Woodland Surveys & Management Plans
Effective woodland management begins with a clear understanding of what you have, what condition it is in, and what you want to achieve.
Urban Tree Management provides woodland surveys and management plans for private landowners, estate managers, local authorities, conservation organisations, and housing associations across Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Cheshire, Merseyside, and nationwide.
Whether your woodland is a small amenity copse, a semi-ancient site with veteran trees, or a larger block affected by ash dieback or invasive species, we will help you understand your obligations, identify your options, and produce a management plan that delivers your objectives sustainably over the long term.
Woodland Surveys
A woodland survey provides a comprehensive baseline assessment of the current condition and composition of your woodland. The survey examines the species of trees and shrubs present across the site, the age structure and condition of the woodland canopy, the ground flora and understorey composition, soil type and drainage, topography, and the presence of any features of ecological or heritage significance such as ancient woodland indicators, veteran trees, deadwood habitats, or watercourses.
The survey also identifies management issues that need to be addressed, including damage caused by grey squirrels or deer, the presence and spread of invasive non-native species such as sycamore, rhododendron, or turkey oak, the presence and extent of ash dieback, and any immediate safety concerns arising from structurally compromised trees near paths, roads, or areas of public access. All findings are presented in a clear written report that forms the evidence base for the woodland management plan.
Woodland Management Plans
A woodland management plan sets out a structured, phased programme of work to achieve your objectives for the woodland over a defined timescale — typically five, ten, or twenty-five years, though plans for historic or ancient woodland sites may look further ahead. The plan first identifies your objectives, which may include improving habitat for wildlife, managing veteran and ancient trees, increasing structural diversity through thinning or coppicing, controlling invasive species, addressing ash dieback, managing public access routes safely, producing timber or biomass, or improving the woodland's contribution to biodiversity net gain.
Once the objectives are agreed, the management plan sets out the specific interventions required, their timing and phasing, the expected outcomes, and the monitoring measures needed to assess progress. We work closely with our clients throughout the planning process to ensure the plan is practical, achievable within available budgets, and aligned with any grant funding or agri-environment scheme requirements that may apply to the site.
Ash Dieback in Woodland
Ash dieback is now present across the vast majority of woodlands in Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Cheshire, and the wider North West, and managing its impact is one of the most significant challenges currently facing woodland owners. Where ash is a dominant or co-dominant species in your woodland, a structured ash dieback survey and management plan is essential to understand the current extent of infection, model the likely progression of the disease, identify the trees that pose the greatest safety risk, and plan a phased programme of removal and restocking that maintains the ecological integrity and structural diversity of the woodland over time.
Urban Tree Management carries out Phase 1 and Phase 2 ash dieback surveys as part of the wider woodland survey process, ensuring that the management plan addresses the disease in the context of the woodland as a whole rather than as an isolated safety exercise.
Biodiversity Net Gain and Woodland
Woodlands are one of the most valuable habitats for biodiversity net gain purposes, and well-managed woodland can make a significant contribution to BNG targets on development sites. Where woodland is present on or adjacent to a development site, or where new woodland creation is being considered as a BNG measure, Urban Tree Management can provide the baseline woodland survey data, habitat condition assessments, and management planning input required to support a BNG calculation and demonstrate measurable biodiversity improvement over time.
Who We Work With
Urban Tree Management provides woodland surveys and management plans for private landowners and estates, housing associations and registered providers, local authorities and parish councils, conservation trusts and wildlife organisations, developers requiring ancient woodland or woodland habitat assessments for planning purposes, and land managers seeking to access woodland grant schemes or agri-environment funding. Whatever the size or condition of your woodland, we will provide honest, practical advice and a professionally produced management plan that meets your specific needs and objectives.
Experts to help you meet your objectives and manage your woodland
We want to know your needs exactly so that we can provide the perfect solution. Let us know what you want and we’ll do our best to help.