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Forests &landscape
information and advice
A summary of what forest and woodland managers should know on thesubject of landscape. Providing links to all the sources of informationthat they should be aware of and describing how landscape design
training can be undertaken and where, if required, advice can beobtained from a suitably qualified landscape professional.
2 | Forests and landscape: information and advice
It is now 50 years since the Forestry Commission appointed its first landscape architect, Sylvia Crowe, to advise on how forests could be integrated with the character of local landscapes. Her appointment in late 1963 was a response to a Government statement earlier that year on forestry policy that announced intended amendments to the Forestry Act in 1967.
With those amendments the Wildlife and Countryside (Amendment) Act 1985 tasks Forestry Commissioners to
achieve a reasonable balance between:
• thedevelopmentofafforestation,themanagementofforestsandtheproductionandsupplyoftimber;and,
• theconservationandenhancementofnatural beautyandtheconservationofflora,faunaandgeologicalor
physiographicalfeaturesofspecialinterest.
Theattributeofnatural beautyhasusuallybeeninterpretedasthescenicqualityofthelandscape.
SylviaCrowewasengagedaslandscapeconsultanttoadviseonhowforestplantationscouldcontributetowards
thenaturalbeautyoflocallandscapes.Asshedevelopedherideassheshowedforestershowtheycould
incorporatelandscapedesignintotheirplans.Thissheachievedbyintroducinglandscapedesignprinciplesfor
forestryandshowinghowtheseideascouldbeincorporatedthroughanintegrateddesignprocessthatconsidered
allaspectsoftheforestenvironment.
Inthelightofexperiencegainedfromtheimplementationofthatadvicehersuccessorsfurtherrefinedthose
designprinciplesandprocess.AllthistheoryandpracticewasbroughttogetherinthebookThe Design of
Forest Landscapes(O.W.R.Lucas,1991)withthekeypointsincorporatedintotheoriginalsuiteofthreeForestry
CommissionLandscapeGuidelinespublishedinthe1990s.
Besidesreinforcingthe1998UKFSthoseGuidelinesalsoprovidedtheforestrycommunitywithpracticalguidancefor
preparingtheirplanssothattheforestsintheircarecontributedtowardsthescenicqualityofthevisuallandscape.
Sylvia Crowe pencil sketch of Taymouth Castle with advice on how the forest on the slopes of Drummond Hill could be visually integrated with the policy woodlands framing the castle.
Dame Sylvia Crowe, Forestry Commission landscape architect 1963–1976.
Forests and landscape: information and advice | 3
Landscape resourcesBelowisachartillustratingahierarchyofinformationthatforestmanagersshouldbeawareof.Eachboxisheaded
bythegeneraltopicfollowedbyspecificresourcesthatcontributetowardsdeliveringtheUKForestryStandard
(UKFS)Requirementsforlandscape.Explanationsoneacharegivenbelowthechart.
Landscape resources chart
Forest Management PlansStrategic Forest Plans
Design techniques for forest management planningLandscape Character Assessments
Historic Land-use Assessment
Forestry Commission Scotland guidanceAchieving diversity in Scotland’s forest landscapes
Conserving and managing trees and woodlands in Scotland’s designed landscapes
The creation of small woodlands on farmsManagement of ancient wood pasture
Environmental Impact AssessmentEnvironmental Impact Assessment of Forestry Projects
Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment
UKFS GuidelinesForests and landscape
Forestry Commission Scotland education and trainingForest landscape designWoodlands for people
Landscape adviceLandscape Institute Directory of Registered Practices
UK Forestry StandardScottish Forestry Strategy
Key theme 6: Environmental qualityContributing to Scotland’s landscapes
4 | Forests and landscape: information and advice
UK Forestry Standard and Guidelines
The UK Forestry Standard(UKFS)isthereferencestandardforsustainableforest
managementintheUK.ItwaslaunchedtogetherwithasuiteofGuidelines in
late2011.LandscapeisaUKFSRequirement(page34ofUKFS)highlightingboth
landscapecontextandforestlandscapedesign.
Thesevenguidelinesfocusonthelegalrequirementsandsummarydescriptions
ofgoodforestrypracticetoachievetherequiredoutcomeofsustainableforest
management.Oneoftheparticularstrengthsoftheguidelinesisthattheycross-
referencewitheachother,reflectingthecontemporaryviewthatalthougheach
subjectisrelativelydistinctthereisanessentialinter-relationshipbetweenthem.
Practising sustainable forestry means managing our forests in a way that meets our needs at
present but that does not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
They will rightly expect that their forests and woodlands offer at least the same benefits and
opportunities as we enjoy today. To sustain these expectations, the UK governments have set
out the UK Forestry Standard and its supporting Guidelines. At the heart of this approach is the
importance of balancing the environmental, economic and social benefits of forests and the
recognition that our forests serve a wide range of objectives. The Guidelines publications define
sustainable forest management in the UK under a series of subject areas. The UK Forestry
Standard requirements have been set out in each and guidance given on how to achieve them.
231 Corstorphine RoadEdinburghEH12 7AT
www.forestry.gov.uk£14
The UK Forestry StandardThe governments’ approach to sustainable forestry
TheU
KForestry
Standard
www.forestry.gov.uk/ukfs
83854 Standard_Layout 1 21/10/2011 12:35 Page 1
UKFS Guidelines: Forests and landscape
Forests and landscapeprovidesthelandscapepolicyandcontextsetting,states
theUKFSRequirementsforforestlandscapesanddescribestheGuidelinesthat
outlinethefundamentalprinciplesofforestdesign.Itreinforcestheimportance
nowplacedonthequalityofalllandscapesbyhighlightingtheUK’sratificationof
the European Landscape Convention(ELC)in2006(page11).
TheGuidelinementionstheimportantroleofLandscapeCharacterAssessments
(LCA)thatcontributetowardsourunderstandingofthekeycharacteristicsthat
makelandscapesdistinct(seeForestPlans/ForestDesignPlansbelow)andthe
roleofLandscapeandVisualImpactAssessment(LVIA)forassessingtheeffectsof
landscapechange(seeEnvironmentalImpactAssessmentbelow).Appendix4also
providesusefuladviceonapplyingforestdesignprinciplestoarangeofUKforest
landscapes.TheGuidelineisfreetoviewanddownloadfromwww.forestry.gov.uk/ukfs
www.forestry.gov.uk/ukfs/landscape
231 Corstorphine RoadEdinburghEH12 7AT
www.forestry.gov.uk
Practising sustainable forestry means managing our forests in a way that meets our needs at
present but that does not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
They will rightly expect that their forests and woodlands offer at least the same benefits and
opportunities as we enjoy today. To sustain these expectations, the UK governments have set
out the UK Forestry Standard and its supporting Guidelines. At the heart of this approach is the
importance of balancing the environmental, economic and social benefits of forests and the
recognition that our forests serve a wide range of objectives. The Guidelines publications define
sustainable forest management in the UK under a series of subject areas. The UK Forestry
Standard requirements have been set out in each and guidance given on how to achieve them.
£8
Forests and landscapeUK Forestry Standard Guidelines
83854 landscape_Layout 1 13/10/2011 18:17 Page 1
Standard, Guidelines and Strategy
Forests and landscape: information and advice | 5
Scottish Forestry Strategy
The Scottish Forestry Strategy(SFS)istheScottishGovernment’sframeworkfor
takingforestryforwardthroughthefirsthalfofthiscenturyandbeyond.Oneof
thekeyoutcomesoftheSFSisforforestrytocontributetowardsthedevelopment
ofahighquality,robustandadaptableenvironment,includingthedeliveryofa
qualitylandscape.DescribinghowforestrycancontributetoScotland’slandscapes,
like the Forests and Landscape Guidelineittooincludestheimportanceof
meetingtheundertakingsoftheELCanduseofLCAtoinformforestmanagement
plans(page44).
TheSFS(FCS,2006)isfreetoviewanddownloadfrom www.forestry.gov.uk/sfs
The Scottish Forestry Strategy
2 0 0 6
Strategic Forest Plans
TherequirementsforaForestManagementPlanaresetoutintheForestry
CommissionScotland(FCS)applicant’sguidanceStrategic Forest Plans(FCS,2013)
availablefreetoviewanddownloadfromwww.forestry.gov.uk/publications
Tohelpforestmanagersdeveloptheirplansitisrecommendedthattheyreferto
thefollowingpublications:
Guidance
EconomyCommunity
EnvironmentEconomy
CommunityEnvironment
EconomyCommunity
EnvironmentEnvironmentEconomy
StrategicForest Plans
applicant’s guidance
Forest Management PlansAForest Management Plan (ForestDesignPlanonthenationalforestestate)isastrategicplanthatdescribes
themajorforestoperationsovera20yearperiod.Itbringstogetherthemanagementobjectives,silvicultural
prescriptions,environmental,socialandlandscapefactorsintoacomprehensiveplanthataimstodeliverlong-
termbenefitsthroughsustainableforestmanagement.
6 | Forests and landscape: information and advice
Design techniques for forest management planning
Forestmanagementplanninginvolvesassemblingandintegratingawiderange
ofinformationaboutasiteanditspotential,andanumberofestablisheddesign
techniquesareavailabletoassistwiththisprocess.ThisPracticeGuideprovides
step-by-stepguidancetothetechniquesthatcanbeusedateachoftheplanning
stagesforthepreparationofaforestmanagementplan.Theguidanceappliesto
boththecreationofnewforestsandwoodlandsandthemanagementofexisting
forestsandwoodlands.
Thisguideisaimedatforestandwoodlandownersandmanagers,forestry
practitionersandallthoseinvolvedinforestplanningandthepreparationand
evaluationofforestmanagementplans.
ItisavailableforpurchasefromForestryCommissionPublicationsandisalsofree
toviewanddownload-includinganappendixofworkedexamplesofdesignplansindifferentlandscapesnot
includedinthepapercopy-fromwww.forestry.gov.uk/publications
Landscape Character Assessments
Theprocessof landscape character assessment(LCA)isarecognizedanalytical
systemforidentifying,describing,classifyingandmappingthevarietyoflandscape
tobefoundthroughoutScotland.Ithelpsexplainwhatmakeslandscapesdifferent
fromeachother.ThewholeofScotlandhasbeenmappedanddescribedunder
anLCAprogrammeinitiatedandcompletedbyScottish Natural Heritage (SNH)
duringthe1990s.
Generally,theacceptedstrengthoftheSNHsuiteofLCAistheircharacterizationof
theScottishlandscape.Thelandscapeclassificationanddescriptioncanbeuseful
toforestmanagersatthelandscapescale(meaning,itplacesindividualfeatures–
suchasforests–intheirwidersetting)tohelpguidelandscapechange.Withthe
passageoftimethoughthetwootheraspectsoftheSNHsuiteofLCA(forcesfor
changeandgenericlandscapeguidanceforlandusechange)aresomewhatoutofdateandmaynotbeasuseful.
Thesuiteof30regionalLCAstudieswaspublishedbySNHasreportsandareavailablefreetoviewanddownload
fromtheSNHwebsite.Theycanallbeaccessedfromwww.snh.gov.uk/protecting-scotlands-nature/looking-
after-landscapes/lca
Forests and landscape: information and advice | 7
Historic Land-use Assessment
The Historic Land-use Assessment (HLA)isajointprojectbetweenHistoric
ScotlandandtheRoyalCommissionontheAncientandHistoricalMonuments
ofScotland.ItisaGIS-basedmapthatdepictsthehistoricoriginofland-use
patterns,describingthembyperiod,formandfunction.Itspurposeistoenhance
ourknowledgeandunderstandingofthehistoricdimensionofthelandscapeand
toinformmanagementdecisionsrelatingtoit.Ithighlightsrelictarchaeological
landscapesandhelpsidentifyareaswherefurthersurveycouldusefullybetargeted.
Theassessmentisbasedontheanalysisofkeydatasources,suchasearly
maps,theNationalMonumentsRecordofScotland,aerialphotographyand
archaeologicalsurveyresults.Itidentifiesindividual historic land-usetypes,
groupedtogetherunderthematicheadings(categories)andassignedalikely
chronologicalperiod.Thesehistoricland-usetypessurvivewithincurrentland-usepatternsandcontaininformation
inregardtolandscapecharacteranddevelopment.Italsodepictsrelict land-use;archaeologicallandscapefeatures
thatsurvivebuthavefallenoutofuse.
TheHLAwillbeusefulinforestplanninganddesign;inconsideringthehistoricelementswithinmostForestry
CommissionScotlandgrantsandlicensingactivities;andinconsideringhistoriclandscapecharacterforLocalAuthority
Forestry and Woodland Strategies.
TheprincipaloutputoftheHLAprojectisaGeographic Information System (GIS)datasetthatwillcoverthe
wholeofScotlandby2015.Guidanceonitsusageisalsoinpreparation.TheavailableHLAdataforScotlandcan
be viewed at hla.rcahms.gov.uk
Environmental Impact Assessment of Forestry Projects
Proposalsthatincludewoodlandcreation,road,quarrybuildingordeforestation
willbesubjecttoForestryCommissionScotlandmakingadeterminationunder
the1999 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations as to whether
therewillbearequirementforconsentundertheseregulations.DetailsonEIA
Regulationscanbefoundatscotland.forestry.gov.uk/supporting/grants-and-
regulations/environmental-impact-assessmentunderthegrantsand
regulationssection.
Environmental Impact
Assessment of Forestry Projects
Environmental Impact Assessment
8 | Forests and landscape: information and advice
Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment
SinceitsintroductionEIAhasbecomeaveryimportanttoolforpredictingand
evaluatingthewiderangeofeffectsofdevelopmentontheenvironmentand
onpeople.Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA)isaseparatebut
closelyrelatedprocessthatoperateswithintheoverallframeworkofEIA.It
specificallyaimstoensurethatallpossibleeffectsofchangeanddevelopment,
bothonthelandscapeitselfandonviewsandvisualamenity,aretakeninto
accountindecision-making.
TherecognisedhandbookonthissubjectistheGuidelines for Landscape
and Visual Impact Assessment(3rdedition,2013,Routledge,ISBN978-
0-415-68004-2)bytheLandscapeInstituteandInstituteofEnvironmental
Management&Assessment.
Achieving diversity in Scotland’s forest landscapes
Thisguidanceoffersadviceandideasfromwhichaforestmanagermayselect
optionsthatmeettheirmanagementobjectivesandareappropriatefortheir
forest.Theformatoftheguidancerelatestothedecisionswhichforestmanagers
needtomakewhentheyarepreparingfullyintegratedmanagementproposals
whichwillcontributetoaForestPlan.
TheForestryCommissionScotlandPracticeGuideisavailablefreetoviewand
downloadfrom www.forestry.gov.uk/publications Achieving diversity in Scotland’s forest landscapes
Practice Guide
Forestry Commission Scotland guidanceBuildingonthe UKFS Guidelines Forests and Landscape,ForestryCommissionScotlandhasproducedaseriesof
guidancedocumentsintendedtohelpforestmanagersdeveloptheirplans.
Forests and landscape: information and advice | 9
The creation of small woodlands on farms
Smallwoodlands,woodlandfeaturesandevenindividualtreescanbeanasseton
anyfarm.Thisguidancedescribesthebenefitsofcreatingnewsmallwoodlands,
wheretheycanbestbesitedandofferssomeadviceonplanning,layoutand
species.Itfocusesonsmallwoodlandsofafewhectaresinsize,saynobigger
thanfivehectares.
Itadvisesontheopportunitiesforcreatingnewsmallwoodlandsinthethreemain
farmingenterprisesandagriculturalsettingsinScotland–arableland,permanent
grasslandandhilllandwithunimprovedgrazing.Eachsectionistailoredtotheir
respectivedifferentfarmedlandscapesettings.
TheForestryCommissionScotlandguidanceisavailablefreetoviewanddownload
from www.forestry.gov.uk/swof.Apapercopycanalsobeobtainedbyfillingin
theonlineapplicationform.
Conserving and managing trees and woodlands in Scotland’s designed landscapes
Designedlandscapesandtheirwoodlands,parklandandtreesmakeamajor
contributiontothesceneryofmanypartsofScotland.Thisguidancehasbeen
preparedtoassistownersandmanagersincaringforallthetreecomponentsin
thefineheritageofdesignedlandscapesthroughoutScotland.
TheForestryCommissionScotlandPracticeGuideisavailablefreetoviewand
downloadfromwww.forestry.gov.uk/publicationsConserving and managing trees and woodlands in Scotland’s designed landscapes
Practice Guide
Management of ancient wood pasture
Thisguidancenoteprovidesanintroductiontotherestorationandmanagement
ofancientwoodpasturesinScotland.
Guidanceisprovidedonthecareofveterantreesandmanagementofthepasture
throughthedevelopmentofmanagedgrazingregimes.Thenotepromotesthe
benefitsofamanagementplanandprovidesguidanceforitspreparation.Linksare
alsoprovidedtomoredetailedpublicationsthatmaybeofhelpandinterest.
ThisGuidancenoteisaimedatlandmanagers,theiradvisersandagency
staffinvolvedinlandmanagementandgrantassessment.Itisfreetoview
anddownloadfromscotland.forestry.gov.uk/images/corporate/pdf/
fcsancientwoodpastureguidance.pdf
10 | Forests and landscape: information and advice
Forestry Commission Scotland education and trainingForestryCommissionScotlandhasdevelopedtwotraining courses in landscape designthathavebeenspecifically
developedtohelpforestandwoodlandmanagerspreparetheirplanssensitivetotheirlocallandscapeandsituation.
Forest landscape design
A2-day design courseforthosewhowantto
developtheirskillsinpreparingorevaluatinga
forestmanagementplan.Thecourseexplains
whatismeantbylandscapeandshowshow
toreadandusedifferencesinlandscape
character.Italsoexplorestheprinciplesofforest
landscapedesignandshowshowtheycanbe
appliedtonewforestsandtherestructuring
existingones.
Throughanintegratedseriesofpracticalexercisesdelegatesdevelopbasicdrawingskillsandpreparesketchdesign
proposalsinperspective.
Woodlands for people
A2-day design course that demonstrates
howanappreciationoftherecogniseddesign
principlesandtheirapplicationthroughthe
designprocesscancontributetowardsthe
preparationofdesignproposalsforurban
woodland.Itshowsdelegateshowtodesignthe
location,useandlinkagesofspacesforpeople
tooptimisetheirwoodlandexperience.
Italsodemonstrateshowacarefullyconsidered
designplancanhelplocalcommunities
understandthebenefitsoftheirnewwoodlands
orproposedchangestoexistingwoods.Throughanintegratedseriesofpracticalexercisesdelegatesdevelopbasic
drawingskillsandpreparesketchdesignproposals.
BothcoursesaredeliveredbytheForestry Commission Scotland Landscape and Culture Adviser who can be
contactedbyemailforfurtherinformationandcourseavailabilityatnicholas.shepherd@forestry.gsi.gov.uk
Forests and landscape: information and advice | 11
Further reading
The Design of Forest Landscapes
Publishedin1991, The Design of Forest Landscapes(OliverW.R.Lucas,Oxford
UniversityPress,ISBN0-19-854280-1)isacompendiumofthedesignprinciples,
techniquesandexperienceinforestlandscapedesignbuiltupbyForestry
CommissionlandscapearchitectssinceDameSylviaCrowewascommissioned
astheForestryCommission’sfirstLandscapeConsultantin1963.
Soundlandscapeprinciplesaredescribedandexplainedthroughdetailedand
illustratedexamples.Thebookprovidespracticaladvicefortheconservation
andenhancementoflandscapeinandaroundmanagedforests.Thebroader
implicationsofforestryinthelandscapearediscussedwithmattersofdetailset
inawidercontext.
Althoughsomewhatdated,thisremainsarelevantandcomprehensiveresourceforallaspectsofforest
andwoodlanddesign,includingthedesignofsmallwoods,shelterbeltsandlinearcorridors,suchasroads,
watercoursesandpowerlinewayleaves.
Designing Sustainable Forest Landscapes
Inmanyrespectsthesuccessortotheabovebook,Designing Sustainable Forest
Landscapes(SimonBell&DeanApostol,Taylor&Francis,ISBN10:0-41925680-6)
isaguidetotheplanning,designandmanagementofforestlandscapes.Itcovers
thetheoryandprinciplesofforestdesignaswellasprovidingpracticalguidance
onmethodsandtools.
Thebookfocusesonecosystemregeneration,thelandscapeplanningofnatural
forestsandthedesignofplantationforeststhroughavarietyofinternational
case-studies.Usingvisualisationtechniques,designprocessesandevaluation
techniques,itlooksatpromotingforestlandscapesthataredesignedtooptimise
thebalancebetweenhumaninterventionandnaturalevolution.
12 | Forests and landscape: information and advice
Landscape Institute Directory of Registered Practices
Shouldyoudecidethatyourplanswouldbenefitfromtheprofessionalservicesofalandscapearchitectyouare
bestadvisedtoconsulttheLandscape Institute Directory of Registered Practices(whichalsoincludesindividuals)
at www.landscapeinstitute.org/registeredpractices/search.php
YouwillseethatthesearchfacilityCountry (select UK),LI Region (select Scotland),Discipline (select Forestry
(woodland/trees))thenpresstheSearchbuttonandreviewallcompanies.
Landscape advice
ContactNicholas ShepherdLandscape and Culture AdvisorForestry Commission ScotlandSilvan House231 Corstorphine RoadEdinburghEH12 7AT
Tel: 0300 067 6160E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.forestry.gov.uk/scotland
Forestry Commission Scotland serves as the forestry directorate of the Scottish Government and is responsible to Scottish Ministers
Published by - Forestry Commission Scotland - September 2014© Crown Copyright 2014
All photography from Forestry Commission Picture Library unless otherwise stated
Designed by Pure Communication for Design and Interpretative Services, Forestry Commission Scotland, Edinburgh
DIS - PDF - SEPTEMBER14
If you need this publication in an alternative format, for example, in large print or in another language, please contact:
The Diversity TeamForestry CommissionSilvan House231 Corstorphine RoadEdinburghEH12 7AT
Tel: 0300 067 5046E-mail: [email protected]