About the forest plan area

Eastmoors and Riccaldale Forest Plan covers 1,101 hectares in the south-west of the North York Moors National Park, near Helmsley. The forest is a diverse mosaic of conifer and broadleaf woodland, ancient woodland, heathland, grassland and agricultural land.

Conifer species make up 53% of the forest, primarily pine, larch and spruce, while broadleaves account for 26%, including birch, sycamore, ash and oak. The forest contains over 260 hectares of Ancient Woodland, including 137 hectares of Plantation on Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS), making ancient woodland restoration an important management objective.

Objectives of the plan

All management follows the UK Forestry Standard and UK Woodland Assurance Standard. The plan prioritises:

Sustainable Timber Production

• Maintaining a sustainable timber supply through thinning, LISS and carefully designed clearfelling.
• Diversifying productive conifer species and encouraging natural regeneration.

Biodiversity

• Restoring PAWS and improving ancient woodland condition.
• Increasing deadwood, species diversity and structural diversity.
• Protecting and enhancing habitats for priority species, including woodland birds, Northern hairy wood ant, otter and heathland species.

Forest resilience

• Increasing tree species and age diversity to improve resilience to climate change, pests and diseases.
• Expanding the use of Low Impact Silvicultural Systems (LISS) and introducing Forest Development Types.

People and landscape

• Enhancing the forest’s contribution to the North York Moors landscape.
• Protecting heritage features and maintaining access opportunities for visitors. 

The plan sets out management proposals for the period 2026-2036.

Management will combine clearfelling and Low Impact Silvicultural Systems to improve woodland resilience, diversify habitats and continue PAWS restoration.

Much of the forest (435 ha)will continue to be managed under LISS, helping to create a more diverse and resilient woodland structure while supporting sustainable timber production and biodiversity objectives.

Monitoring and review

Forest management will be formally reviewed in 2031 and 2036 to assess progress against the plan's objectives for wildlife, people, climate resilience and sustainable timber production. Monitoring will include woodland condition, species and structural diversity, PAWS restoration progress, operational delivery and forest certification compliance.