Irthing Gorge Woodland - Gilsland

Long term intentions

Irthing Gorge is designated ‘ancient semi natural woodland’ meaning that woodland has been here for hundreds of years, typical of inaccessible gorge woodland. The northern part of the site is on the edge of Northumberland National Park, which extends eastwards over the surrounding moorland. The gorge woodland is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and consists of northern ashwood, birchwood and wet alder woodland characterising predominantly upland mixed broadleaved woodland NVC W9 into alder-ash woodland W7. The river Irthing is important for it’s excellent invertebrate assemblage and within a wider context the gorge woodland forms part of a mosaic of habitats, with the river and adjacent moorland, important for birds, especially waders and wildfowl.

It is the Trust’s objective to enhance the typical ancient characteristics of this woodland within the landscape and to maintain and improve the biodiversity of the whole woodland within the landscape, as well as increase people’s awareness and enjoyment of this ancient habitat. This is in line with the outcomes in the Trust's Action Plan 'Keeping Woodland Alive' and will be done through the management of 2 key features:

1) Informal Public Access: Public access will be maintained and encouraged throughout the woodland where safe to do so on over 300m of footpath, with the provision of entrances and access facilities as required; currently four entrances. Public information and promotion of the woodland both nationally through the Trusts publications, website and directory’s and locally will be enhanced where possible and posters will be used to inform and involve visitors with the woodland.

2) Ancient Semi Natural Woodland: The long term aim focuses on management of the overall habitat and is to maintain continuous cover high forest woodland and to maintain and enhance the variety and character of the broadleaved woodland types present, including northern ashwood, birchwood and wet alder woodland and where possible to further improve and extend the diversity and richness of this ancient woodland and maintain the uneven aged structure throughout the woodland with a well developed shrub layer, natural succession and typical ground flora to maintaining the continuity of this gorge woodland within the matrix of habitats. The condition aspired to will include the retention of old growth trees and of standing and fallen deadwood.

It is anticipated that these works will safeguard and enhance the existing environmental value of the wood and maintain and enhance the level of public access in the woodland.