Llangollen Forest Resource Plan - Approved 3 November 2021

Location and Setting

Llangollen Forest Resource Plan consists of seven different forest blocks; Corwen, Cynwyd, Carrog, Nantyr (Ceiriog forest), Coed Foel, Craig-y-Dduallt and Halton Wood, which are located in the Dee and Ceiriog Valleys. These woodlands collectively have a total area of 1,400 ha and have a mixture of conifer and broadleaved tree species.

Summary of objectives

Remove larch and diversify the forest species composition to increase resilience to pests and diseases whilst building a robust forest for future generations.
Increase structural diversity through the introduction of long-term retention and Continuous Cover Forestry.
Continue to maintain a sustainable supply of timber production through the design of felling and restock species choice.
Increase successional/riparian woodland areas for the improvement of habitat resilience and landscape scale habitat connectivity.
Identify and protect important heritage features.
Maintain and improve visitor experience by providing a safe and enjoyable environment that will change gradually over time.
Investigate the funding opportunities for further on-site interpretative panels and online learning resources.

Summary of the main changes that will occur in the forest

The removal of all larch trees from the woodlands (85ha) as part of NRW’s larch reduction programme to mitigate the threat from Phytophthora ramorum disease.
Enhancement of higher conservation value areas by the management and expansion of the riparian zones and successional woodland (142ha).
An increase of areas allocated to long-term retention (8ha).
The restoration of ancient woodland sites (473ha) by the removal of conifers and the creation of native broadleaf woodland habitat.
Softening of conifer edges to lessen their visual impact on the landscape.
A decrease in the overall proportion of Sitka spruce to improve species diversity and increase the woodlands’ resilience to pests and diseases.