Woodlands in the National Parks
Forests and woodlands are an important feature of many of our National Parks. Broad-leaved woodlands comprising trees such as oak, ash and birch contribute to the character of the landscape and are often of cultural or historical importance. Woodlands also provide a home for a diversity of wildlife such as red squirrels and badgers and for many plants such as wood anenome, wood sorrel and bluebells.
However, woodlands are not just important in terms of wildlife and landscape; they are essential in mitigating the effects of climate change as they absorb carbon dioxide and can help protect against flooding through soil stabilisation. Their timber can also be used to 
provide energy.
Despite these benefits, woodlands are under threat, even ancient woodland (ancient woodland consists of trees over 400 years old). The UK has over 80% of northern Europe's ancient trees so they are of international signficiance. Since the 1930s over 50% of our ancient woodland has been lost, mainly through clearance for agriculture or the planting of non-native coniferous species. In general these practices have now stopped but have been replaced by new threats such as road-building and housing development. However, CNP and other 
environmental organisations are campaigning for the survival of ancient woodland.
National Parks have a high proportion of ancient woodland and there is a great emphasis on managing and restoring this. The Woodland Trust is involved in many of these projects, for example it is working to remove conifers at Great Knott Wood in the Lake District and in partnership with the Dartmoor National Park Authority to help locate ancient woodland and who is responsible for managing it.
Woodlands Under Threat is a joint initiative between the Woodland Trust and the Ancient Tree Forum, which identifies threatened ancient woodland and provides advice on how this can be protected. If you would like to help find and map ancient trees around the country then take part in the ancient tree hunt.
Some National Parks are planning to increase their woodland cover. For example, the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority plans to plant 2,000 hectares of new woodland by 2020.
The following links take you directly to each National Park Authority’s pages on woodland
| Brecon Beacons | Northumberland |
| The Broads | North York Moors |
| Dartmoor | Peak District |
| Exmoor | Pembrokeshire Coast |
| Lake District | Snowdonia |
| New Forest | Yorkshire Dales |