The National Forest has recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. Key achievements over this time period include the planting of more than 9.8 million trees, an increase in regional forest cover from 6% in the 1990s to 25% by 2024, and exceptional engagement with the local community. The National Forest aims to continue increasing forest cover to 33% in the future, however focus is now also switching to ensuring the long-term resilience of extant forest as maximum forest coverage nears. Although the National Forest has delivered extensive woodland creation over the past three decades, young plantations often lack the structural complexity and old-growth features required by many endangered species of invertebrates, bats, birds and fungi. In order to support the National Forest’s aims of improving landscape connectivity and resilience, this project set out to assess whether young forest plantations in the Heart of the Forest region are able to support deadwood-associated species and how management can enhance the provision of these old-growth features.

This talk will share the results of saproxylic beetle surveys and bat surveys carried out at six National Forest sites over the summer of 2024 and the implications of these findings for future management of the forest.

Dr Moya Burns is Associate Professor Ecology and Environmental Science in the School of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Division of Biosciences Education at the University of Leicester. 

She is an ecologist with a varied past working in ecological consultancy, government agencies and the charity sector before joining the University. Her work encompasses interdisciplinary themes around ecology, citizen/community science and environmental education, and she is interested in exploring how embedding citizen science approaches within the curriculum can support environmental decision‑making whilst giving students authentic experience in research and ecological survey skills. She co‑leads the Living with Environmental Change research challenge in the Institute for Environmental Futures. 

Quaker Meeting House - link to map

Doors open 7 pm for start at 7.30 pm, finish by 9.30 pm.