Heads of the Valleys Forest Resource Plan - Approved 30 March 2023

Location and setting

The Heads of the Valleys Forest Resource Plan includes 21 woodlands in Caerphilly, Torfaen, and Bleanau Gwent, covering approximately 1445 hectares. The setting for the majority of the woodlands is mostly steep valley sides, unimproved grassland on the hill tops, and urban communities and native woodland along the valley bottoms. A large proportion of the woodlands are Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS) or Ancient Semi Natural Woodlands (ASNW). The woods are well used by the local community for informal recreation.

Summary of objectives

The following management objectives have been agreed in order to maintain and enhance the resilience of ecosystems, and the benefits they provide:

• Diversify the forest species composition to increase resilience to pests and diseases, and the effects of climate change, whilst building a robust forest for future generations. Remove remaining stands of larch, manage ash, and manage invasive non-native species appropriately.
• Maintain timber production where appropriate. This will provide opportunities to diversify species and structure of the woodlands, which will enhance the sustainability and resilience of the forests, as well as provide economic benefits.
• Invest in forest infrastructure to provide better access to allow more diverse management prescriptions within the woodlands, carry out regular thinning where possible, remove remaining larch stands, and conservation objectives, especially in forests with no current access if possible, and considering constraints and potential hazards.
• Reduce the risk of wildfires by planning and delivering appropriate fire control measures during and after operations, such as creating and managing fire breaks around restock areas and working with South Wales Fire Service to plan and implement measures on the estate.
• Livestock Trespass – Manage the WGWE and work with neighbours, and other organisations, to reduce instances of livestock trespass.
• Work with partners and other NRW teams to identify and deliver opportunities to connect and enhance priority habitats, protected areas within and adjacent to FRP woodlands, and priority and protected species, and opportunities for natural flood management, to improve resilience and connectivity and prevent negative impacts from management activities. Such as connecting and restoring ancient and native woodland, connecting open habitats and rides, taking account of the various bat species present in the area during any management activities, and creating varied edge habitats where they adjoin non-woodland habitats, across the FRP area.
• Work with partners to encourage and increase responsible use and low impact recreation on the WGWE to deliver wellbeing benefits for local communities, user groups and visitors, and to reduce anti-social behaviour, including off-road vehicles, damage to WGWE boundaries, and fly tipping, and prevent conflicts between user groups.
• Forestry management should not contribute to the existing level of flood risk both within the woodlands and anywhere offsite and where possible, measures should be implemented to reduce any potential risk of flooding; both are to be achieved through good forestry practice in accordance with the latest UK Forestry Standard and relevant forestry guidance; and through consultation and engagement with the relevant Lead Local Flood Authority during planning of felling operations. Consideration of measures to reduce the volume of flows leaving forest blocks as a result of felling operations should include Natural Flood Management.
• Forestry management should not cause any reduction of water quality both within on-site water features and watercourse draining off-site through good forestry practice in accordance with the latest UK Forestry Standard and relevant forestry guidance.
• Work with our partners and communities to identify how and where the WGWE can deliver nature-based solutions for health and wellbeing and provide opportunities to connect people with nature, and where we can involve communities in its management.
• Being good neighbours - Consult and engage with neighbours, communities, and other stakeholders regarding the management of the WGWE and upcoming operations to improve relationships and knowledge on how and why the estate is managed, reduce conflict, and encourage closer working relationships.

Maps

Location map
Long-term primary objectives map
Forest management systems map
Indicative forest types and habitats map

Comments or feedback

If you have any comments or feedback, you can contact the Forest Resource Planning team at frp@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk