South Downs Forest Plan

For feedback on our South Downs Forest Plan which lies in the area between the Arun Valley and A3M road, within the county of West Sussex. Consultation was opened 22 Dec 2025 and Closed 23 Jan 2026. In addition, emails were sent directly to known stakeholder organisations and individuals who we felt have an interest in how the forest is managed.

The consultation received six responses overall, providing useful insight into stakeholder priorities and expectations for the South Downs Forest Plan. Biodiversity and woodland ecology emerged as the strongest priority, with 83% rating it Very Important and no respondents marking it as unimportant. Similarly, Climate Change and Forest Protection were highly valued, each receiving 67% Very Important responses. Communities & People, along with Forest Products & Services and Recreation & Access, were generally viewed as Important. When asked how well the Plan meets stakeholder needs, 67% felt it addressed them Well, although one respondent felt it did so Poorly. Feedback was balanced, with three comments expressing concerns or unmet needs and four providing positive remarks. Stakeholder representation included NGOs (50%), government agencies (17%), and members of the public (17%), offering a mix of organisational and individual perspectives.

Across the feedback received, stakeholders highlighted a desire for greater ecological detail, clearer commitments, and stronger evidence to support future habitat improvements. A recurring concern was that the Forest Plan operates at a broad strategic level, leaving uncertainty around the specific ecological interventions, such as which rides will be enhanced, how open space will be created, and the level of commitment to biodiversity outcomes. Stakeholders also sought assurance that detailed surveys—particularly for archaeology, ancient woodland features, priority species, and other environmental sensitivities—would be undertaken before operations. Additionally, several respondents emphasised the importance of diversifying woodland structure beyond the existing beech monoculture, coordinating deer management with neighbouring landowners, and considering specific species such as yew and Hawfinch within future planting and monitoring programmes.

In response, we can confirm that detailed proposals will be developed through Operational Site Assessments (OSAs), which will set out the specific ecological management practices, ride enhancements, planting densities, and species choices. We confirm that pre‑operation surveys are already a routine requirement to ensure all activities comply with UK Forest Standard, and liaison with organisations such as Butterfly Conservation will be pursued where appropriate, as operational details are developed.

The plan’s commitment to managing the area under Low Impact Silvicultural Systems (LISS) will help break up the beech monoculture and create a more diverse age and species structure, providing natural variations in open space and habitat conditions. This approach will also support the natural regeneration of yew, as evidenced in recent local clearfells, and the more open structural conditions created under LISS will further encourage its establishment where appropriate.

We are also clarifying that deer will be managed in accordance with the South England Forest District Deer Management Strategy and, at a wider landscape scale, through partnership work with local Deer Management Groups to help safeguard regeneration and habitat improvements. Suggestions such as undertaking baseline and follow‑up surveys for species such as Hawfinch will be passed on to our ecology and wildlife teams, and we will seek funding to support this work as opportunities arise.