Exmoor National Park Authority (ENPA) are developing innovative plans for increasing temperate rainforest habitats in the National Park.

The aim is to create an expansive mosaic of woody and complementary habitats to help deliver nature recovery, natural flood management and carbon capture. This dynamic habitat will be developed as part of a distinctive traditionally farmed landscape. The Woodland Team have been designing and trialling tree establishment methods, which aim to work more closely with natural processes. From capitalising on the soil micro-organisms which occur in natural tree colonisation, to deer protection using a product derived from lanolin – the fatty substance in sheep’s wool!

Graeme McVittie ENPA’s Senior Woodland Officer said: “conventional tree establishment techniques have relied on mass tree planting over quite large areas and a method of protection and maintenance which might not always be appropriate in more sensitive upland landscapes. The alternative methods we’re trialing here with researchers from Plymouth University, will hopefully result in a more sustainable and resilient outcome, at a pace more compatible with natural processes. We are familiar with the concept of ‘right tree right place’ – this is about right tree right pace.” 

One element of the project will involve introducing soil microorganisms which occur naturally to support tree establishment. The importance of these ‘mycorrhizal’ communities, and the role they play in supporting tree establishment and ultimately healthy woodland communities, is now much better appreciated. When trees are planted, some will have a pellet inoculated with woodland ‘mycorrhizae’, others will receive fungal-rich soil sourced from a local woodland, a third group will have activated ‘biochar’ added. Others will receive no treatment as a control – researchers from Plymouth University will monitor the effects of each.

“We will be designing the planting in such a way that trees can begin to naturally recolonise from nuclei or “seed islands”. Graeme continued. “This nucleation technique is a half-way-house between natural colonisation and conventional plantation techniques. This is often used in tropical forest restoration, where the absence of suitable seed trees rules out natural colonisation, but plantations might be difficult for various reasons. This approach gives nature a helping hand."

Protecting trees from the browsing effects of deer is a constant challenge to foresters. This is often achieved through fencing or tree tubes. “Both work but neither are great solutions” Graeme said. “This completely natural, biodegradable and non-toxic product made from lanolin (sheep fleece fat) does seem to work to deter deer, but we want to trial it at scale and establish the practicalities of repeat application over years until the trees are established. We have a quite a few sheep on Exmoor so perhaps there’s a business opportunity here for someone!”

“We have an ambition to significantly expand our temperate rainforest on Exmoor. Ultimately this project is about restoring natural processes from a primary level, deploying more sustainable and appropriate protection and establishment methods. Rather than forcing solutions which ultimately don’t fit, it’s about providing the landscape with the resources and ability to regenerate, restore and adapt.”

You can follow more on woodland work via Exmoor National Park’s social media @exmoornp

and ‘Exmoor Woodland Diaries’ with Graeme on YouTube

or sign up for the ENPA monthly e-newsletter ‘Parklife’.

Explore more on what ENPA are doing for nature here