Beaulieu Wood - Monmouth
Site Description
Beaulieu Wood, comprising 16.6ha ancient woodland and replanted ancient woodland. These have been identified as two of the Key features of the site. It occupies a prominent position within the Wye Valley AONB overlooking the River Wye and town of Monmouth to the west. It is situated immediately north of the National Trust property at the Kymin which includes the prominent local landmarks of the Naval Temple and Round House.
Indeed, historically, "Beaulieu Grove" played an important role as part of the designed landscape of the Kymin. The majority of the woodland was replanted in the 1950s and 1960s, primarily with single species conifer stands (Douglas fir, western hemlock, larch, pine) with lesser areas of birch, beech and sycamore. Within the plantation the shrub layer is almost absent and the field/ground layer generally suppressed. Small areas were clear felled in the 1990s and here birch regeneration is patchy (and regeneration of other species almost absent). Further areas of conifer were felled in 2005 and replanted with broadleaf trees. Along the ridge to the east of the site, mature semi-natural woodland remains comprising mature beech and oak, much of which has arisen from large coppice stools (with one mature beech pollard). The canopy is generally closed resulting in few shrubs (scattered rowan and holly) and much bare ground. Where the canopy is more open (for example under areas of oak), bracken, broad-buckler fern, bramble and bilberry occur. Along the northern margin a fringe of more diverse semi-natural woodland remains comprising ash, sessile oak, wild cherry, silver birch, goat willow and hazel. Several southern wood-ant (a UK BAP priority species) nests are present.
The aim of management will be to restore the ancient woodland to predominantly broadleaved tree species. This will be achieved by progressive light thinning and creating gaps to allow broadleaved trees to establish.
Public access has been identified as the third Key feature. Several public and permissive footpaths cross or border the site and access is from Forest Enterprise land to the north, The Kymin National Trust property to the south east and the Offa's Dyke path which runs along the south-western margin of the wood.
