Overview of Ingleborough Nature Reserve
Situated in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, Ingleborough Nature Reserve spans an impressive 1,186 hectares and reaches a height of 650 metres. Recognised as a site of special scientific interest and a designated special area of conservation, this reserve is home to crucial upland habitats, including ancient ash woodlands, limestone pastures, limestone pavements, and blanket bogs. The management of the reserve falls under the auspices of Natural England and the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, with a primary focus on preserving the area’s biodiversity and geodiversity. Additionally, the reserve facilitates scientific research and provides a platform for visitors to engage with and appreciate this remarkable landscape.
The establishment of the reserve has involved a combination of planting initiatives and natural regeneration, with funding for tree supplies obtained through a partnership with the Woodland Trust, as part of the Wild Ingleborough project. This initiative aims to enhance nature conservation efforts within the reserve.
Strategies for Tree Protection
Ingleborough Nature Reserve faces challenges to its tree population from various mammals, primarily sheep and deer. To combat this threat, the management team employs a carefully calculated approach involving overstocking of trees, controlling stocking rates and densities, and strategically timing and patterning grazing activities. These protective measures are implemented over a period of five years to ensure the establishment of a robust and diverse woodland ecosystem.
Transitioning Grazing Practices for Enhanced Regeneration
Historically, sheep grazing was prevalent in the reserve, often managed through long-term agreements with local graziers. However, this practice hindered the establishment of natural woodlands. In recent years, a shift from sheep to cattle grazing has created more favourable conditions for natural regeneration, allowing woodlands to establish and gradually expand. The reserve now hosts a mixed-age herd of Red Poll cattle that are well adapted to woodland environments. Their grazing is managed at low densities, roughly one cow per five hectares, and internal gates are left open to enable free movement across larger compartments, promoting a natural and low-impact grazing system.
Frank Morgan, a ranger at Natural England for Ingleborough, has observed significant improvements in woodland establishment due to this change in grazing practices. Experimental plots have highlighted that areas grazed by cattle support a greater number of young tree establishments, as the cattle not only browse but also create seeding niches by breaking up the ground.
Addressing Deer Population Impact
In the early stages of management, the deer population density in the reserve was approximately 3.7 individuals per square kilometre, leading to considerable browsing pressure on saplings. A targeted deer culling programme has successfully reduced this density to around 1.4 individuals per square kilometre, allowing for a more successful establishment of trees, particularly species like downy birch and rowan, which are more palatable.
While European rabbits and grey squirrels are present within the reserve, they are not currently viewed as significant threats to tree health.
Encouraging Natural Regeneration and Tree Planting
Ingleborough primarily promotes natural regeneration in areas adjacent to existing woodlands. However, in regions further from seed sources, tree planting has been essential for initiating woodland establishment, particularly given the slow growth rates in this upland environment. As part of the Wild Ingleborough project, which launched in 2021, approximately 150,000 trees are scheduled for planting between 2021 and 2025 to bolster regeneration efforts.
A range of physical tree protection methods has been trialled during this four-year period, including the use of 1.2-metre Tubex guards, 60-centimetre spiral guards, and 15-centimetre vole guards, alongside unprotected planting. Initial research conducted by the University of Leeds indicated that while tree guards can enhance survival rates by preventing browsing, they also increase susceptibility to wind damage, particularly at the height of the guard or following its removal. As a result, the reserve has shifted its strategy towards bare planting—planting trees without guards—at a double stocking density. This approach has yielded over a 50% survival rate, surpassing that of previously protected trees.
The Advantages of Bare Planting
The Yorkshire Three Peaks walk traverses an area where tree planting initially utilised guards. However, due to high visitor traffic, considerable resources were devoted to maintaining the aesthetic appeal of these guards. In contrast, bare planting facilitates a more seamless integration into the landscape, avoiding the sudden visual impact associated with tree guards. Nearly 80% of the tree guards previously used have been retrieved by staff and volunteers, repurposed for other planting schemes in neighbouring areas.
Through the careful reduction of sheep grazing pressure, focused deer management, and a transition to more effective planting techniques, Ingleborough Nature Reserve has successfully created conducive conditions for young trees to grow and flourish across its diverse landscape.
Further Resources for Exploration
For those seeking to delve deeper into the initiatives and findings associated with Ingleborough Nature Reserve, several resources are available:
- Wild Ingleborough – For comprehensive information about the Wild Ingleborough project and its objectives for nature recovery in Yorkshire.
- Ecological Solutions and Evidence research paper – For insights into natural colonisation rates in UK upland landscapes following different conservation management strategies.
- Deer Damage to Trees: Visual Guide – For assistance in identifying damage caused by deer.
- Grazing Species Damage to Trees: Visual Guide – For guidance on identifying damage from grazing animals.