Historic environment

 

Summary

There are many types of historic features in woodland which form a valued part of our cultural heritage and provide a rich resource for study and research. These include various forms of archaeological evidence, biocultural features such as veteran trees and wider historic landscapes. To maintain and enhance the historic environment found within woodland through informed management, a greater understanding is needed on how heritage features interact with trees, wooded environments and the wider landscape.

Research objectives

This research programme aims to:

• Raise awareness of the historic environment under woodland management
• Review survey and mapping methods
• Provide informed guidance on the management of the Historic Environment to enable preservation
• Maintain close collaboration with heritage organisations
• Increase understanding of the history of our woods
• Monitor and review current management practice to allow further improvements to guidance to be made
• Disseminate information and findings.

Woodland Heritage Services

We can help you manage local and regional heritage projects involving woodland and can provide light detection and ranging (LiDAR) services to map the ground surface.

More details about our Woodland Heritage Services

Funders and partners

This research is funded by the following Forestry Commission programmes:

• Heritage and archaeology
• Veteran trees and woodland history

Forestry Commission policy

The historic environment is an important part of our heritage and contributes significantly to our understanding of human past. In woodland, as with other environments, its conservation is highly important.

This is reflected in a key Forestry Commission objective on sustainable forestry which includes the commitments that:

• Important historic environment features should be protected during woodland and forest management, planning and expansion.
• The history of woods and forests and the land they occupy should be better understood and preserved.

Contact

Peter Crow
Forest Research
Alice Holt Lodge
Farnham
Surrey GU10 4LH

Tel: 01420 526168
Fax: 01420 23653
Email: peter.crow@forestry.gsi.gov.uk