Challenges to overcome
We know that creating new woodlands and managing them and existing woodlands is not without its challenges. There are various barriers to success such as:
Diseases - Biosecurity of trees is becoming stricter. Dutch Elm Disease and now Ash Die Back has reinforced the lessons of biosecurity and the importance of local provenance for tree whips and seeds.
• In Chorley, Ash die back has gradually spread through young ash trees and now the majority of Ash trees are showing signs of infection. Chorley Council and Lancashire County Council have started to remove trees showing advanced stages of the disease where necessary on safety grounds and we could lose many of our ash trees in Chorley in the coming years. All stakeholders to work together to support the management of this.
• Phytophthora ramorum, an algae like organism was found to be present at Healey Nab and caused Sudden Larch Death. Larch is covered about one fifth of the site at Healey Nab and these trees have been felled via a Statutory Plant Health Notice. The reason for clearing the trees is to stop the spores of the algae spreading to other trees and infecting other woodlands – this is part of a national approach to managing the disease. It is planned to allow the site to regenerate naturally which will see a move away from conifer woodlands to a more mixed native broadleaf wood with wild heather & bilberry, of greater value to local wildlife.
Vandalism and Failures – Tree planting on public open space runs the risk of vandalism and trees being snapped. This has occurred on Recreation Grounds and in these cases the trees have successfully been planted back and retained.
In any large-scale tree planting scheme, not all trees will survive the first few years and some will die and require to be replaced. Trees, especially large specimens, need watering over the summer months in the first few years of planting if the weather is very dry.
Ongoing maintenance investment - all trees planted require a tree maintenance plan to ensure success either through community participation, volunteers or contractors.
Biodiversity and a mosaic of habitats - Chorley is blessed with some valued habitat, including internationally significant peatlands, meadows and wetlands. Protection for these valued, open habitats is extremely important and they must be retained as such. Trees must be planted in the right places to create new habitat and natural capital resource where appropriate rather than amending the current valued resources.