Lydford Forest Plan
Lydford Forest Plan consultation
Forest plans define the long-term, beyond-our-lifetime vision for our woods and set out how we will work towards this vision over the next ten years.
The Forest Plan for Forestry England's Lydford Forest (which includes Lydford Forest, Burley Down and the Brentor Woods) is being renewed and we'd love feedback on the draft plan from those who use and value Lydford Forest. The draft will be available online to look at and comment on until Friday 13 October 2023.
Please follow the link below and select 'Lydford Forest Plan questionnaire' from the list.
About the forest plan
The Lydford Forest Plan covers 236 hectares of coniferous and broadleaved woodland and open land between Okehampton and Tavistock in Devon, just outside the western boundary of Dartmoor National Park. The plan area includes Lydford Forest itself and Burleydown and Brentor woods.
The Two Castles trail through Burleydown overlooks the steep sided wooded valleys and terraces around the upper reaches of the river Lyd, with Dartmoor rising beyond. Together with sheltered hamlets and farmsteads and a network of fast flowing streams and sunken lanes, the woods here form a diverse mosaic of dynamic habitats.
Heathland restoration in Burleydown is being extended to provide open habitat links with the rough grassland to the north of this secondary woodland. By contrast most of Lydford and Brentor is classed as ancient woodland, much of it Plantation on Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS) with remnants of ancient semi-natural oakwood among the planted trees.
The woods are rich in wildlife and provide habitat for several European Protected Species. Otters thrive in Lydford and dormice are found in hazel coppice throughout the plan area. There are raven nest sites and a heronry here, and raptors perch in the tall conifers.
Lydford is identified as a nationally important site in the joint Butterfly Conservation and Forestry Commission strategy for Lepidoptera, and rare Pearl-bordered, Small pearl-bordered and Silver-washed Fritillaries are all found here. Management of open areas and forest rides will extend habitat for these and many other butterflies.
As part of the nation's forests the woods here are dedicated as access land under the Countryside and Rights Of Way Act. The network of forest roads and informal paths is well used by local visitors, and there is a car park and picnic area near the entrance to Lydford Forest. Lydford also hosts educational events organised in partnership with the National Trust, Dartmoor National Park and others.
There are three Scheduled Monuments in Lydford Forest; an iron age hillfort and settlement, an iron age enclosure, and a streamwork and boundary bank from the historic tin mining industry. Plans for their preservation have been agreed with Historic England. Many other heritage features from prehistory to modern times have also been identified throughout the plan area.