Landward Research Ltd are delighted to have worked with the South Downs National Park Authority to produce
Guidelines for the Stewardship of Heritage Assets in Forestry Management,
as part of the Secrets of the High Woods programme.
Coralie Mills of Dendrochronicle and Gordon Brown of John Clegg & Co worked with Doug Rocks-Macqueen to write these guidelines, which Landward Research Ltd are very pleased to have published on behalf of SDNPA. Quonya Huff designed the publication, which showcases Landward’s expertise in working collaboratively at the interface between heritage and natural environment.
These guidelines have been produced as a consequence of an idea which developed during the Secrets of the High Woods project, as described by Ian McConnell in the recently published Secrets of the High Woods project book (McConnell in Manley 2016). That is, to engage with local foresters and land managers to make them aware of the newly discovered archaeological resources within their estates so that the potential impacts of forestry activities on those resources could be mitigated in practical ways. These guidelines are the result of consultation with those foresters and land managers of the wooded estates.
The document briefly reviews the Secrets of the High Woods project, legislation, standards & guidance surrounding forestry management and the archaeology of the area. The appendices cover these topics in greater depth. The heart of the guidelines covers how to obtain archaeological advice and how resources, like Historic Environment Records, are available to support the protection of heritage assets. Furthermore, it presents several case studies from the South Downs that highlight best practice being undertaken in forestry work to avoid damaging cultural heritage assets.
