Wood pasture and parkland

Many wood pastures are what remains of medieval hunting forests.

Ancient trees found in wood pasture and parkland provide valuable habitat for rare and specialist species. 

Many old parkland habitats are now found in our towns and cities.

What we need to do and where

Parkland, Adrian Colston

Parkland, Veronica White

Snapshot for wood pasture and parkland

What wildlife-rich looks like:

Scattered ancient and veteran trees with dead and decaying wood, hollows and cracks supporting a wealth of wildlife including fungi, lichens, insects, roosting bats and nesting birds. Younger trees are growing and will become future veteran trees. Mosaics of habitats with wildlife-rich grasslands full of insects and flowers, patches of scrub, ponds and bushy hedges.

Devon Special Species include:

Birds: Lesser spotted woodpeckers, pied flycatchers, wood warbler, spotted flycatchers (and all other insects eaters).

Bats: Greater horseshoe, lesser horseshoe, serotine, grey long-eared, barbastelle, Bechstein’s

Insects: Blue ground beetle, veteran tree flies

Lichens and fungi: Deadwood lichens, Veteran tree lichens.

UK significance:

UK priority habitat: Yes

Statutory irreplaceable habitat: Ancient and Veteran trees. Ancient wood pastures and parkland on the ancient woodland inventory.

Wider benefits: Carbon capture, flood control, water quality, health and wellbeing, pollinators.

1. About

Wood pasture and parkland is an open, grassy habitat, usually grazed and defined by scattered ancient and veteran trees. Wood pastures are often old medieval hunting forests that evolved from woodlands into more open landscapes through deer grazing. Many are no longer sufficiently grazed and have reverted to woodland. Examples of wood pasture in Devon include Ashclyst Forest and Glenthorne Woods. 

In the 18th and 19th centuries, parkland landscapes, including deer parks, were designed and created around prominent country houses. Examples include National Trust properties such as Killerton, Saltram, Arlington and Knightshayes. Some of our urban public parklands such as Devonport in Plymouth and Phear Park in Exmouth are remnants of these country estates.

The old trees in these landscapes were often pollarded, an ancient form of management where the crown was felled above the browsing height of grazing stock. Pollarding produces timber and fodder. 

Ancient and veteran trees have developed features such as decaying and dead wood, holes, flaking bark, cavities and hollow trunks. These features provide habitat for rare and specialist wildlife, particularly rare lichens and mosses, fungi, birds and bats. The list of Devon Species of Conservation Concern and the Ancient and veteran trees page have more information. See Actions below for relevant Devon Special Species. 

Wood pastures and parklands that have been in existence since 1600 are mapped on the Ancient Woodland Inventory.

Health check

To be added before final publication of the LNRS to ensure that the most up to date information is used from NE and DBRC.   

Area

The 2007 Devon inventory of wood pasture and parkland estimated that there are 4,063 hectares in Devon. This includes 162 parkland sites and 47 wood pastures. 

Designations

Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) 4: Arlington, Dunsland Park, Ugbrooke Park, Whiddon Deer Park.

County Wildlife Sites (CWS) 43 Parkland CWS and 28 Wood Pasture CWS, covering over 1,800 hectares. Around 42 parklands are thought to be of CWS quality but have not been designated. Many sites are protected as they are Registered Parks and Gardens. 

Condition

CWS 7 have been monitored since 2011. By area, 57% were assessed to be Green and 43% Amber (Green and Amber are explained on the CWS page).

See Key pressures and opportunities below to find out why not all sites are assessed as Green. 

Key pressures and opportunities

camera

Root damage and soil compaction

The biggest pressure identified in the 2007 Devon parkland and wood pasture inventory was root damage to trees. A key cause of this damage is compacted soil due to livestock (especially where feeders are placed too close to trees), vehicles and people. Compacted soil affects roots and their mycorrhiza fungi. Other causes of root damage are drought, standing water, physical damage through re-seeding and disruption to mycorrhiza fungi from applying fertilisers.

camera

Lack of age structure and removal of dead wood

Veteran trees are old and near the end of their life. There are often too few replacement trees, particularly in parklands. Dead and decaying wood in the trees and that has fallen to the ground is critical wildlife habitat and an essential source of nutrients for the trees. However, it is often removed.

camera

Inappropriate grassland management

Many parkland grasslands have been reseeded and are not species rich. Overgrazing and compacted soil is also a problem (see above). 

camera

Carbon storage

Research by Cranfield University has shown that grazed wood pasture is 5% more effective at absorbing and storing carbon than the same area of separate woodland and grassland. Slow-growing, long-lived trees such as oak that grow in the open, store more carbon than faster-growing and short-lived species. (reference needed) 

camera

Recreational value

Wood pastures and parklands are important historical landscapes and a valuable visual, recreational and educational resource. Many are open to the public, providing income for their owners.

camera

Agroforestry

Some farmers in Devon are starting to plant trees in grasslands (known as silvo-pasture) to create wood pastures of the future. Dung from livestock enriches the soil, while the trees provide shelter and fodder and increase soil health. 

camera

Disease

Ash dieback is a significant threat across Devon. Other current diseases include acute oak decline and sweet chestnut blight. 

camera

Funding

Funding for management of wood pasture and parkland is available through ELM (see Find out more below).

2. What we need to do and where

Priority

Better (wildlife-rich), bigger and more wood pastures and parklands that are connected to a network of habitats across the county, benefiting Devon Special Species and achieving wider benefits such as carbon capture, water resilience and health and wellbeing. 

See Find out more for links to more detailed information including management advice. 

Actions for wood pasture and parkland

Manage wood pasture and parkland sites for wildlife.

Develop and implement a management plan based on Countryside Stewardship specifications, see Find out more. Management plans should be informed by habitat and species surveys and past and current management.

  • Leave standing and fallen, dead and decaying, wood and collapsed trees and branches. 
  • Protect the root zone from soil compaction by, for example, livestock and vehicles, physical damage, fertilisers and slurry. Protect an area two and a half times the size of the canopy. 
  • Allow trees to naturally regenerate or plant new trees, typically at a maximum of 50/ha. 
  • Graze at low stock levels to prevent soil compaction, damage to trees and to maintain or develop a species-rich grassland. 
  • Increase the botanical value of grasslands by seeding where needed, using a local seed mix. 
  • Allow scrub to develop and cover 10-20% of the site. 
  • Implement rigorous biosecurity measures. 
  • Provide specific microhabitat requirements for rare species that occur or could occur. See links below.
  • Manage adjacent land to reduce impacts such as lighting and pesticide drift. 

Expand and create wood pasture and parklands

Develop plans based on Countryside Stewardship specifications, see Find out more.

  • Create new wood pasture, typically planting no more than 50 trees/ha with sufficient space for the trees to grow with open crowns. Plant drought-tolerant species and species with similar mycorrhizal fungi to existing species. Use local seed sources to create species-rich grasslands.
  • Create new wood pasture through grazing and active management of existing secondary woodland. 
  • Restore ancient wood pasture through grazing or active management. 

Survey, research and awareness

  • Increase surveys and monitoring. In particular, complete the Ancient Tree Inventory and monitor County Wildlife Sites. 
  • Identify and publicise demonstration sites and case studies that are examples of best practice. 

Other relevant actions

More detailed actions for Devon Special Species are set out on other LNRS pages. Follow the links below:

Where to focus action

Wildlife will benefit from these actions being carried out across Devon. However, actions are prioritised to the following High Opportunity Areas. See Mapping 

  • Wood pasture and parkland (existing)
  • Woody expansion/buffer zones around wood pasture and parkland sites. (Warning: this layer includes scattered small areas which are not continuous with woodlands. These will be removed after the public consultation when the map is reviewed)   

3. Inspiration

This section will be finalised following public consultation. Please share any case studies and places to visit as well as high quality photos. A few ideas are given below. 

Case studies

Bringing together specialists

The Devon Ancient Tree Forum (ATF Devon) brings together specialists, enthusiasts and ancient tree owners to share best practice and visit sites across Devon. 

Whiddon Park 

Insert more text here –

Where to visit

Always follow the Countryside Code and keep to footpaths and sites that are managed for public access.  Good places to see wood pasture and parkland are:

Accessible sites

Parklands with public access include National Trust properties at Killerton, Saltram, Arlington and Knightshayes (entry charges may apply), Dartington Estate near Totnes and urban parks such as Devonport in Plymouth and Phear Park in Exmouth.

For information on visiting these and other sites that are open to the public please see the Explore Devon website.

4. Find out more

This section will be tidied up and finalised following public consultation. Please share any links. 

The Devon Tree and Woodland Strategy (2024) can be found on the Devon Local Nature Partnership website.

Find out about the Devon Ancient Tree Forum (ATF Devon). 

The Trees outside woodlands page has more information on veteran and ancient trees. 

Natural England Summary of Evidence: Wood-Pasture and Parkland (PDF) 

JNCC Priority Habitat Description: Wood-Pasture and Parkland (PDF) 

The People’s Trust for Endangered Species has information on the UK Wood Pasture & Parkland Network 

The Soil Association has information about agroforestry. 

The UK Forestry Standard is the government’s approach to sustainable forest management. It has information on how to manage ancient trees. 

The government’s website, GOV.UK, has information on the: 

Search this site:

clear