Improving linkage between deadwood habitats

make provision for deadwood when harvesting or thinning, rather than carrying out separate operations. A good starting point is to retain areas where deadwood can be grouped with live stems, native trees and shrubs, riparian zones and other semi-natural vegetation or wet flushes –rather than scattering it across the coupe. The location of these ‘within-coupe retentions’ should vary from coupe to coupe, with some in full sun in the middle of the coupes and others in shadier conditions near coupe edges (Table 2). Artificial snags and high stumps can be created by using a harvester head to cut the upper part of the tree and removing the foliage to a height dependent on machine capabilities and safety considerations (Figure 19). Diversifying woodland structure and adopting lower-impact silvicultural systems can also have a positive impact on deadwood, if undertaken sensitively with an eye to promoting dead and decaying wood habitats wherever possible, such as by retaining thinning residues and windblown patches. An important consideration in High and Medium value sites is to identify and retain potential veteran trees, while prolonging the life of existing veterans until the new ones can be recruited (Table 2).

Figure 19 Creating artificial snags using a harvester, such as in this example at Abernethy Forest in Scotland, can help maintain a supply of fresh deadwood which is beneficial to a range of species.

Figure 20 The landscape context should be considered when planning the provision of deadwood.

©RSPB

Enhancing linkage between existing areas of deadwood can be achieved by targeting the creation of deadwood to enable buffering of High and Medium value sites (Table 2). In addition, establishing deadwood habitat within the wider landscape can also increase ecological connectivity, improving the chances of deadwood species being able to move through the landscape (Figure 20).