LUC has produced a feasibility study for the restoration of 120 hectares of wood pasture and improved management National Trust’s woodland at their Shugborough Estate in Staffordshire.

The wood pasture restoration area links a wider 220-hectare contiguous block of priority habitat with the Grade I Registered Park and Garden at Shugborough Hall. This new project comes as part of wider habitat enhancements that will work to recover nature within the Trent and Sow River valleys. It builds on the work of the Cannock Chase SAC partnership to create a more resilient landscape, enhancing the opportunity for species to adapt to climate change.

The vision for the wood pasture restoration is to create dynamic succession, largely shaped by natural disturbance by grazing herbivores. This will involve an element of trial, error, and adjustment as the land responds.

Our approach brought together a large multidisciplinary team of LUC and external experts in woodland management, veteran trees, conservation grazing, ecology, historic environment, landscape, and land management.

Paul Roberts, Lead Ranger at National Trust, said: “LUC has put together a thorough and detailed feasibility study that has taken account of so many different factors in a complex, multi-designated environment. I’m really pleased with how much effort has been taken to give this project the attention it needs to make the most of the opportunity we have.”

This project is one of the environmental enhancement projects that emerged from LUC’s work with the Trent Sow Group in response to the impact of HS2 on the landscape to the north of the project area. The National Trust has since asked LUC to undertake further work on public engagement with the wood pasture restoration projects.

We are excited to see how the landscape develops over the coming years.

Learn more about Landscape Management at LUC.