Many organisations involved with woodland management include public access high on their agenda, aiming at multi-purpose woodlands managed for amenity, recreation, wildlife and timber production. The Forestry Commission owns 37% of the UK woods and forests, and have a policy of freedom of access wherever possible. The Woodland Trust, local authorities and other organisations have similar policies.
Recreation provision can include campsites, visitor centres and other facilities which are a direct way of earning income from woodland access. Sporting and educational facilities in woodland are another way of generating income.
The list below gives a guide to levels of recreational provision, from the simplest to the most complex.
- Rights of way. Many woodlands are crossed by public footpaths, bridleways or byways, which must be maintained in a usable condition, normally by the highway authority. There is no statutory minimum width for a public right of way, although statements accompanying the definitive map of rights of way may give guidance. A working minimum when clearing paths is 2m x 2m high for a footpath, and 3m x 3m for a bridleway. Regular maintenance may be needed to cut back growth, depending on the type of vegetation and levels of use. Access through fences, across streams and so on must not restrict legitimate users of the path, and possible liabilities under the Disability Discrimination Act (1995) must be considered. Stiles are a barrier to many older and disabled people, and simple gaps, pedestrian gates or kissing gates should be the priority. See British Standard 5709:2006 Gaps, gates and stiles. Specification for further details.
- Car parking. Small areas of car parking are important for encouraging access to woodlands which are not on existing rights of way, and which are not near residential areas. A sign with the name of the wood, and an information board with a map of the paths not only gives useful information for users, but gives the wood a name and an identity which can help to encourage a feeling of security.
- Paths. In addition to rights of way, other paths can be cleared, signed or improved by surfacing or other work. Direct routes which provide an access link through the wood, or circular routes for recreation are the most useful. In residential areas, paths which provide safe routes to school, commuting routes, greenways or off-road links are considered a priority, so funding may be available.
- Nature trails with numbered posts or similar, linked to leaflets, or with information boards, are a popular way of encouraging access. They are also useful for directing use along certain paths, and protecting areas which may be vulnerable to damage.
- Picnic tables near car-parks or in glades or at viewpoints close to access points are often popular.
- Permanent natural or man-made features such as unusual trees, rocks, sculptures, view markers, trig points or other features add variety to a woodland walk, and can be important markers for visitors to orientate themselves in woodland.
- Play areas, play trails, tree-top trails, look-out platforms and other built structures will greatly increase the popularity of woodland areas. The landowner’s liability for public safety must be considered before any such features are built. The huge success of woodland parks which include some of these attractions, and the distances that families are prepared to drive to visit them, is in marked contrast to similar woodlands without ‘attractions’ which are almost unvisited.
- Camp sites, adventure trails, rope courses, mountain bike tracks.
- Some woodland parks, country parks and other tourist enterprises include information centres, cafes, shops, miniature trains, golf, fishing and many other activities within a wooded setting.
There are also various activities which can be organised in woodlands, without necessarily requiring permanent buildings or other structures, most of which will require good access provision:
- Guided walks, fungus forays, seed gathering, bat walks and other activities.
- Children’s educational activities, including natural history projects, shelter building and play, crafts, art and creative writing.
- Outdoor activities including orienteering, mountain biking, paintball, survival skills.
