College Wood - Nash, Bletchley

Long term intentions

The overall objective is to improve the community viability of the various plants and animals typical of SNAW that make College Wood of special interest. To be achieved through the enhancement of the structural and species diversity of the site, and to allow visitors to enjoy this special interest

- To return the majority of the coniferised area to broadleaved cover, with ash as the dominant species but maintaining the present diversity of other native species in the canopy and understorey

- To monitor the sycamore % within the wood and control if thought necessary

- To work towards the wood being stocked with a higher proportion of overmature, dying and dead trees (both standing and fallen)

- To maintain and enhance the open rides by appropriate ride widening, biennial mowing and rideside coppicing

- To preserve features of archaeological interest

- To preserve open public access on foot including access for the less able

It is thought that coppice with standards was the management method employed in the past. From a document search it is clear that this may only have been abandoned in the late 1940's or early1950's. The Forestry Commission Acquisition Report of 1953 describes the wood as a mixture of 10-year-old coppice with standards, scrub and 'devastated' recently coppiced woodland. Similarly the records from the NCC about the occurrence of several coppice woodland butterflies are also indicative of a relatively late abandonment of coppicing on a fairly large scale.

Coppicing will be introduced on a limited scale where this is beneficial for ride maintenance or the breaking up of even aged broadleaved stands and where there is a good ground flora still present in compartments 1f,1G, 3a and 3c ( 14ha) . Along main ride and sections of rides 5,6 and 7 a ride edge coppicing programme will be instigated with the intention of maintaining a variety of ecological niches throughout the wood. Ride edge coppicing will occur on a short rotation of up to 10 years, mowing of ride edges will take place on a biennial regime on main ride . Annual mowing will still occur on the entire ride network.

The majority of the rest of the wood not under coppice management or in limited intervention areas will be managed on a continuous cover high forest system utilising natural regeneration where possible. This system to be introduced once the conifer element has been largely removed and broadleaved trees once again dominate the canopy. Assuming a 'rotation' length of 250 years in order to maintain regeneration of the wood as a whole a regeneration target of 1.7ha per decade would be required. Where natural regeneration is unsuccessful this may be supplemented by planting stock raised from seed collected within the wood. This figure of 1.7Ha would include areas naturally regenerating through wind throw and natural glade creation in the limited intervention area. The size of the deer population and its effects on the regeneration of the wood will be monitored and action will be taken to control excessive browsing.

The importance of monitoring and survey must be recognised and information on the woodland community must be brought up to date within the life of this management plan. Further survey and monitoring must be continued over the next few decades to built up an accurate picture of the wood fauna and flora.

As up to date information becomes available changes in the management of specific areas of wood may be required. At present there is little information on the following major ecological groups: - Birds, mammals, invertebrates.

The Trusts corporate objective of no loss of ancient woodland will be achieved by continuing the coppicing programme along the ride margins and through the management of the site as continuous cover high forest and coppice with standards.

The Trusts corporate objective of Improving woodland biodiversity will be achieved by continuing the coppicing programme along the ride margins and by designating compartments 1c, 2b, and 3g limited intervention zones.

Maintaining the ride system, ensuring safe access and providing on site interpretation will achieve the Trusts corporate objective of increasing enjoyment of woodland

The Trusts corporate objective of creating new native woodland has been achieved by the planting of 1.8Ha of new woodland in compartment 4a.