About

The Silverstone Forest Plan (FP) covers 726ha and comprises 5 woodlands; Plumpton; Bucknell; Hazelborough North; Hazelborough South; Whistley Wood which lie in Northamptonshire, 20km west of Milton Keynes and 15km east of Banbury. Woodland cover is sparce in the area and Bucknell and the Hazelborough woodlands are the largest single blocks of woodland in the region. 

The woodlands have been dedicated as Open Access Land under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act providing the public with access on foot across each of the woodlands. The woodlands are used on a daily basis, predominantly by the local community, with a low to moderate number of visitors.

Objectives

The main objectives for the Silverston Forest plan :

Economic

• continue growing commercial timber using a variety of broadleaved and conifer species and increase use of species mixes, building resilience to the impacts of climate change, pests and diseases to maximise yields.
• continue management and restoration of Ancient Woodland.
• increase structural diversity, actively managing the woodland to promote age and species diversity.
• retain established sporting and commercial lets as a secondary income source. 

Environmental

• continue restoring planted Ancient Woodland through gradual reduction of exotic species and introduction of a variety of species better suited to the impacts of climate change, pests and diseases.
• identify key species and habitats appropriate provision for their requirements.
• manage open and woodland edge habitats on rotation for the benefit flora and fauna, maintaining botanically rich rides and continuing partnership with Butterfly Conservation to enhance habitat condition.
• identify existing Trees of Special Interest and manage appropriately to retain these, recruit future veteran trees and increase the volume and distribution of deadwood.
• conserve heritage features in line with Forestry England’s Historic Environment guidance. 

Social

• sustain informal public access throughout Silverstone Woodlands, maintaining car parking facilities at Hazelborough North.
• diversify species composition and structure and design and scale harvesting and thinning operations sympathetically to maintain aesthetic value where possible and integrate forest boundaries with the wider landscape.
• continue established sporting & commercial lets.
• engage with third party partners and businesses where compatible with wider Forest Plan objectives. 

What we'll do

The plan details management operations including approved felling and restocking for the 10 years to 2035, with outline proposals for a 50 year period.

The areas of felling and restocking planned for the 10 years to 2035 are summarised below. 

All above figures refer to the gross area to be felled and excludes thinning* operations

In addition to these defined operations, thinning operations will be carried out every five and ten year periods.

We will protect and, where appropriate, enhance all known sites of archaeological and ecological importance and all sites, regardless of their designation, will receive the same level of care during the planning and execution of forest operations. The operation planning system will ensure they are recognised and the proper measures for their protection are in place before work begins.

The areas of Lower Impact Silvicultural Systems (LISS) will be regenerated/replanted to diversify species and age structure and to continue to provide a sustainable timber resource, whilst mindful of the projected impacts of climate change.