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Should landuse=forest be reserved only for where the woodland is actively harvested - if so, how can this be determined from the ground (especially with deciduous woodland, where there may be many years between harvests); What about copses? |
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Copses can be unplanted - and in the UK frequently are (or at least so far as recorded history goes), but are not managed by the clear-fell and replant system characteristic of forestry. They can be classed as 'ancient woodland' for planning purposes. Therefore, natural=wood would seem appropriate. Copses are managed and cropped, however (or at least were before they fell out of management). If landuse=forest is an actively managed forestry operation involving clear-felling and replanting, then natural=wood is quite wide. Of course, ecologically, natural=scrub turns into natural=wood, and, if not actively managed as heath, natural=heath will turn into natural=scrub then natural=wood. Equally, if landuse=forest is not actively managed, it will naturally turn into natural=wood. |
