Brecon Beacons (Central) National Park Forest Resource Plan

Location and setting

Brecon Beacons (Central) forest resource plan amounts to 2335 hectares comprising 8 distinct forest blocks; Talybont, Coety, Taf Fechan, Buckland, Dyffryn Crawnon, Llanddetty, Treberfedd and Cwm Glaisfer. The design unit is located completely within the Brecon Beacons immediately south of the A40 close to the communities of Talybont-on-Usk and Llangyndir, and north of the A465 Heads of the Valleys road.

The surrounding habitat is predominantly upland unimproved grasslands of the Brecon Beacon mountains and unimproved farmland surrounding the area especially in the West, with improved enclosed farmland in the North East of the plan with some bracken slopes, small woodlands and a network of hedgerows following the Rivers Usk and Crawnon.

The entire area of this forest resource plan (FRP) is within the Brecon Beacons National Park planning authority boundary. 

Summary of objectives

The management objectives have been agreed in order to maintain and enhance the resilience of ecosystems, and the benefits they provide:

  • Water quality is a major driver for this FRP, particularly around Talybont and Taf Fechan.
  • Continue partnership working with Dwr Cymru to explore management options focused on improving water quality around reservoirs.
  • Continue to maintain a sustainable supply of timber production through design of felling and choice of restocking species.
  • Diversify the forest species composition to increase resilience to pests and disease whilst building of a robust forest for future generations.
  • Increase structural diversity through LISS management where appropriate and consideration of the scale, size and timing of any clearfell avoiding the felling of adjacent coupes. Older conifer crops should be retained where possible to maintain forest structure and productive potential.
  • Increase areas identified for thinning within the 5-year thinning plan to enable LISS management and PAWS restoration. Increasing the quantity of thinning will not only reduce the risk of shading for PAWS but will also reduce the need for future clear felling and stand stability can be established where possible through late transformation to Low Impact Silvicultural Systems.
  • Use opportunities to locate broadleaved woodland to connect hedgerow habitats and improve resilience.
  • Utilise the current road and riparian zone network for the benefit of biodiversity by creating linkages with open habitat.
  • Improve habitat connectivity by maintaining and enhancing areas of ancient semi-natural woodland and restoring plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites in line with strategic prioritisation policy. Facilitate native woodland expansion where the main crop of larch has had to be prematurely harvested. Restocking of these areas is a key priority going forward to ensure that there is no resulting net loss in forest cover. There is scope to expand and diversify broadleaf sections of the woodland to assist in habitat provision where possible.
  • Maintain and enhance recreational use.
  • Maintain open sight lines for viewpoints and along recreational routes.
  • Heritage and cultural features to be identified to avoid damage. Scheduled Ancient Monuments (SAMS) to be managed in accordance with management plans.

Maps

Comments or feedback

If you have any comments or feedback, you can contact the Forest Resource Planning team at frp@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk

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