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Conservation of an area of woodland behind Garden Terrace, Dunstan

To : Craster and Dunstan Parish Council

From : Colin Biott (on behalf of the owners of numbers 1-4 Garden Terrace, Dunstan)

Date: 15 th April 2009 

Some people have shown interest in recent work, including fencing, which has been carried out in the area of woodland behind Garden Terrace, at the foot of Smithy Bank. For purposes of clarification, I am writing to provide the following information to the Parish Council.

1. As you will know, the woodland was bought in 2001 by the owners of numbers 1-4, Garden Terrace.

2. Rather than divide the land into separate sections, the owners decided to manage it as a single area of native woodland and, to this end, asked a solicitor to draw up a Declaration of Trust for conservation purposes. This document sets out restrictions and principles agreed by the four named trustees to guide the stewardship of the woodland.

3 A public footpath has been established through the wood, bird nest-boxes have been put in place, and, after lengthy treatment, a stand of invasive Japanese Knotweed has been almost eradicated.

4 After consulting the Woodland Trust, the owners/trustees asked the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) to survey the land (i), to provide management suggestions in order to improve the woodland for wildlife and to provide details for planting hedges of native species along the post and wire fencing which will provide a screen to the road, and demark the boundaries and the public footpath.

5 Prior to beginning work on new fencing, the trustees discussed their proposed plan, during a site visit, with an Area Countryside Officer from Northumberland County Council. After completion of the work the same officer returned to the site (24 th March 2009) and has since confirmed by letter that “he is satisfied that Craster Public Footpath No 20 has not been obstructed by the fence that the trustees have erected to either side of the route”.

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Note

(i) According to the FWAG survey, the woodland does not have any statutory designations. It has a plant community that is characterized by lowland, mixed, broadleaved woodland. A good range of birds was recorded and this suggests that the woodland is in good health. It is likely to be important for migrating birds in the autumn and it is also a good site for butterflies and moths through the summer months, as there is a mix of open woodland and scrub.