has been dramatically reduced since international controls on emissions were introduced in the 1980s. However, acidification still affects acid-sensitive regions of the UK, damaging fisheries and causing adverse ecological changes in freshwaters. Forestry is known to influence the degree of acidification, principally due to the ability of […]
  • Publications
    Forestry publication document

    Planning for brownfield land regeneration to woodland and wider green infrastructure
    Lead Author: Gail Atkinson
    The regeneration of brownfield land to green space can deliver multiple benefits to society and the environment through improvements in the quality of a site and its surrounding landscape. Successful delivery of regeneration projects is dependent on the planning of project delivery and on good project management. This Practice Note describes the process of brownfield […]
  • Publications
    Forestry publication document

    Scotland’s Native Woodlands: Results from the Native Woodland Survey of Scotland
    Lead Author: Forestry Commission Scotland
    The Native Woodland Survey of Scotland (NWSS), carried out between 2006 and 2013 has provided the first authoritative picture of Scotland’s native woodlands. It used field survey to identify the location, type, extent, composition and condition of all native and nearly native woods, as well as woods planted on ancient woodland sites (PAWS). This report […]
  • Publications
    Forestry publication document

    Insights from behavioural economics for ecosystem services valuation and sustainability
    Lead Author: Darren Moseley
    Ecosystem services refer to the benefits or outputs that people derive from ecosystems. Following the publication of the UK National Ecosystem Assessment there has been a growing interest in assessing the flows of such services and valuing the contribution they make to human well-being. This Research Report draws upon recent evidence (years 2001 to 2012) […]
  • Publications
    Forestry publication document

    Expanding woodlands in Special Protection Areas for golden eagles
    Lead Author: Paul Haworth
    Golden eagles are primarily birds of open mountain country but they can use open woodland habitats and may benefit from prey species which use woodlands. In 2010 a suite of six new Special Protection Areas (SPAs) covering 360,000 ha were designated by the Scottish Government for the conservation of golden eagles, adding to the existing […]
  • Publications
    Forestry publication document

    Species preference of small mammals for direct-sown tree and shrub seeds
    Lead Author: Matt Parratt
    Direct seeding can be a useful method for creating new woodland on former agricultural sites. However, the success of the technique is variable when it is used to restore conifer plantation sites to native species. Seed predation by small mammals, particularly the wood mouse, has been identified as a factor potentially limiting success. Small mammals […]
  • Publications
    Forestry publication document

    Modelling ecological networks and dispersal in grey squirrels
    Lead Author: Claire Stevenson
    Understanding the role of the landscape matrix in species dispersal is important when targeting conservation and management strategies. This Research Note shows how least-cost modelling was used to assess invasive grey squirrel Sciurus carolinensis dispersal movements within the UK, with a focus on the county of Cumbria. Two major networks were identified separated by the […]
  • Publications

    Biosecurity – good working practice for those involved in forestry
    Lead Author: Forestry Commission
    The Forestry Commission has produced guidance on biosecurity measures and good working practice for the forestry sector. This guidance is for anyone who works for, or carries out official duties on behalf of, the Forestry Commission. The booklet details practical steps designed to minimise the risk of introducing or spreading pests and diseases. It includes […]
  • Publications
    Forestry publication document

    Recreational use of forests and disturbance of wildlife
    Lead Author: Mariella Marzano
    Forests are popular places for recreation, but some activities can have negative impacts on wildlife. Land managers have to balance delivery of the social and economic benefits derived from outdoor recreation with nature conservation objectives. This literature review provides an overview of potential disturbance issues and a guide to the evidence on impacts from walking, […]
  • Publications
    Forestry publication document

    Managing deadwood in forests and woodlands
    Lead Author: Jonathan W Humphrey
    Deadwood is a vital component of a properly functioning forest ecosystem. It plays an important role in sustaining biodiversity and in delivering ecosystem services such as soil formation and nutrient cycling. In the UK up to a fifth of woodland species depend on dead or dying trees for all or part of their life cycle […]
  • Publications
    Forestry publication document

    Achieving diversity in Scotland’s forest landscapes
    Lead Author: Forestry Commission (Scotland)
    Diversity in forests is essential to conserve biodiversity and expand habitats, and to contribute towards enhancing landscape quality and recreation opportunities. In addition, introducing species and age diversity throughout a forest can increase their resilience to pests, diseases and fire, and extend economic opportunities. This Practice Guide offers advice and ideas from which a forest […]