About the forest plan area

The Cheviots Forest Plan combines the forests of Uswayford, Hepden Burn, Kidland and Kidland Lee. These forests are located within the Cheviot Hills north of the village of Alwinton within the Northumberland National Park and contribute to the Park’s objectives.

Uswayford and Hepden Burn sit together in the western side of the Bloodybush Edge/Yarnspath Hill ridge and is accessed along the hill track from Rowhope. Kidland and Kidland Lee forests lie on the eastern side of this hill range and are accessed from the track from Clennell Hall Farm.

Kidland Forest is a part of a larger forest landscape unit that is matched by a similar area of privately owned and managed forest. 

The forests in this plan make an important contribution to timber production in the wider North district landholding and as they progress through the first rotation, the effect of forest design in terms of breaking up coupe size, shape and species composition is beginning to make a clear visual impact. The forests are in an area of moderate to high wind hazard class, which limits the management options to clearfell on a typically 50 year rotation for conifers. This was reinforced by the winter storms of 2020/21 which tended to damage the older parts of the forests that were at or above terminal top height.

There is a strong conservation interest in this forest management unit which revolves around water, peat and habitats. The forest unit provides habitat that is important to species such as red squirrels and raptors and mammals such as badger and otter.

Both of the forests lie within the catchment of the River Coquet and its tributaries with the River Alwin, which is part of the River Coquet and Coquet Valley Woodlands SSSI, flowing from Kidland Forest. The new forest plan seeks to build on the aspiration to develop and increase diversity within riparian corridors. The 2020/21 storms created the opportunity to bring clearance of pure conifer plantation forward from several key riparian corridors and future restocking proposals set the direction to change forest composition in these zones.

Uswayford and Hepden Burn forests contain peat soils. Developments in UK guidelines for managing forests on peat soils have opened up the opportunity to move c60 ha towards restoration to peat-led habitats within this forest plan.

One Scheduled Ancient Monument (SAM) is present within Kidland (Memmerkirk Chapel) which include the remains of a chapel dating from the 14th to 17th century. This site is well documented and covered by a management plan previously agreed with English Heritage. A number of non-scheduled sites exist within the plan area including boundary and standing stones along the eastern boundary of Uswayford and the north-east boundary of Kidland. The ancient drovers route of ‘Salters Road’ which passes through Uswayford is the name given to part of a route believed to have been used by salt traders during medieval period.

Kidland is dedicated under the CROW Act as open access with the exception of a small area and is regularly used by the local community for walking, cycling and horse riding with a good system of internal public rights of way linking to the wider countryside. In contrast Uswayford, although freehold, is not dedicated for open access due to reservations within the original conveyance at the time of acquisition. Consequently access into Uswayford is restricted to public rights of way or access by ‘foot only’ across the open access land approaching the forest entrance. Due to its remoteness Uswayford visitor numbers are judged to be very low and usually in association with walking excursions to the wider area including accessing The Pennine Way to Cheviot, Salters Road, Clennell Street.

Objectives of the forest plan

Our aim is to create a more diverse and resilient woodland, with a greater range of species and habitats. The objectives of management here are:

For wildlife

• Promote the forests for the habitat it provides for species that find it difficult to thrive in the wider landscape, including red squirrels, goshawk, tree pipit, and pine marten.
• SSSI River Coquet & Coquet Valley Woodlands; maintain units in favourable condition by increasing the scale of the native wooded riparian zones.
• Protect water quality by following forest and water guidelines, expansion of riparian zones, restoration of peatland habitats and blocking of drains.
• Use of internal designations of long-term retention, minimum intervention area and natural reserves to create greater diversity in forest structure and diversity. 

For people

• Continue to maintain current access provision for low-key recreational use, ensure rights of way are kept clear.
• Keep the Memmerkirk Chapel Scheduled monument in favourable condition.
• Look for new sites and protect known historic sites during planning for operations.

For climate

• This plan seeks to harvest windblown timber within the next period, minimising economic and carbon losses.
• Introduce a more diverse range of conifer and broadleaved species in to the restocking options.   Manage this more diverse forest resource to be financially viable and provide timber to the local markets.
• Develop native woodland on the slopes and riparian zones where it can increase benefit and replace high input conifer plantation.
• Make the best decisions for the land by using the most up to date guidance to determine where to restore peatland habitats and where to maintain forest cover. 
• Sets the objective to commence a 25 year programme of peat restoration in Uswayford.

What we'll do

Over the next 10-year period we will:

• Upgrade and maintain forest access routes to allow management plans to be implemented. 
• Execute the felling plans to harvest timber over the 10 years to 2036.
• Implement the restocking proposals to drive the change in forest species, especially in the riparian zones, such as the Wolhope valley.
• Disconnect historic forest drainage systems from direct connectivity to the river systems.
• Prepare the plans for 60 ha of peat restoration. 
• Place greater importance on deer management and removing sheep from the forest to protect palatable conifers and broadleaves.  To achieve establishment of alternative species to Sitka spruce, we will use deer fencing where it is necessary. 

For further information regarding the future management of Cheviots, please refer to the full plan document below.