A. C. S. Consulting were instructed by Hanson Quarry Products Europe Ltd to undertake an arboricultural survey to inform on the future management of the parkland trees at Norton Conyers, Ripon, North Yorkshire.  The survey is to be incorporated into a management plan prepared for the Grade II Registered Park and Garden.

Norton Conyers is a late medieval manor house with Stuart and Georgian additions. Owned by the Graham family since 1624 (except between 1862 and 1882).  The exterior has distinctive Dutch-style gables, interior fine 18th plaster ceilings in the principal rooms.  Visited by Charles 1 in 1633, James II and his wife in 1679 (the room and the bed they traditionally used are still on display), and Charlotte Brontë in 1839.  The legend of a mad woman confined in the attics in the previous century is said to have given her the idea for the mad Mrs Rochester in 'Jane Eyre', and the house is an original of 'Thornfield Hall'; the discovery in 2004 of a blocked staircase connecting the first floor to the attics and clearly mentioned in the novel, aroused world-wide interest.

The site consists of the Grade II Registered Park and Garden of Norton Conyers House.  The tree survey encompassed an area of parkland/pasture, an arable field and two small blocks of woodland located to the south and south west of the main house in the flood plain of the River Ure.

The parkland is currently used as grazing for sheep and cattle and benefits from a lack of public access.  The woodland comprises two small blocks, the northern parcel is located on a sharp escarpment as a ribbon of woodland surrounding one of the estate’s dwellings.  The southern parcel of woodland is rectangular with evidence of pheasant husbandry.

The survey identified approximately one hundred and forty trees of which a small number were identified as veteran trees and a number of others as verging on veteran status.  Of particular note was a walnut which is considered an exotic in terms of veteran tree management.  Trees were tagged and plotted on a plan for ease of identification.

Veteran trees are well documented and are an integral and valuable part of the lowland British landscape noted for their ability to support a diverse flora and fauna including many red data book species.  The trees at Norton Conyers have historic interest as part of the landscape giving the surrounding landscape definition and maturity as well as enhancing the setting of the hall.

As part of the assessment, a Phase 1 Bat survey was undertaken.  The object of the survey was to establish, where possible, whether any of the trees are used by bats and, if necessary, recommend further work in order to advise on mitigation measures.  Overall, our assessment found the trees to have good bat potential.  Many of the trees had suitable features, many of these specimens produce high volumes of insects as do the faeces from grazing animals.  Veteran trees in general provide important habitats for bats throughout the year.  With a number of veteran trees as well as blocks of woodland the opportunities for bats are high.

Our assessment concluded the trees at the site are clearly a principal component of the whole estate enhancing and giving scale and maturity as principle landscape features.

Typically, trees on such estates were planted for amenity, sports or as working trees.  Working trees would typically be pollards/coppiced trees regularly worked or maidens allowed to mature then felled for their timber.  We concluded that the trees surveyed were maidens with no clear evidence to counter this view.  No lapsed pollards or coppice were noted.

On this basis, our recommendation was to do nothing for the next twenty to thirty years except to re-stock with new trees, preferably from nurseries of local provenance but ideally from the trees already growing in the parkland.  Trees are adept at managing themselves without intervention.  It is possible to artificially create veteran trees particularly in locations where there are few such trees.  However, at Norton Conyers, in view of the number of potential veteran trees, it was felt an inappropriate management practice to artificially create them from younger trees which is possible where there are few trees deemed suitable.

It was recognised that not every tree within the parkland will be particularly suitable to go on to veteran status and that some selective felling will be required.  Selective felling would not damage the overall appearance in the landscape, but would create space to allow the development of the new trees to grow to achieve their full dimensions.  It was concluded that this will help to create a more age diverse range of trees.  Age diversity is an important consideration in a group of trees that are all of a similar age.  It allows the continuation of tree cover and landscape value allowing subtle changes to occur.

The area benefits from a lack of public access allowing the retention of trees that might otherwise be considered an unacceptable hazard.  Trees with significant infestation of decay fungi, trees with structural defects and large volumes of dead wood that, in a more intensely used location may have to be removed or significantly pruned or excluded from public access, could be retained allowing nature to take its course.

ACS Consulting is an arboricultural consultancy based in Manchester and Glasgow providing advice on Trees and Development, Trees and Legal Aspects, Trees and Safety, Veteran Trees, Parkland/Wood-pastures, Hedgerows, Woodland Ecology Surveys, Trees and Bats and Native Planting.

Ian Murat MSc, F.Arbor.A, CEnv, MIEEM

Manchester – 01565 755422

Glasgow – 0141 354 1633