Determining priority areas for native woodland expansion and restoration in Snowdonia National Park, Wales

Abstract

There has been much interest recently in large-scale forest conservation and the development of forest habitat networks, but the available work is mainly couched in general terms, or lies inaccessible in commissioned reports. In this study we developed a method for identifying priority areas for native woodland creation and restoration using a Geographical Information System (GIS). Ecological criteria were employed that integrate the requirements for successful woodland expansion from the nature conservation point of view and specific policy aims. The Snowdonia National Park in Wales, UK, was used as a pilot area for developing and testing the methodology, but it could be used in any analysis requiring the identification of optimal locations for native woodland expansion at a regional or large-district scale.