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Hello John
There are a number of principles that apply to establishing woodland for birds and other wildlife.
Use species that are native to your area, ie that will be suited to the local environment and will be the most 'natural', hence providing greater biomass of invertebrate food. There is a website (http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/life/plants-fungi/postcode-plants/) which will show which species are appropriate, based on your UK postcode.
Choose from within the list of species a range of trees and shrubs that will a) provide best feeding; berries and fruits eg hawthorn and rowan etc, and invertebrates eg oak, willow birch etc. and b) good nest sites (examples as above). Spread the species around in the wood, and there is no real need to plan where the species are planted other than with respect to their tolerance of the ground conditions.
Structure is important. Plant a range of trees and shrubs that are appropriate (see above), and arrange them such that as they develop they will provide a varied structure. Pheasants as well as many wild birds need the cover provided by a well developed understorey in a wood.
Many farmland birds use dense cover in woodland for nesting, so species like hawthorn and blackthorn planted along the woodland edge will develop the right structure provided they are not heavily shaded. This will also help to provide shelter to the inside of the wood in exposed locations.
Space the standard 'trees' quite widely with shrubs and smaller trees between. Otherwise all that will be achieved is a high density of tall spindly trees with little value to birds and that will need thinning early. Plant shrubs more tightly to create dense cover. Leave glades or rides unlplanted; these provide sheltered feeding areas for Pheasants, woodcock and other species (you could seed these areas with plants that will provide seed food)
Avoid planting in rows where possible. Otherwise it will be more difficult to achieve the structure desired (there will always be corridors within the wood).
Avoid any drainage, before or after planting. Species like Song thrush and woodcock depend on moist woodland soils.
Where possible buffer the woodland edge with a field margin that will a) provide food for the birds and b) buffer the woodland from farm management, eg sprays, deep tillage and drainage.
Minimise weed control during establishment, particularly sprays. Plantations will be used by birds from early stages and insect and seed food will be valuable, although this clearly has to be balanced with the need to ensure the health of the trees.
I hope this helps. Depending on where you are, you may be able to benefit from grant aid to assist you with planting from either Forestry Commission or Agri-environment schemes.
Best regards
Nigel Symes
RSPB terrestrial habitats advisor
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