Farming & Forestry - Forestry

Woodland in the AONB is generally under-managed and timber production is now a marginal activity.  Amenity use (access and for game conservancy) and the nature conservation value of woodland are of increasing importance.

The annual yield of timber on the Isle of Wight is in the order of 25,000 tonnes.  The need for a local timber treatment plant and the lack of an Island market for woodland products, causes difficulties and reduces profit margins because of off-Island transportation costs.

Plantation forestry under the control of Forest Enterprise is largely exported to the mainland for timber and pulp for cardboard.  There are two medium sized active sawmills in operation on the Isle of Wight, but the softwood market remains small.  Increasing regulation in response to a more litigious society is having an impact on these small businesses.  New markets may emerge as the result of the need to meet targets for renewable energy production.  The use of wood and woodland thinning material as biomass to supply a combined heat and power plant, may prove to be an important market for woodland products.

Recent grant funding initiatives have proved to be very successful forms of agricultural diversification.  There is a need to develop a strategic, long-term understanding of how such areas of new planting will impact on the landscape of the AONB.  'Visulands' is a new European partnership study into using GIS based information to create scenarios for planting schemes, model their visual impact and assess the potential for nature conservation, in order to ensure that correct decisions are made.  The Isle of Wight is one of three areas in the UK to have been selected to trial the scheme.

Ancient woodlands are generally considered to be the most important for biodiversity, but most have no statutory protection.  Securing funding for their appropriate management will help to secure their future.

JIGSAW (Joining and Increasing Grant Scheme for Ancient Woodland) is one such scheme for establishing and managing new broadleaved woodland on the Island.  Between 2001 and 2003, £528,000 was provided by the Forestry Commission to Island landowners to plant broadleaved woodland.  A total of 142 hectares was planted, either by adding to ancient woodland or forming links between two or more ancient woods.