1. Working in Partnership to Protect the South Downs Isnt cutting trees down bad ? Wood fuel on your doorstep 6 th March 2010 Nick Heasman

2. Working in Partnership to Protect the South Downs Key dates of human influence on the landscape Pre 4,500 BC – first settlers small areas cleared of wildwood 4,500 BC – Neolithic man begins large scale clearance 500 BC – Half of the wildwood gone 43 AD - Roman introduction of sweet chestnut and large scale management of coppice 600 AD – Anglo Saxon charters indicate parcelling of land with formation of hedges, boundaries and ownership

3. Working in Partnership to Protect the South Downs Key dates of human influence on woodland Post 1066 – Norman laws passed protecting the woodland resource, Royal hunting forests established. 15% woodland cover 1349 – Black Death, formation of secondary woodland on agricultural land 1543 – Henry VIII Act to establish protection of mature timber trees 1664 – John Evelyn publishes Silva, positive political action saw widescale plantations established, though natural in their form 17 th c to 19 th c – Introduction of productive timber trees, formation of landscaped parks and gardens

4. Working in Partnership to Protect the South Downs Key dates of human influence on woodland 19 th c – Decline of woodmanship, Industrial revolution 20 th c – World Wars, formation of Forestry Commission. Planting of non agricultural productive areas Formation of conservation movement End of the cold war Increase in tree cover once again

5. Working in Partnership to Protect the South Downs Man shaping the landscape

6. Working in Partnership to Protect the South Downs Woodland cover in the UK 1895 1947 1998

7. Working in Partnership to Protect the South Downs Wood for the trees! Woodland >2ha = 33,305 ha (20% land cover)

8. Working in Partnership to Protect the South Downs THE CYCLE OF MAN IN WOODLAND Light is life

9. Working in Partnership to Protect the South Downs Ideal woodland structure Mature trees Young trees Canopy of the wood Understorey of shrubs Ground flora

10. Working in Partnership to Protect the South Downs BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY OF WOODFUEL HEATING SYSTEMS EMPLOYMENT EDUCATION SECURITY CHEAPER CLEANER SAFER CARBON CYCLE LANDSCAPE AND WILDLIFE PRIDE

11. Working in Partnership to Protect the South Downs The Future …..be part of the solution