The new  ‘Locust Years’ & the destruction of ancient woodland heritage in the UK
Chaired by Ian D. Rotherham and Ken Smith
A 2-day seminar with the Landscape Conservation Forum
​Thursday 25 – Friday 26 April 2024

This two-day event begins in Day 1 by celebrating the remarkable and unique heritage of ancient woodlands. To do this we introduce recent and current research in woodland archaeology and management and update on progress since the landmark publication of the ‘Woodland Heritage Manual’ in 2008. Day 2 will focus on the threats to this irreplaceable heritage and ecology posed by current forestry policies and woodland management prescriptions.

This 2-day event consists of a 1-day indoor seminar and a linked 1-day hybrid seminar (morning) & field visit (afternoon). Early booking is advised because numbers attending may be limited. The venues are in south Sheffield and nearby North Derbyshire with a field visit will be to the Moss Valley woodlands close to Coal Aston.  

Key issues and themes include the following:

• The unique nature, heritage, & archaeology of ancient woodlands.
• New and emerging research on woodland heritage and archaeology
• The differences between archaeology ‘of’ the woods, and archaeology ‘in’ the woods.
• The limited recognition of archaeology and heritage in woods.
• Links between ancient woodland ecology and heritage.
• The vulnerability of woodland heritage features.
• The absence of any due process of guidance for physical management operations in woodland environments.
• The damage done to heritage by modern machine-driven site management of woodlands.
• Shortcomings in the Ancient Woodland Inventory (AWI).
• An industry recognition marque of traditionally worked woods and the separation of industrial woods – and their necessary removal from the Inventory, perhaps replaced by a category of ‘Industrial Woodlands’.

Thursday, 25 April, Lees Hall Golf Club – New Insights into Woodland History & Heritage 
9.30am to 5pm
£75.00 per person (60 places)
£30.00 Discounted places (20 places), available to full-time students, retirees, and others not in fulltime employment relevant (i.e., consultancy, nature conservation, woodland management, tree management, forestry, or academia). Proof of status may be required.

​Includes refreshments & buffet lunch

Friday, 26 April, Coal Aston Village Hall, Unique Heritage under threat – the ‘New Locust Years’
9.30am to 5pm
£55.00 per person (60 places)
£20.00 Discounted places (20 places), available to full-time students, retirees, and others not in fulltime employment relevant (i.e., consultancy, nature conservation, woodland management, tree management, forestry, or academia). Proof of status may be required.
​
Includes refreshments & buffet lunch; please note this day includes a field trip – walking from the venue into nearby woodland which is on a steep slope.

Call & further information:
We are calling for partners, collaborators, and sponsors for the event. There will be a publication based on the papers presented and / or invited. If interested, please contact Professor Ian Rotherham in the first instance: syeconet@gmail.com

Trouble In the Woods – Programme and Booking Details