Snaizeholme: a big, bold boost for northern nature

Many centuries ago, the glacial Snaizeholme valley was part of the Forest of Wensleydale but farming practices over generations have left it almost devoid of tree cover. Across the Yorkshire Dales National Park, tree cover is now less than 5%, of which only 1% is ancient woodland. Funding from the White Rose Forest Trees for Climate programme, part of the Government’s Nature for Climate fund, individual supporters, charitable trusts and corporate partners is enabling The Woodland Trust to move forward with an exciting plan that could set a precedent (and importantly provide the data) for climate-positive, mosaic landscape restoration in the UK’s deforested and degraded uplands.

In February, FSC UK’s Forests & Ecosystem Services Manager, Karen Paterson and Communications Manager, Tallulah Chapman were treated to typically variable weather during their visit. The site is notable both as one of the boldest habitat restoration projects in the English uplands, and, not unrelatedly, as one of the wettest places in Yorkshire. Karen and Tallulah were given a tour, which started in sunshine and ended in snow, by Site Manager, Alec Pue and Sonia Lorenzo Martin, UK Operations Manager – Forestry Standards for The Woodland Trust. As we climb the valley’s slopes, we observe the varied native tree saplings newly in situ, the bryophytes already newly emerging since grazing has been restricted, and the small but dedicated army of workers continuing their unenviable mission to plant more than 700 acres of the exposed site.

Twenty-one streams run down through the valley into Snaizeholme Beck, forming part of the water catchment for the city of York, parts of which are increasingly prone to flooding as are many of the villages and towns downstream of Snaizeholme. Baseline data, explains Alec, demonstrates that water currently passes very quickly through the valley. The Woodland Trust hope that their interventions, including returning the stone used hundreds of years ago to create walls to more natural locations, restoring peatland and using leaky dams, will help to slow the flow over time. Alec points out the whole, felled trees and root balls that have been strategically placed in the Beck and how these are helping it to return to a more natural and meandering course.

The site is a flagship woodland creation project for the White Rose Forest, the Community Forest for North and West Yorkshire and the Northern Forest. Now in the third planting season, this complex habitat restoration and nature recovery project sees 700 acres of native tree saplings planted alongside huge restoration projects, including 280 acres of upland peat bog, 180 acres of limestone pavement and over 200 acres of riverside meadows.

The valuable peatland at Snaizeholme is currently very dry and the Trust are working with the Yorkshire Peat Partnership to rewet and restore this incredible habitat. The rewetted peat will be a huge sink for carbon and an incredible resource in combatting flooding.

Indicating areas planted in different seasons, Alec says they’ve had mixed results. But despite challenges securing enough suitable trees, the exposed site, and some surreptitious browsing by members of a nearby deer herd, he’s pleased. Different densities of trees planted across the site will create groves, glades and open woodlands that gently transition into and connect with the other habitats, all delivered without the use of plastic tree guards or herbicides. Deer, rabbits and sheep can cause havoc by browsing and nibbling at newly planted saplings, but the Trust have pledged to use plastic-free alternatives to tree guards across their sites. At a site as exposed as Snaizeholme, explains Alec, saplings need to be able to establish themselves without protection to survive long term without human intervention. The deliberately irregular planting and inevitable loss of some saplings will also help to create a more natural scheme.