Design and plan a forest or woodland

This standard covers the activities required to design and plan a forest or woodland.
This may be by revising or revisiting existing plans, creating a new forest or woodland area or designing part of a community development project.

The standard covers designing and planning the establishment of trees on a given piece of land taking account of geographical, financial, legal and practical requirements and constraints.

You will need to take account of any restrictions affecting the work e.g. designated sites, presence of listed structures, wildlife, non-native invasive or protected species etc.
Your work must conform to all relevant legislation and codes of practice, industry standards and guidance.

Links to other NOS:
LANCS39 Conduct site assessments in the land-based and environmental sector
LANEnC5 Analyse data from field surveys and report findings
LANCS40 Evaluate options for the development of sites in the land-based and environmental sector
LANTw63 Develop a woodland management plan

1. maintain the health and safety of yourself and others at all times, in accordance with the relevant legislation and codes of practice
2. assess the risks associated with the site when carrying out a site survey in accordance with organisational procedures
3. clarify the purpose, scope and objectives of the forest or woodland development
4. check any designations or statutory requirements in place that may prohibit or place conditions on the work to be carried out and contact the relevant statutory body to obtain formal consent
5. check if an Environmental Impact Assessment is required
6. source planning information and regulatory requirements relating to forest or woodland development
7. carry out a site survey to provide key information for the forest or woodland plan
8. collect and collate site data of any significant features
9. interpret maps and analyse site data
10. identify and engage with key stakeholders and the local community
11. consider the environmental impact of the proposed forest or woodland development
12. assess the physical suitability of the site for the development of a forest or woodland
13. develop a design for the forest or woodland based on management objectives and site information
14. confirm that the design takes account of the relevant legal considerations, findings of the site survey and environmental impact assessment, stakeholder engagement, financial constraints, sustainable use of the site and future management implications
15. confirm compliance with the current version of the UK Forest Standard (UKFS)
16. develop plans for the activities required to implement the design
17. produce costings for the plans, including the initial and ongoing costs of implementation, possible income streams, grants or sources of funding
18. present the design and plans to the relevant person or authority and agree any amendments required
19. complete and store all relevant documentation in accordance with legal and organisational requirements

1. how to identify hazards and assess the risks associated with carrying out a site survey and the relevant health and safety procedures and Safe Systems of Work (SSoW) – including lone working where appropriate
2. current legislation codes of practice, industry standards and guidance, organisational policies, procedures and protocols, business and professional ethics that are relevant to your area of work, and to which you must adhere
3. the purpose, scope and objectives of the forest or woodland development
4. the current system of statutory designations including biodiversity, landscape and heritage designations and how they impact on forest or woodland design planning
5. how to source planning and regulatory information relating to forest or woodland development
6. a range of survey techniques and methods of collecting data and how to use these, including primary and secondary sources of data
7. how to interpret maps and use Global Information System (GIS) to aid planning
8. the importance of identifying and consulting with all stakeholders and the local community how this can be done
9. the principles of landscape design in a forest or woodland context
10. the elements of sympathetic forest or woodland design within a historic landscape
11. the impact of planting the forest or woodland on the existing ecology and surrounding land
12. the principles of regeneration and rewilding
13. public access considerations
14. how to determine site features that may affect management choices when designing and planning a forest or woodland
15. the importance of considering the environmental impact of the proposed forest or woodland
16. how to encourage the sustainability of the site
17. how to develop plans and schedules to implement the designs
18. the costs relating to establishment of the forest or woodland
19. the sources of information regarding grants and other financial incentives
20. the methods of presenting and communicating the design and plans
21. how your proposals comply with UK Forest Standard (UKFS) requirements
22. how to negotiate and obtain agreement for the design and plans and the processes involved
23. the legal and organisational requirements for the completion and storage of documentation

Types of site:
• lowland site
• upland site
• industrial site
• ancient forest or woodland site
• agricultural site
• urban site

Safe System of Work (SSoW) – is a method of work that puts in place control measures arising from a risk assessment, in order to manage identified hazards, which are broken down into four elements: safe person; safe equipment; safe place; and safe practice.

Significant features:
• habitat type
• site access
• soils, drainage
• water sources
• historical aspects, including past usage
• ground flora, dominant species and any protected or invasive species
• fauna, especially any rare or notable species
• requirement for deer management
• archaeological features
• any other features of significance
• environmental, social and economic value of the site

Stakeholders could include:
• neighbours
• local authority
• statutory bodies
• recreational users of the site
• other interested parties

LANCS39 Conduct site assessments in the land-based and environmental sector
LANEnC5 Analyse data from field surveys and report findings
LANCS40 Evaluate options for the development of sites in the land-based and environmental sector
LANTw63 Develop a woodland management plan