News

Woodland conservation work at Formby

Published:: 24 November 2023
Last updated:: 24 September 2024

Sun light coming through thinned trees in the woodlands at Formby | © Harriet Wilkinson

As part of our 10-year woodland management plan, conservation work will be continuing this autumn and winter in the woodlands at Formby. Our aim is to create a healthier more diverse woodland habitat where a wider variety of wildlife can thrive and for people to enjoy.

We manage Formby’s woodlands sustainably and responsibly, meeting Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC) and UK Woodland Assurance Scheme (UKWAS) standards.

Giving nature a helping hand

We’re often asked why Formby’s woodlands need to be managed. The main reason is because the pine trees that grow here aren’t native to the coast, with some planted over 100 years ago. Plantation woodlands are densely packed with trees of a similar age. The trees grow tall and thin as they compete to reach the sunlight, rather than establishing healthy roots. A tightly packed canopy also reduces light preventing saplings, wildflowers and other plants from growing.

Tried and tested techniques

Our woodland conservation work takes place in the autumn and winter months, outside the bird nesting season. Here’s a round-up of the kind of work you can expect to see happening on site:

Coppicing trees or cutting them back to ground level to encourage new growth.

Thinning areas of densely packed pine trees.

Removing self-seeded trees such as sycamore that are taking over.

“This important conservation work will create light and space in the woodlands so that a wider variety of woodland wildlife can thrive here. The areas where we are working will become a healthier haven for insects, bats, birds and small mammals. There will also be more food for Formby’s rare red squirrels to forage with new trees and shrubs growing berries in the woodland understory and healthier pine trees producing more pinecones”.

- Chris Hunter, Ranger

Red squirrel in pine tree at Formby | © Gary Bailey

Areas where conservation work is happening

This autumn and winter the team will be focusing on two areas of site. The first, south of Lifeboat Road near to Ravenmeols LNR, is an area that the team worked in last winter and didn’t manage to finish due to waterlogged ground conditions. They will be continuing the thinning work in this area, as well as building more dead hedges for wildlife.

The second area where work will take place is north of Victoria Road, again where the majority of work will be thinning the pine woodland to create more light and space. Additionally, some small areas of mature pine woodland will be felled to create space for young pine trees to be planted, alongside a mixture of understory species such as hazel and hawthorn.

All the work will be carried out before the beginning of the bird nesting season, and each tree will be checked for active dreys before being thinned, to ensure that no nesting wildlife is harmed during this important conservation work.

Getting by with a little help from our friends

We'd like to say a big thank you to the dedicated volunteer groups who give their time to support the ranger team. We meet twice weekly to tackle all this important work and are very grateful for their support.

Creating safer spaces for people to enjoy

Alongside our conservation work the ranger team also carry out annual tree safety work in the winter months. The annual Tree Safety Management inspections involve risk assessing trees for potential defects that could impact their stability.

The woodlands across the site are split into zones from high usage (e.g. near popular paths and seating areas) to low usage. Each zone is inspected at different frequencies dependent upon how well used it is. Tree safety inspections are also done after every storm.

The inspections include;

Looking up and down trees for signs of disease or death.

Checking for damage to the trunk or branches that may make the tree unstable or branches likely to fall.
Looking for any root lifting, a sign that the tree has the potential to topple.

Trees that need to have branches taken off or to be felled for safety reasons have a mark put on the trunk with spray paint. Then over winter work is undertaken to make these trees safe either by our ranger team or with specialist tree surgeons for larger, more complicated work.

Thank you for keeping a safe distance

If you see the team at work in woodlands please keep a safe distance and dogs under close control.

What happens to felled trees?

We’re often asked what we do with the timber from storm damaged trees, conservation work to thin the woodlands and the annual tree safety work we carry out on site.

Often leave the brash (thin branches), stump, trunk or fallen timber as they create valuable dead wood habitats for many insects and birds.

Important to balance the risk of fires too, so some is removed to minimise the risk of damage to the woodlands and dune grassland.

Re-purpose some timber into picnic benches, seating areas and other special spots like the natural play trail areas at Victoria Road and near Lifeboat Road.

Split batches, dry them out, and bag up as logs offered to people visiting for a donation, which helps raise money to support our important conservation work.

Your support helps keep Formby special

Every time you pay to park, scan your membership card, give your time as a volunteer or simply take your litter home with you, you’re supporting important conservation work like this. Together we can protect Formby’s wildlife so that it’s here for everyone to enjoy, for ever. Thank you.