Woodlands

The woodlands on the Estate are diverse and their conservation is managed by a small department, with the assistance of local volunteers and outside specialist expertise.

Woodland management has been a significant part of the Dartington story for many years and over much of this century has often shown the way to other woodland owners with new ideas and innovative silvicultural practices.
NOTE: Dormice are a protected species and permission for a licence needs to be obtained from English Nature, before handling for scientific research can be undertaken.

Now in the 21st century it still plays an important role but it’s influence has changed due to a large reduction in the woodland area owned by the Trust, from over 890 Ha (2200 acres) at one time to approximately 121 Ha (300 acres) today.

This reduction in area and the change in approach to woodland management adopted in the early 1990s have resulted in a fundamental shift of emphasis away from a narrow financial objective of optimising profit to a broader more holistic approach. The change in focus to optimising the ecological value of the wood, improving it’s amenity and aesthetic qualities whilst paying due regard to it’s impact on the local landscape and at the same time practising appropriate silviculture has been recognised by two awards.

In 1994 the award of the Soil Association’s Woodmark indicated that the woodland complied with their Responsible Forestry Standards and were therefore being managed sustainably. This, in keeping with the pioneering work of Dartington, was the first woodland in England to gain this award.

Another award was made in 1996 when the Forestry Authority declared the woodlands at Dartington to be a Centre of Excellence. This was given in recognition of the wood “growing timber in environmentally sound ways” and is one of only 100 woodlands nationally to be given this award.

The progress made to date will be continued with new ideas and innovative ways of working being developed and implemented. In particular, it is the intention to build and strengthen links with the local community to both create and develop local markets for wood products but also to foster a care and understanding of the woodlands on the Estate.

Local contractors and craftsmen are used to undertake the work. The Estate aims to encourage local groups, schools and training organisations to use the woodland for research and education and provide opportunities for the community to be involved in all aspects of the management of the woods.

To Conservation…