Research near Hawes to tackle effects of extreme weather

New research will for the first time monitor how the creation of England’s biggest new native woodland in the Yorkshire Dales could help stave off the worst effects of climate change, such as flooding.

Earlier this year, the Woodland Trust started work at Snaizeholme, near Hawes, not only in creating one of the largest contiguous new native woodlands in England, but signalling the start of complex scientific research.

Over the course of the next 20 years or more, a team of world leading scientists from the universities of York and Leeds will brave the site’s harsh weather conditions – which includes 200cm of rainfall a year making it the wettest place in Yorkshire – to collect detailed data. This will measure rainfall, soil properties and streamflow and track changes over time. This will help them, among many other things, to understand how the flood mitigation benefits of new woodlands develop as the trees grow.

Already on site, scientists are using specialist equipment such as soil moisture and temperature sensors, weather stations and state of the art “lightning detectors” to measure extreme weather events.

It is hoped the research could help people adapt to the impacts of climate change by increasing understanding of how trees can reduce flooding risk, capture and store carbon, and provide vital habitat for nature recovery across UK uplands.

Dr John Crawford, conservation evidence officer for the Woodland Trust, said: “We know mature woodlands deliver a range of important benefits: they provide a home for nature, lock away carbon to fight climate change, and slow the flow of water helping to reduce downstream flooding. Less is known about new woodlands. Working together with world-leading researchers will allow us to take detailed measurements of how biodiversity and ecosystem functions change as the trees grow and the woodlands mature. The research has the power to be a game changer when it comes to how such a new site can combat the extreme effects of climate change.”

Professor Dominick Spracklen from the University of Leeds, added: “Restoring habitats across a whole valley has the potential to deliver big benefits for people, nature and climate. We have used a computer model to calculate that restoring the valley would reduce downstream flooding during a one-in-50-year storm event by nearly ten per cent. To check that our predictions are correct , we are now installing special equipment to monitor soil and vegetation properties, rainfall and river flow. This will allow us to understand how the flood reduction benefits of the project grow as the native woodlands mature.”

Another key focus will be researching how establishing new trees alters the properties of soil.

Francesca Darvill, Sowerby PhD Researcher at the University of Leeds, said: “We still know relatively little about how soil carbon changes after tree planting. Most previous studies lack information about how much soil carbon was present before trees were planted, making it difficult to know how soil carbon has changed. At Snaizeholme, we are making detailed measurements of the variability of soil properties across the site before the trees are planted. In years to come this will allow us to better understand how the trees have altered the soils. Crucially it will provide better information on how much carbon new woodland soils help to lock up.”

Many centuries ago, the glacial valley at Snaizeholme would have had swathes of woodland stretching across the landscape but now the 561 hectares (1,387 acres) site is almost devoid of trees. Across the Yorkshire Dales National Park, total tree cover is less than five per cent and ancient woodlands only make up one per cent of that cover.

The Woodland Trust is planning to plant almost 291 hectares (719 acres) with native tree saplings. Different densities of trees will be planted across the site to create groves, glades and open woodlands that transition into and connect with the other habitats. In addition, huge restoration projects will take place, including 113 hectares (279 acres) of blanket bog / deep peat, approximately 100 ha (247 acres) of limestone pavement and over 77.4 hectares (191 acres) of open valley bottom following Snaizeholme Beck.