Ipsden Heath - Ipsden

Long term intentions

This woodland will be managed to meet the Trust's aims for biodiversity and public access. Although the wood does not appear on the register of ancient woodland it lays next to an ancient woodland site. The flora within the woodland are characteristic of an ancient woodland and the predominantly broadleaved character ensures that this woodland will carry much of the ancient semi natural woodland characteristics in the future. If this was a wooded common it may not have been put on the register, so this will be a net increase to the total amount of Ancient Woodland in Buckinghamshire. Further historical investigation may be able to clarify this.

The conifer on the site will be progressively removed and is likely to be felled by 2015 . There is an opportunity to remove these earlier than full rotation as they have been planted under mature and early mature oak and beech. Some of the smaller material will be thinned to waste with the remainder being removed form the site.

Several of the roadside trees will be felled due to tree safety within the next five years, which will release the young regeneration. This will be thinned in the vicinity of the road to ensure a healthy and stable tree stock, reducing the need for more tree surgery in the future. Trees within the wood will be left to naturally collapse which will allow the abundant ash and beech regeneration to fill the gaps

There are several large oak trees in a glade adjacent to Compartment 1c Thinning should release these and they will be retained in perpetuity as old growth features in this woodland.

Ultimately this woodland will be one compartment of mixed ash beech oak high forest with scattered cherry and yew, with public access available through out the site due to the sparseness of understorey. It will be a place where the public will hold the spring display of bluebells in high regard.