We are working on a number of academic and non-academic outputs, which will be posted here as they become available.
Preprints of academic papers
1. Fleiss, S., Burton, V., Ambrose-Oji, B., Barley, L., Beavan, K., Braunholtz, L., Broughton, R.K., Dear, E., Gilbert, H., Gullett, P.R., Grayson, W., Greenhouse, S., Guy, M., Knight, J., Koricheva, J., Murphy, T.M., North, M., Orchard, R., Park, K.J., Porton, G., Sargent, I., Scott, C.E., Spracklen, D.V., Steward, C., Stubbs, D., Sutherland, J., Thompson, R., Williams, R., Fuentes-Montemayor, E., Watts, K., Metzger, M.J. (2025) Creating woodland through natural processes: Current understanding and knowledge gaps in Great Britain. Preprint available at EcoEvoRxiv: https://doi.org/10.32942/X2XD04
2. Hughes, S.M., Silva, T., Braunholtz, L.D., Watts, K., Guy, M., Park, K., Burton, V., Metzger, M.J., Koricheva, J., Fuentes-Montemayor, E. (2025) Structural Development and Complexity in Young Woodlands: A Uas-Lidar Study Across a Continuum of Establishment Methods from Planting to Natural Colonisation. Preprint available at SSRN: http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5235699
2. Hughes, S.M., Silva, T., Braunholtz, L.D., Watts, K., Guy, M., Park, K., Burton, V., Metzger, M.J., Koricheva, J., Fuentes-Montemayor, E. (2025) Structural Development and Complexity in Young Woodlands: A Uas-Lidar Study Across a Continuum of Establishment Methods from Planting to Natural Colonisation. Preprint available at SSRN: http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5235699
Magazine articles
The Woodland Trust published a 4-page feature with the title ‘Running Wild’ in the Spring 2025 issue of Broadleaf, the magazine for members of the Woodland Trust (image on left). The article can be downloaded here.
The Institute of Chartered Foresters in the Spring 2025 issue of their members magazine TREES. The article can be downloaded here.
The Institute of Chartered Foresters in the Spring 2025 issue of their members magazine TREES. The article can be downloaded here.
Case study portfolio - woodland creation through natural colonisation
Click image to access PDF
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We collated 15 case studies of woodland creation through natural colonisation across Great Britain (nine in the uplands and six in the lowlands), to address a key knowledge need highlighted by discussions with the practitioners. The case-studies can be downloaded by clicking on the pdf. Case studies were provided by our collaborators and contacts from the project’s extended network. Natural colonisation at the case study sites spans 0.5–1000+ ha and 2–70+ years. Natural colonisation was chosen as an approach to woodland establishment in most case studies to restore biodiversity, often as part of a wider initiative, often combined with tree planting. Many case studies highlight the importance of a nearby seed source and low levels of herbivory (particularly by deer) for successful seedling establishment. However, outcomes were highly variable, both among and within sites, with a broad range of lessons learned and knowledge gaps highlighted reported by Fleiss et al., (2025). |
Frequently Asked Questions
We collated current evidence and knowledge into a set of FAQs on woodland creation carried out via natural processes. The FAQs can be downloaded here: http://dx.doi.org/10.7488/era/5931
The FAQs were developed through discussions with practitioner experts (the KUB and Project Advisory Group) and incorporate the best available evidence from leading academics. The intention of these FAQs is to share current knowledge about natural processes and hybrid approaches, and to help land managers and advisers make informed decisions when creating woodlands.
The FAQs were developed through discussions with practitioner experts (the KUB and Project Advisory Group) and incorporate the best available evidence from leading academics. The intention of these FAQs is to share current knowledge about natural processes and hybrid approaches, and to help land managers and advisers make informed decisions when creating woodlands.
Monitoring natural processes and hybrid methods
From discussion with land managers it became clear that simple and adaptable monitoring guidance aimed at advisers and land managers would help to both increase uptake of natural processes and confidence that uptake will be successful if management actions can be informed and timely. We adapted an established experiment design from the research team and collated input on which indicators would be useful to monitor from the Knowledge User Board.
We developed a short guidance document describing how to collect robust data on the progress of natural processes. The monitoring guidance can be downloaded here: http://dx.doi.org/10.7488/era/5930
We developed a short guidance document describing how to collect robust data on the progress of natural processes. The monitoring guidance can be downloaded here: http://dx.doi.org/10.7488/era/5930
Illustrations of alternative woodland creation methods
We produced a set of illustrations to provide a visual way of communicating alternative creation methods to policy makers, advisers and land managers. The illustration can be downloaded here: http://dx.doi.org/10.7488/era/5929
There are three sets of illustrations, described below:
There are three sets of illustrations, described below:
- Definitions: this set defines the difference between natural colonisation and natural regeneration and provides definitions of creation methods from active approaches (planting), through hybrid approaches, to passive approaches (natural processes).
- Woodland development through time: for each method (planting, hybrid, natural processes) these show how a woodland might develop through time at three time points (0-5 years, 10-20 years, 50+ years)
- Management interventions: these vignettes outline possible management actions that might take place as a woodland establishes.
Training events for practitioners
TreE PlaNat funded the inaugural two-day training event on natural processes aimed at advisers and land managers, in collaboration with the National Forest. To find out more, contact [email protected].
This combined sharing the latest research findings with providing a framework for assessing sites for their suitability for natural processes and making decisions on tree species and method choice. Learning has since been incorporated into the Woodland Trust’s Conservation Training Programme, with two further events running in collaboration with Natural England in 2025. These events will likely continue to be part of the programme in future years.
This combined sharing the latest research findings with providing a framework for assessing sites for their suitability for natural processes and making decisions on tree species and method choice. Learning has since been incorporated into the Woodland Trust’s Conservation Training Programme, with two further events running in collaboration with Natural England in 2025. These events will likely continue to be part of the programme in future years.
Demonstration site
We established a new natural colonisation demonstration site, to allow practitioners to visit, observe and discuss natural approached to woodland creation. To find out, contact [email protected]
Uptake of natural colonisation within new woodland planting schemes in the National Forest has historically been low, meaning there are few examples of its success across the Forest. The National Forest Company (NFC) were therefore keen to create a new scheme that demonstrates to local land managers how natural processes can be used alongside tree planting to maximise woodland creation benefits.
The new demonstration site lies close to Measham village in North West Leicestershire, and forms part of a larger complex of new woodlands known as Minorca Woods and owned by the NFC. The demonstration site itself is 21 ha in total, the majority of which was formally a single large arable field. When designing this scheme, the NFC Estate Officer wanted to incorporate woodland creation methods less common throughout the National Forest, to show land managers the range of options available. Here, land managers can see examples of short rotation forestry, amenity tree planting, wetland creation, and natural colonisation.
The area given over to natural colonisation is a 2 ha strip adjacent to the neighbouring existing woodland. The maximum distance from the seed source is ~75 m to match in with national grant offerings. Since the purpose of the site is demonstration, the NFC was keen to ensure the options reflected what is currently available to land managers through national funding mechanisms. One hectare of the area was left without any planting, and the other hectare was sparsely planted (100 stems/ha). There is also a compartment of native broadleaf planting adjacent to the existing woodland, meaning the NFC can monitor and compare these methods over time.
The site has already hosted over 50 visitors keen to understand what success looks like in the National Forest. This includes teams from the Department of Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (Defra), Forestry England, and National Landscapes. Further visits for local land managers and guests from the Royal Forestry are planned soon.
Uptake of natural colonisation within new woodland planting schemes in the National Forest has historically been low, meaning there are few examples of its success across the Forest. The National Forest Company (NFC) were therefore keen to create a new scheme that demonstrates to local land managers how natural processes can be used alongside tree planting to maximise woodland creation benefits.
The new demonstration site lies close to Measham village in North West Leicestershire, and forms part of a larger complex of new woodlands known as Minorca Woods and owned by the NFC. The demonstration site itself is 21 ha in total, the majority of which was formally a single large arable field. When designing this scheme, the NFC Estate Officer wanted to incorporate woodland creation methods less common throughout the National Forest, to show land managers the range of options available. Here, land managers can see examples of short rotation forestry, amenity tree planting, wetland creation, and natural colonisation.
The area given over to natural colonisation is a 2 ha strip adjacent to the neighbouring existing woodland. The maximum distance from the seed source is ~75 m to match in with national grant offerings. Since the purpose of the site is demonstration, the NFC was keen to ensure the options reflected what is currently available to land managers through national funding mechanisms. One hectare of the area was left without any planting, and the other hectare was sparsely planted (100 stems/ha). There is also a compartment of native broadleaf planting adjacent to the existing woodland, meaning the NFC can monitor and compare these methods over time.
The site has already hosted over 50 visitors keen to understand what success looks like in the National Forest. This includes teams from the Department of Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (Defra), Forestry England, and National Landscapes. Further visits for local land managers and guests from the Royal Forestry are planned soon.