headsofthevalleyswoodlandplanexecutivesummary2010a

The Heads of the Valleys Woodland Plan

Bringing jobs, investment, biodiversity, health and well-being to the Heads of the Valleys

Site Boundary

Topography

Base Mapping

Soil Survey

Broadleaved Woodland Core and Focal Network

Ecological Surveys

Indices of multiple deprivation

Access to Natural Greenspace

GIS DATA - The Layered Approach

Economy Enjoyment Nature

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CONTENTS

1 INTRODUCTION 1 The Woodland Plan concept: a Forest for the Valleys............................................................ 2

The Heads of the Valleys Region.......................................................................................... 3

Structure of the report ....................................................................................................... 3

2 DEFINING THE CONTEXT FOR THE HEADS OF THE VALLEYS WOODLAND PLAN 5 Contributions to policies and programmes ........................................................................... 5

Key Issues and Challenges for the woodland plan .................................................................. 5

3 SUMMARY METHODOLOGY 7 The role of the project team and advisory group .................................................................. 7

Analysis and Project Development ....................................................................................... 7

Reporting........................................................................................................................... 9

Implementation .................................................................................................................. 9

4 THE REGIONAL PRIORITY PROJECTS 11 Project Summaries............................................................................................................ 11

Implementing the projects ................................................................................................. 11

5 OPPORTUNITIES OUTSIDE THE PRIORITY SITES 19 Establishment of new woodland ......................................................................................... 19

Provision of woodfuel ....................................................................................................... 22

The contribution of trees in urban areas ............................................................................ 22

6 USING THE DATABASE TO INFORM FUTURE DECISION MAKING 24

APPENDIX 1: Policy Context

APPENDIX 2: Research Methodology

APPENDIX 3: Priority Project Specifications

APPENDIX 4: Summary of Priority Projects by Unitary Authority

APPENDIX 5: Cost Plan

APPENDIX 6: Woodfuel potential and opportunities in the Heads of the Valleys Region

APPENDIX 7: Urban Woodlands and Trees in the Heads of the Valleys Region

Heads of the Valleys Woodland Plan 1

1 Introduction

1.1 In February 2008 the Deputy First Minister presented managers of woodlands in the Heads of the Valleys with a clear challenge:

‘Existing and potential woodlands provide a valuable backdrop to any ‘Heads of the Valleys’ growth zone concept, through improving environmental quality and offering opportunities for community and local economic development. The Government owns a large area of public forest estate in the area. In addition, there is a substantial derelict land resource in the area which could be targeted for environmental improvement, in part through woodland expansion. We have already committed in One Wales to enhance our native woodlands and develop the concept of a Welsh National Forest. I now invite the Forestry Commission and all other interested parties to develop this concept further to include a “Forest for the Valleys”, which could: • Improve health and wellbeing of the local people – through development of recreational

opportunities but also through improving the landscape generally to address self esteem and mental well being;

• Act as an improved visitor destination to attract inward investment into tourism; • Provide a generally more attractive environment to work and live which will attract inward

investment and skills and which addresses the current net outward migration’ Statement by Ieuan Wyn Jones, Deputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy and Transport, at the Institute of Welsh Affairs Conference on 7 February 2008

1.2 For Forestry Commission Wales (FCW) and our partners this posed a fundamental question: “How can Woodlands in the HOV area contribute to the regeneration process?”

1.3 We believe that this Woodland Plan is the best way forward. For the first time we’ve come together as a partnership group (FCW, Countryside Council for Wales, Local Authorities, Coed Cymru, HOV Partnership, Valleys Regional Park, Environment Agency Wales, Third Sector groups, and private sector organisations) to agree priorities on a regional scale – identifying tangible projects that we know will draw out the multiple benefits that woodlands can deliver. This plan will allow us to create the ‘multifunctional’ woodlands that the regeneration process needs – woodlands delivering across the spectrum of potential ‘ecosystems services’.1

1.4 This plan represents a new way of partnership working. This is essential in the current climate. We can’t afford to be working in areas where gains are small, or duplicating our efforts across local authority boundaries. This is a plan that allows all the partners to think more regionally and be more reasoned in terms of where we put our time and resources. It uses a rigorous, objective methodology to identify priority projects with the potential to deliver the greatest social, environmental and economic gains.

1.5 By agreeing these priority projects through a consultative, consensus-building process, we have set aside local bias and are now in a position as partners to focus and pool our resources to create exponentially greater gains by ensuring that they align. Local community groups have not yet been part of this high level process – their involvement will, however, be an essential element of any delivery plan. Further extensive partnership building and consultation will be a pre-requisite.

1 Ecosystem services are the goods and services that the natural environment can provide to people. They include food and building materials, sources of energy, plentiful supplies of clean air and water, wildlife and space for health and recreation.


1.6 This summary report sets out how the partnership has been formed, and the process through which the HoV Regional Woodland Plan has been developed.

1.7 With the increasing need for evidence based decision making, we hope that the lessons learnt, and processes being developed in the HOV area could play a role in helping woodlands play a greater regeneration role across all of Wales’ Strategic Regeneration areas.

THE WOODLAND PLAN CONCEPT: A FOREST FOR THE VALLEYS 1.8 This Plan seeks to re-integrate trees and woodlands into the landscape and lives of

residents and visitors to the Heads of the Valleys Region. The many benefits that this Plan brings in terms of provisioning, regulating, cultural and supporting services will help to ensure that the concept of a ‘Forest for the Valleys’ can be delivered.

1.9 The study considers five key areas to enable delivery of a wide range of ecological, socio-economic and landscape benefits:

• Prioritising potential enhancements to existing woodland focusing on improvements to access.

• Prioritising potential areas for new tree and woodland planting in rural areas. • Potential areas for new tree and woodland planting in urban areas, and the

contribution of urban trees in the HOV area. • The potential volume and quality of wood fuel production in the Heads of the

Valleys area; sites for potential activities in the Heads of the Valleys area including woodland based activities and tourist attractions, countryside skills training and community enterprises.

1.10 The Woodland Plan has been developed using a comprehensive GIS linked database which identifies existing and potential woodland sites throughout the region. The database contains many layers of information relating to the environmental, socio-economic and community aspects, and landscape and heritage features within the region. In order to identify priority areas, these layers of information have been analysed and each existing or potential woodland site scored to ensure that any priorities identified in the plan achieve multi-functional benefits.


THE HEADS OF THE VALLEYS REGION

This section sets out the social and landscape context for the Woodland Plan.

1.11 The Heads of the Valleys region, which extends across the northern portions of Rhondda Cynon Taff, Merthyr Tydfil, Caerphilly, Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen Authorities (Figure 1.1), is home to 21% of Wales’ population. It is an area that faces significant challenges and opportunities arising from its industrial past, the social and economic characteristics of its communities and its distinctive natural environment.

1.12 The communities and the landscape in which they sit, have been shaped by the history of industrial development, particularly coal and iron ore mining, from the late 18th century onwards. The major towns, including Hirwaun, Aberdare, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhymney, Tredegar, Ebbw Vale, Brynmawr and Blaenavon are located in the valleys set into the millstone grit plateau which extends south from the Brecon Beacons. The plateaus and ridges in the north of the region are predominantly open grassland and heather moorland, giving way to a mosaic of small pastoral fields bound by stone walls to the south.

1.13 Despite the industrial transformation of the landscape that has taken place, woodlands are a key component. Surviving areas of ancient semi-natural woodland on many of the steeper valley sides have been augmented by large-scale planting of commercial forestry in the early to mid 20th century to provide pit props, and then by broadleaved planting and natural regeneration in the late 20th century. The Heads of the Valleys region falls within FCW's Coed y Cymoedd Forest District which includes 30,000 hectares of woodland across South Wales. The Assembly Woodlands Estate in this area forms the largest urban forest in Europe.

1.14 The environmental and cultural character of the region is recognised and celebrated through a range of designations including the Blaenavon World Heritage Site, Brecon Beacons National Park, Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) in Caerphilly and Rhondda Cynon Taf and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) in Merthyr Tydfil, Caerphilly, Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen.

1.15 Despite the natural and historical assets of the area, the image of the Heads of the Valleys region is still overshadowed by its industrial legacy. Powerful social networks exist and there is a strong sense of culture and identity. However the area faces many issues including a declining population, low educational attainment, a lack of jobs and opportunities, a high incidence of long term health problems, areas of deprivation, areas of limited transport/ telecommunication and lack of investment in maintenance and management of key natural and historic assets.

STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT 1.16 The remainder of this report is split into five sections. Section 2 defines the context for

this plan and explains how it can contribute to national and regional policies and programmes. Section 3 describes how a wide range of different sources of evidence have been used to select the sites and priority projects covered in the Plan. Section 4 summarises the 13 priority projects and Section 5 describes other more generic actions that can be pursued outside these sites. Finally, Section 6 explains how the database created for the Plan can be used to inform future decision making.

1.17 A series of five Appendices provide more detail on each of these topics.

Heads of the Valley WoodlandPlan

File: S:\4700\4740 HoV woodlands\GIS\Themes\ArcGIS9\Report_maps\4740-01_057_Location_Context.mxd

Powys

Sir Fynwy - Monmouthshire

Caerffili - Caerphilly

Casnewydd - Newport

Rhondda, Cynon, Taf - Rhondda, Cynon, Taff

Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr - Bridgend

Tor-faen - Torfaen

Merthyr Tudful - Merthyr Tydfil

Blaenau Gwent - Blaenau Gwent

Figure 1.1: Heads of the Valley Region

Key

HoV boundary

Unitary authority boundaries

Brecon Beacons National Park

Reproduced from Ordnance Survey information with the permission of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office, Crown Copyright, Land Use Consultants, Licence Number 100019265

/ 0 3 6 Km

Date: 21/04/2010Revision:


2 Defining the context for the Heads of the Valleys Woodland Plan

This section provides a brief overview of the ways in which the Plan can contribute to national and regional policies and programmes, and to key issues and challenges facing the region.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES 2.1 The Heads of the Valleys Programme, which runs from 2005 to 2020, provides the

main policy context to this Plan. As noted in more detail in Appendix 1, this Programme aims to tackle the root causes of economic inactivity in the region through a broad range of interventions, with an attractive and well-used natural, historic and built environment at its core. The Programme is being delivered by a Partnership of the five local authorities, the Assembly Government and its agencies including the Forestry Commission Wales (FCW). FCW has recently appointed a Project Officer to ensure that the considerable potential of woodlands and trees in delivery of the overall strategy is realised.

2.2 Allied to the HoV Partnership is the work of the Valleys Regional Partnership (a grouping of Unitary Authorities, FCW, CCW, EAW, Coed Cymru and third sector organisations) which is taking a co-ordinated approach to planning and delivery of environment, heritage and tourism services across the former South Wales Coalfields, in which the HoV region falls.

2.3 The Woodland Plan is well placed to deliver many of the Assembly Government key objectives, such as those set out in the Woodlands for Wales strategy and Social Enterprise Strategy for Wales. These include responding to climate change by providing renewable energy, reducing emissions of greenhouse gases and sequestering carbon; promoting the health and well-being benefits of woodland and trees through access to natural green space and improving environmental quality; and providing sustainable employment and skills through the establishment and management woodland.

2.4 Finally, the integrated way in which this Plan seeks to deliver a wide range of public benefits closely reflects the ecosystem services approach that is increasingly being used by the Assembly Government and its agencies. The approach describes the different goods and services that the natural environment can provide to people. Many of these are highly relevant to woodland and forestry, including the provision of timber and woodfuel, the storage of organic carbon in vegetation and soils, the regulation of water quality and quantity (including mitigation of flooding), the conservation of biodiversity and landscape quality, contributions to people’s knowledge and skills and recreational access for healthy lifestyles. The summaries of priority projects contained in Section 4 indicates how each project can potentially deliver a range of different ecosystem services. More detail is provided in Appendix 3 where the priority projects are discussed in more depth.

KEY ISSUES AND CHALLENGES FOR THE WOODLAND PLAN 2.5 The natural characteristics, evolution and use of the Heads of the Valleys landscape results

in the landscape and unique set of issues and challenges faced by the region today. Those of relevance to the development of the Woodland Plan are summarised below along with approaches or ‘guiding principles’ to addressing these issues through the preparation of the Woodland Plan, both in terms of process and outcomes.


The challenges The ways in which the Woodland Plan can address these challenges Low quality of jobs, small number of job opportunities and high levels of unemployment

Consider training and job creation opportunities, particularly at the implementation stage of the priority projects

Declining population Seek to create high quality local facilities

High levels of economic inactivity Provide opportunities for learning and training in an alternative outdoor environment (also see point below)

Low educational attainment and skills levels Provide opportunities for woodland and countryside skills training

A high incidence of long term health problems

Provide engaging and accessible opportunities for outdoor recreation close to local communities

Limited transport and telecoms. links in some areas Make best use of existing sustainable transport links and routes

Anti-social behaviour Ensure that the design, planning and management of projects involves a wide cross section of the local community

Poor access to/around some sites Focus on access enhancement in priority projects where required to ensure the widest possible audience can visit and experience woodlands

Many people in the Heads of the Valleys region do not use the countryside on their doorstep

Provide engaging and accessible opportunities for outdoor recreation close to local communities and carry out marketing and promotion

Soci

o-ec

onom

ic c

halle

nges

In many cases expectations from local communities are very low

Involve communities in design development and show examples of ‘exemplar projects’ to provide a bench mark.

Quality and condition of the landscape character

Conserve and enhance the characteristic landscape features and avoid new planting in areas which could detract from visual quality e.g. areas with ancient hedgerow or stone wall field patterns.

Poor image due to industrial decline, industrial estates, inconsistent management, fly tipping and litter

Seek to enhance the visual appearance of current and former industrial land by integrating tree and woodland planting throughout such areas

Re-engage with community members to ensure involvement in management and long-term aftercare

Focus on former industrial land to explore opportunities for new planting where the sites do not have their own evolved ecological values

Poor maintenance and management of key natural and historic assets.

Prioritise sites where maximum benefits can be delivered and highlight need for action.

An unfavourable image Select a small number of priority projects, market and implement them, and celebrate them with local communities and beyond.

A465 is a physical barrier which severs communities and habitats Assess opportunities for re-joining communities and habitats.

Off-roading is a major activity on open hillsides and tops

As it will take time to fully resolve and manage this issue ensure that the database can be used to inform future decision making

Ensure that priority projects take safety and security into consideration by excluding vehicles where they are not compatible with the new uses

Sensitivity of the historic environment

Map and negatively score all designated historic sites when considering potential new woodland sites

Ensure that relevant surveys are completed during project design and development

Range and variable quality of facilities

Ensure that project proposals are relevant to their local context and make cost allowances for an appropriate standard of materials, craftsmanship and finish.

Nat

ural

her

itag

e ch

alle

nges

Varied approach to provision of visitor information including signage and interpretation material

Consider access, orientation and interpretation for all priority projects

Ensure that design development considers any work carried out by the VRP on signage, gateways, branding and marketing


3 Summary Methodology

This section sets out the overall approach to the study. Detailed methodological notes, allowing each stage of the study to be re-produced, are contained in Appendix 2.

3.1 From the outset, the intention has been to create a process that delivers benefits not only in the HOV region, but is capable of being replicated elsewhere in Wales. A second over-riding principle has been that an inclusive approach is essential. The Plan can only be delivered if all partners have wholeheartedly signed up to the methodology and outcomes.

THE ROLE OF THE PROJECT TEAM AND ADVISORY GROUP 3.2 A core project team was assembled to deliver the project. The team included key staff

from Forestry Commission Wales, Countryside Council for Wales, the Welsh Assembly Government and consultancy staff from Land Use Consultants. This team developed the methodology and carried out the work described in this report.

3.3 A project advisory group was convened to support the core project team and the development of the plan. The advisory group is a critical part of the process as it brings together:

• expertise from the Valleys Partnership • Representatives of the five Unitary Authorities in the HoV area, including woodland

officers and landscape architects • Regional third sector organisations such as BTCV and Groundwork Merthyr

Rhondda Cynon Taf • additional expertise from Forestry Commission Wales

3.4 The advisory group has been instrumental in providing local knowledge to support the core project team throughout the project. Consultation with the advisory group was carried out throughout the project, and at 5 key stages as shown in Figure 3.1.

ANALYSIS AND PROJECT DEVELOPMENT 3.5 A review of relevant policy and existing initiatives was carried out to understand the

project context, establish guiding principles and fine tune the methodology. 3.6 GIS information on the location and extent of existing woodland and sites that may have

potential for new woodland planting throughout the study area was sourced and collated. In total, 384 existing woodland sites, totalling 12,182 ha and 199 potential new woodland sites, totalling 4,584 ha were found.

3.7 The subsequent GIS analysis (Figure 3.1) was split into two parts, Stage A – an analysis of the study area itself, and Stage B – a further analysis of the sites in the database. The Stage A outputs were a series of coloured grids, which could be used to guide priorities within the study area as a whole. Stage B output provided a detailed site appraisal, including scored indicators, of all sites in the database. The scored indicators, together with consultation responses, were used to develop the final project shortlist. The use of the scored indicators enables considerable flexibility in the future use of the database and allows the contribution that each site could make to the delivery of key ecosystem services to be identified.

3.8 Following site visits to ground truth the data, and further consultation with Unitary Authority Officers, the regional priority projects, which are presented in Section 4 of


this report, were established. It is important to recognise that these regional priority projects were those that scored highest and had significant genuine potential based on consultation. However, these projects represent a small handful of those which could be developed in the region; the top 50 sites region wide have been identified in the project database, and the top 10 sites for each local authority similarly drawn out (for both existing and potential new woodland). The approach taken allows for these sites to be considered at a later stage, and the aspiration is that the significant potential identified throughout this project is realised into the future.

3.9 The outline project proposals summarised in Section 4 of this report, and covered in more detail in Appendix 3, set out the aspirations for the regional priority projects. The distribution of these sites is shown in Figure 4.1.

Figure 3.1: Multiple layers of mapped information used during the GIS analysis


REPORTING 3.10 The specific reporting outputs produced with this Woodland Plan are:

• Regional priorities for existing and potential new woodlands (see Section 4) • Priorities for existing and potential new woodlands by Unitary Authority (covered

in Appendix 4). • All potential new woodland sites across the region (see Section 5)

IMPLEMENTATION 3.11 Project partners will work together to identify and develop effective delivery mechanisms

and resources.

Project development and on-site work 3.12 This Plan has developed a shortlist of priorities and outlined potential scope of projects.

The process that needs to be followed in order to deliver the projects is outlined in Section 4.

Figure 3.2: Schematic diagram summarising the methodological steps

Inception • Identification

of existing woodland

• Identification of potential woodland establishment sites

• Consultation with the Advisory Group

Analysis and project development • Review of policy drivers

and existing initiatives and assessment of issues

• Stage A analysis of sites • Consultation with

Advisory Group members

• Stage B analysis of sites • Consultation with

Advisory Group members

• Shortlisting of priority projects

• Consultation with key Unitary Authority contacts

• Site visits to priority

Reporting • Regional priorities for

existing woodlands • Regional priorities for

potential woodlands • Priorities for existing

woodlands by Unitary Authority

• Priorities for potential woodlands by Unitary Authority

• All potential new woodland sites across the Region

• Consultation with the Advisory Group

Implementation • Launch of the Plan • Delivery

mechanisms and resources devised

• Development of individual project plans and on-site work


4 The Regional Priority Projects

This Section outlines the scope, budget and benefits of each priority project and sets out considerations for their implementation and long term management. A detailed schedule of works and cost plan is provided at Appendix 5.

PROJECT SUMMARIES 4.1 A total of seven priority projects for existing woodlands and six priority projects for

potential new woodlands have been identified. The distribution of these projects throughout the region is shown in Figure 4.1. An outline for each project is provided on the project information sheets which follow along with site details, maps and approximate budget costs. The benefits of each project are summarised at the end of each sheet.

4.2 Each priority project has a strategic vision and potential impact well beyond the woodland edge. These blocks of land fit into a wider context: the Cwm Saerbren project in Treherbert is intergral to the development of a complete woodland amenity for the upper Rhondda Fawr; Llanwonno woodland park is the underused greenspace that connects and could be exploited by a number of key communities and projects; Gethin woodland will act as one of the hub sites within the new Cycling Centre of Excellence; and the woodlands in the Abertillery and Cwmtillery valleys are spokes for exploration running off the Ebbw Fach Trail.

4.3 It should be remembered that these priority projects are the tip of the iceberg. This plan identifies a further 50 regional projects sitting below these waiting to be developed in more detail - enabling this plan to have real depth and meaning. The detail included in the information sheets for each of the priority projects is entirely provisional and will of course require extensive further local consultation.

IMPLEMENTING THE PROJECTS 4.4 Before any of the priority projects can be implemented a number of planning stages must

be followed:

Project teams and community engagement 4.5 Local and inclusive project teams should be established to develop each of the priority

projects. The potential project lead and partners have been identified on the project information sheets and the outline budget costs have allowed for the inclusion of a professional design team to assist in project development and deliver. It is likely that the professional design team would include a Landscape Architect, an Ecologist, a Quantity Surveyor, A CDM Coordinator and Engineers where project scope requires it.

4.6 It will be essential that community representatives are an integral part of the design team from the outset and involved in every stage of project consultation, design development and implementation.

4.7 The project team will need to work through the following stages:

Site surveys and feasibility study 4.8 Site surveys of each of the priority sites will be required to inform a feasibility study. Some

or all of the following surveys may be necessary:


• Phase 1 habitat survey to ascertain the ecological values of the site. This survey may highlight a need for additional species specific surveys to ensure that any existing values are not compromised and that any proposals ensure that habitat values are conserved and/ or enhanced.

• Landscape survey to examine existing landscape values such as views, characteristic features (e.g. stone walls, hedgerows, trees), negative influences on landscape character, existing access/ recreational facilities and site constraints.

• Topographical survey: in some cases an accurate measured survey might be required to inform the design process e.g. when designing paths on steep gradients etc.

4.9 The feasibility study will consider the surveys and present a costed design for the project to a level of detail equivalent to RIBA stage C which could then be consulted on and presented to key project stakeholders for comment and approval.

Detailed design 4.10 On approval of the feasibility study detailed designs would be developed for each project

up to a level of detail equivalent to RIBA stage E. All relevant consents (e.g. planning approval, any relevant consent from CCW/ FCW relating to protected species, and felling licences) would be applied for at this stage.

Implementation stage 4.11 A number of approaches might be available to procure the works including:

1. Invitation to established contractors to tender for each or all of the projects. 2. Work with an organisation already operating in the area (e.g. Groundwork or BTCV)

to enable the project to be delivered by members of the community. 3. Encourage community enterprise companies to tender for the works.

4.12 It is recommended that a combination of options 2 and 3 are used for these projects to deliver maximum socio-economic benefits. The projects will then be built by the community for the community, engendering a sense of pride in the positive changes that would result.

4.13 Project management of the design team would be required for each project and should be provided by the lead stakeholder of each project.

On-going management 4.14 The long term management and maintenance of each project must be considered to ensure

that proposals are truly sustainable. Each project will need to be considered in its own right but several of the outline projects that have been developed for this report will require additional input including the natural play area at site 53 Cwm Saerbren and ongoing management issues at P231 the McLaren site. Both of these sites, and perhaps others, should have community rangers in post to manage and maintain sites and encourage community engagement and use. A number of the other sites would benefit from volunteer rangers, perhaps as part of a training scheme. Many of the sites have the potential to provide woodfuel which will contribute financially to sustaining woodland management whilst delivering other nature conservation, access, landscape and economic benefits.


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53

G66

1

P191

P231

P68

G50

Site 53: CwmSaerbren

Site 1: Gethin Farm /Waunwyllt

Site P191: Dowlais TopReservoirs - Part

Site P231:McLaren Site

Site P68: Land East ofEbbw Vale Steel Works

Site 35: Cwm Farm / PenrhiwgarregSite 50: Cwm-Llwydrew / Six BellsSite 168: Roseheyworth CommunityWoodlandSite 174: Central Park, BlainaSite P56: Jim Owen Pavilion SiteSite P57: Cwmtillery Tip 576Site P237: Cwmtillery Industrial Estate

Group G50: AbertilleryWoodlands Group

Group 66: LlanwonnoWoodlands Park

Figure 4.1: Priority Projects

Key

HoV boundary

Unitary authority boundaries

Priority projects

Existing woodland

Potential new woodland


0 2.5 5 Km


Priority Project Sites

Unitary Authority: Blaenau Gwent

Area (hectares): 26.80

POTENTIAL SERVICE PRIORITIES

Site ID 168 Site Name: Roseheyworth Community Woodland

Group Name: Abertillery Woodlands Group

Group ID (if grouped): G50

Project Lead: Blaenau Gwent Council

Project Partners: Forestry Commission Wales, Cwmtillery Communities First and BTCV

Indicative Costs: £73,000

PROJECT LOCATION

Recreation / Health Biodiversity TimberLandscape Quality

Education / Skills Flood Risk WoodfuelCultural Heritage




Site ID 174 Site Name: Central Park, Blaina




Project Partners: Forestry Commission Wales, Communities First Blaina and BTCV


PROJECT LOCATION



Unitary Authority: Rhondda, Cynon, Taff



Site ID 53 Site Name: Cwm Saerbren

Group Name:

Group ID (if grouped):

Project Lead: Forestry Commission Wales

Project Partners: Network Rail, RCT Council, Cwmni Community First Project, Pen yr Englyn Project, Treherbert Boys Club, BTCV and private land owners.


PROJECT LOCATION



Unitary Authority: Rhondda, Cynon, Taff



Site ID 66 Site Name: Llanwonno Woodlands Park

Group Name: Llanwonno Woodlands Park



Project Partners: RCT Council, BTCV, Groundwork, the Darwonno Centre, Cwmaman Communities First Project, public house at Llanwonno and the Dare Valley Country Park.


PROJECT LOCATION






Site ID P56 Site Name: Jim Owen Pavilion Site




Project Partners: Forestry Commission, the Cwmtillery Lakes Environmental Action Network and BTCV,


PROJECT LOCATION






Site ID P57 Site Name: Cwmtillery Tip 576



Project Lead: The Coal Authority

Project Partners: Forestry Commission Wales, the Cwmtillery Lakes Environmental Action Network, Blaenau Gwent Council, BTCV


PROJECT LOCATION






Site ID P237 Site Name: Cwmtillery Industrial Estate




Project Partners: Blaenau Gwent Council, Cwmtillery Communities First and BTCV


PROJECT LOCATION






Site ID P68 Site Name: Land East of Ebbw Vale Steel Works

Group Name:



Project Partners: FCW

Indicative Costs: TBC

PROJECT LOCATION



Unitary Authority:Merthyr Tydfil



Site ID P191 Site Name: Dowlais Top Reservoirs ‐ Part

Group Name:


Project Lead: Merthyr Tydfill Council

Project Partners: Forestry Commission Wales, Merthyr Anglers, BTCV and Dowlais Community First

Indicative Costs: £1,257,000

PROJECT LOCATION



Unitary Authority: Caerphilly



Site ID P231 Site Name: McLaren Site

Group Name:


Project Lead: Caerphilly

Project Partners: Forestry Commission Wales and BTCV


PROJECT LOCATION




5 Opportunities outside the Priority Sites

5.1 The priority projects described in the previous section represent the tip of the iceberg of opportunities for woodland and trees to enhance the environment, economy and lifestyles in the Region. This Plan highlights three areas where activity outside the priority sites has greatest potential: the establishment of new woodland, the provision of woodfuel and the contribution of trees in urban areas.

ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW WOODLAND 5.2 In addition to the six priority projects having potential for new woodland planting within

the site database (the top ranking of which have been listed above) there may be significant other woodland planting opportunities throughout the region. This is particularly important in the context of Glastir, the new sustainable land management scheme for Wales.

5.3 Part of the targeted element of Glastir is an ambitious tree planting programme, which aims to expand the area of woodland in Wales by 100,000 hectares over the next 20 years2. The Heads of the Valleys region is around 2.5% of the total area of Wales – if the new woodland planting were to be evenly distributed throughout the country (which of course it won’t be) this would mean some 2,545 hectares of new woodland would need to be planted in the region.

5.4 The potential new woodland sites identified in the site database already total 4,584ha, but we recognise that many of these sites, upon further investigation, may be unsuitable for new woodland planting. Based on the Stage B analysis, 39 of the sites, totalling 859ha, have already been excluded, and it is likely that more would be excluded as a result of competing land uses.

5.5 Figure 5.1, in addition to showing the potential new woodland sites established in the database, identifies a much wider area of search for new woodland planting. The two key zones on this map, the core and focal networks for ancient and/or broadleaved woodland, are areas where new woodland planting would strengthen habitat network links, improving ecological connectivity for a range of species. In order to avoid areas where other habitats may be more beneficial, areas where the woodland core and focal networks overlap with other habitat networks have been excluded from the map. This leaves just under 8,500 ha of potential area of search within the HoV Region. In addition to these areas, the priority planting band highlights areas of less than 300m elevation, where new woodland planting could be most beneficial in landscape terms (subject to further investigation).

5.6 To extend the search more widely again, Figure 5.2 shows all areas where woodland planting may potentially be acceptable. This has been done through identifying all land classified under the Agricultural Land Classification as Grade 3, 4 or 5, and excluding from this areas that are already designated for nature conservation purposes whether at local, national or international level. Also excluded from this map are areas which already contain habitats which are inappropriate to convert to woodland, based on the Phase 1 habitat map of Wales. The area of search on this map totals some 15,735 ha.

2 http://wales.gov.uk/topics/environmentcountryside/ecnewsevents/ralatestnews/100318glastirvitaltocc/?lang=en


File: S:\4700\4740 HoV woodlands\GIS\Themes\ArcGIS9\Report_maps\4740-01_056_Potential_Woodland_Planting_A4.mxd

Figure 5.1: Areas of potential newwoodland planting

Key

HoV boundary

Potential new woodland sites

Priority planting band (0-300m)

Potential areas of search

Ancient and / or broadleaved woodlandcore network (excluding areas of overlapwith other habitat network)

Ancient and / or broadleaved woodlandfocal network (excluding areas of overlapwith other habitat network)


/ 0 3 6 Km

Source: CCW



File: S:\4700\4740 HoV woodlands\GIS\Themes\ArcGIS9\Report_maps\4740-01_064_Broad_Search_woodland_planting_A4.mxd

Figure 5.2: Broad area of search fornew woodland planting

Key

HoV boundary

Agricultural land grades 3, 4 and 5, excluding local, national and international nature conservation designations and priority habitats


/ 0 3 6 Km



PROVISION OF WOODFUEL 5.7 The existing areas of woodland in the HoV region represent a major underused source

of energy for the people and businesses in South Wales. As noted earlier, the area contains the largest urban forest in Europe, with a doorstep market of hundreds of thousands of households and businesses. Existing woodland and forestry in the HoV region could provide a sustainable supply of woody material from thinning and selective felling in ways that could enhance the value of the woodlands for other uses (for instance by creating areas of open space for people and biodiversity). New woodland will add to this resource and this could be complemented by woody material from areas planted with short rotation coppice or short rotation forestry (crops specifically dedicated for producing high yields of ‘biomass’).

5.8 The current amount harvested is much smaller than this, being limited mainly to the management of Forestry Commission woodland. Barriers to increasing the amount of woodfuel harvested from the woodlands and forestry include poor access on the steeper slopes, historical lack of management (resulting in higher costs to bring woodland into productive use) and concern from contractors about interference with forestry operations from some local residents, as well as the lack of an established supply chain.

5.9 Market demand for woodfuel is increasing as a result of concern about greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels and their rising price. Woodfuel, and woody biomass more generally, form an important part of the UK and Assembly Governments’ strategies for moving to a low carbon economy. Opportunities exist for supplying traditional woodfuel markets (for instance for domestic firewood supply). But the main growth will take place from the development of new centralised forms of wood heating using efficient self-stoking biomass boilers in large business premises and district heating systems, and from combined heat and power (electricity) generating plants which rely entirely on biomass (such as the new plant at Port Talbot) or use biomass or in conjunction with coal (such as Aberthaw Power Station). Money raised through the letting of woodfuel lots will contribute to a more financially sustainable approach to woodland management by raising income that can be re-invested in improvements and on-going maintenance.

5.10 This topic is covered in further detail in Appendix 6: Woodfuel potential and opportunities in the Heads of the Valleys Region. Activity to stimulate more sustainable use of the woodfuel resource available to the local authorities in the region is being pursued by the South East Wales Energy Partnership (SEWEP).

THE CONTRIBUTION OF TREES IN URBAN AREAS 5.11 Urban trees are highlighted for the first time in the WAG Woodlands for Wales strategy

and are highlighted as a key component in the Valleys Renaissance Plan and the Public Realm Design Guide. There are significant opportunities within the town centre regeneration plans for example, to maintain and plant trees in town centres, housing developments, school and hospital grounds, alongside roads and on industrial estates throughout the Heads of the Valleys region in order to improve the quality of life for its residents. Urban trees have the potential to deliver a multitude of benefits including flood risk alleviation, cooling and shade provision, landscape and biodiversity enhancements, and health benefits amongst many others.

5.12 There are a number of challenges that need to be addressed as part of the process of enhancing and expanding the urban tree resource including establishing responsibility for


maintenance, conflict with CCTV sight lines, fear of subsidence, the need for liaison with utility companies and other statutory undertakers, and lack of knowledge of the existing resource.

5.13 The Heads of the Valleys partnership provides an ideal forum to guide the promotion, enhancement and expansion of the urban tree and woodland resource as it is an existing partnership with relevant officer representation, the organisation is regeneration focussed and it has access to funds. As one of the partners, the Forestry Commission is well placed to contribute by leading and facilitating a Heads of the Valleys Trees and Design Action Group (building on the positive experience gained by the Forestry Commission in implementing the London Tree and Woodland Framework), providing technical advice and funding.

5.14 A meeting of key stakeholders to discuss urban trees in the Heads of the Valleys area was held in November 2009 to provide an opportunity to look at practical examples of how urban trees can make a positive contribution to regeneration and debate a way forward.

5.15 In order to unlock the potential benefits delivered by urban woodland and trees three priority areas for action should be considered:

1. Examine the Trees and Design Action Group model, consider how it might work in Wales and set up the HoV TDAG.

2. Ensure that tree officers or other arboricultural/ landscape professionals are involved in the planning process to advocate the conservation, management and planting of trees.

3. Ensure that funding for town centre improvements is dependent on applicants demonstrating that they have included and/or clearly considered urban woodland and trees.

5.16 This topic is covered in further detail in Appendix 7.


6 Using the Database to inform future decision making

6.1 This project has drawn together a comprehensive GIS linked database of existing woodland and potential woodland sites throughout the Heads of the Valleys region. Considerable work has gone into assessing and describing the sites in the database, and this work is all contained within the database itself. The priority projects outlined in Section 4 of this document are just a small selection of the projects that could be delivered within the region.

6.2 To ensure that maximum use is gained from the database, it needs to become accessible to a wider audience of stakeholders – all of whom have a role to play in the development of these sites.

6.3 The database is currently held in a Microsoft Access / ESRI geodatabase format. To gain best use of the database as it stands it should be administered by one central person/group who could maintain and update the database, and provide read-only information to others (either as PDF reports taken from the database, or as static copies of the database itself). However, to maximise the potential of the database as a valuable information resource, we would recommend that it be converted to a web based GIS database.

6.4 This would enable the database to be viewed by a wide audience without the need for them to have database or GIS expertise. At its most basic this system would enable users to view the existing woodland and potential woodland sites on map, to move around the map and zoom in and out, and click on an individual site to examine its attributes.

6.5 It is probable that the database would still need to be administered centrally, but updates to site details could be submitted online so that the partners and stakeholders, i.e. those who frequently have the best ‘on the ground’ knowledge about the sites, would have the ability to request changes in the database or ‘call off’ information on particular sites.

6.6 The database has many potential applications that could be used by a variety of organisations and individuals including:

• Local Authority planning departments: to guide land use planning decisions and to identify sites that might be enhanced through Section 106 Agreements.

• Local Authority tree and woodland officers: to inform decisions on priorities for action/ investment and provide a valuable set of baseline information about woodland sites.

• Grant funding organisations: to inform the outcomes of grant applications to Better Woodlands for Wales and Glastir.

• Voluntary organisations: to guide volunteer activity, for example the work undertaken by BTCV.

• Land owners and developers: to guide decisions on potential land use and highlight the role that trees and woodlands could play on a development site.

Heads of the Valleys Woodland Plan

Document Information Setting Value Report Title Heads of the Valleys Woodland Plan Authors Land Use Consultants Version Status Draft 3 Copyright No Are data available digitally? No Commissioning Organisation Name Forestry Commission Wales Contact Aaron Fortt

headsofthevalleyswoodlandplanexecutivesummary2010a

Documents

valleys woodland plan

valleys region appendix

cost plan appendix

woodland plan concept

research methodology

policy context appendix

unitary authority appendix

establishment of new