Woodland at Sutton Walls.

​

While the clear primary purpose of the SWCG is the preservation and promotion of the archaeology and history of the site, the location also serves an important ecological purpose given the diverse nature of the local flora and fauna, combined with good public access.

​

To this end SWCG has been looking at different ways in which we might be able to preserve and improve the diversity and sustainability of the ecology of the site, a very important part of which is the woodland there, and so in Spring 2024 we have decided to embark on the preparation of something called a “Woodland Management Plan” (WMP).

​

A WMP is a formal document whose purpose is to create a long-term (10 year) sustainable plan promoting best practice in woodland management and covering eight elements (biodiversity, climate change, historic, environment, landscape, people, soil, and water) and must comply with the government’s “UK Forestry Standard” and be approved by the Forestry Commission.

​

We are right at the very start of this process, and as we develop the draft plan we will be consulting with the local Parish Councils, our neighbours, and Historic England to both keep them informed and consider any views, and we will also publish further information on our website as the plan evolves.

​

You can find out more about WMPs at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/create-a-woodland-management-plan, and if you have any queries or observations about this then please do contact us at: suttonwallscg@gmail.com