SENCE Case Study – Informing Afforestation Policy

This is the subject of a project being carried out with the RSPB. Environment Systems has been commissioned to investigate a number of different scenarios to benefit both ecosystem services and species. In this project, the focus has been on black grouse (Tetrao tetrix), which is a threatened species with important but fragmented populations in areas of north Wales. A moorland fringe species, black grouse inhabit areas containing a mosaic of wetland, heath, grassland, and woodland edge habitat. The thinking is that expanding the wooded areas in key places would increase the resilience of existing populations by connecting areas of fragmented habitat and connecting disparate populations. Planting in these areas is also likely to lead to an increase in water quality and a reduction in water flow peaks which can help flood alleviation. There are therefore good reasons to consider tree planting in specific areas to achieve these multiple benefits.
In this WG funded project RSPB are carrying out research into the diversity of bird species associated with different woodland types, whilst Environment Systems are carrying out carbon storage and sequestration analyses, surface water regulation modelling, and tree-planting opportunity modelling. There is a rich source of up-to-date data available, which makes the modelling work more compelling. We are building on previous work on ‘GIS for Area Statements’ for Natural Resources Wales (NRW), and a series of datasets modelling biophysical suitability for tree planting, created for WG under the Capability, Suitability and Climate Programme. The analyses using our SENCE technology combine these datasets to identify areas where the soil, topography and climate are suitable for growing trees, but also considers real world constraints, excluding areas where it would not be possible or desirable to plant trees (areas of deep peat, Scheduled Ancient Monuments etc), and areas where tree planting may be possible but additional factors must be considered (‘sensitivities’ e.g., acid sensitive catchments, common land etc).
The output will be used to demonstrate how species and the biodiversity of an area can and should be considered alongside other ecosystem services and planting considerations to give a truly holistic approach.
View the project reports:
- Review of the wider biodiversity and ecosystem benefits of species recovery with specific reference to woodland creation in Wales.
- Integrating Nature Based Solutions to ensure species and people benefit: native broad-leaved woodland creation opportunities to enhance Black Grouse populations in the North Wales Moors