Ancient Woodland Inventory Update (2021-2025)
What is the Ancient Woodland Inventory (AWI)?
The Ancient Woodland Inventory is the definitive national dataset of woodlands, maintained by Natural England, that have had continuous woodland cover since at least 1600 AD. These woodlands are irreplaceable habitats that are typically more ecologically diverse and hold a higher conservation value for nature than more recent woodland sites.
The AWI is an essential resource because it is used in planning and policy to protect these irreplaceable habitats. By accurately identifying and mapping ancient woodlands, we ensure they receive the necessary safeguard against development and can be prioritised for conservation efforts across Suffolk.
Why was an update needed in Suffolk?
The original Ancient Woodland Inventory for England was primarily created through a paper-based exercise in the 1980s. While revolutionary at the time, this initial work had a few limitations that we needed to address with modern technology:
- Incomplete Coverage: The original inventory primarily focused on larger woods and, in many cases, only included woodlands over 2 hectares in size.
- Boundary Discrepancies: Without modern digital mapping, the original process relied on tracings from paper maps, leading to numerous boundary errors and inaccuracies.
- Limited Sources: The first AWI used a limited range of historical evidence to confirm the 'ancient' status of a site.
The goal of our project was to use a consistent, quality-controlled methodology set out by Natural England to create a more accurate and comprehensive record for Suffolk, ensuring that all our ancient woodland, including the smaller, invaluable fragments, receive the protection they deserve. For more information on the methodology used, please see: Ancient Woodland Inventory handbook - NECR248
How did the project work?
The Suffolk AWI Update, running from 2021 to 2025, was a thorough, multi-phase effort combining digital mapping with in-depth historical research and dedicated fieldwork.
Digital research and mapping
We used Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and new mapping software to investigate and identify potential new ancient woodland sites. This involved a 'desk-based' review of a wide range of sources:
- Historical maps: Initially, we used the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey maps (from the 1860s to 1880s) to identify long-established woodland. We then examined maps dating back to 1600, including Enclosure and Estate maps, with a focus on evidence at 50-year intervals up to the present day to build layers of evidence for each long-established woodland site. Please see our Evidence Sources: Ancient Woodland Inventory Update (2025) page linked below for a list of references and links.
- Modern data: We compared historical data with modern aerial photography to check the current presence and boundary of woodlands.
- Expanded scope: Crucially, this update investigated and added records for smaller woods (down to 0.25 hectares) and identified Ancient Wood Pasture and Parkland for the first time.
Invaluable volunteer support
Our incredible team of volunteers were instrumental to the project’s success. They devoted countless hours to exploring archival material, looking at historical maps both online and at The Hold in Ipswich (Suffolk Archives), to build the necessary historical evidence for each potential site.
Ground-truthing field surveys
The final key element was field survey work (or ‘ground-truthing’). Our wonderful volunteers visited candidate sites across the county to collect on-the-ground evidence, including:
- The presence of ancient woodland indicator species (like Oxlip).
- The structure and management history of the woodland.
What was the timeline, and what comes next?
The project ran from November 2021 to October 2025 with the following phases:
- 2021–23: Initial digital and historical research, using aerial photography and 19th-century maps to identify long-established woodland and AWI errors.
- 2023–24: Intensive historical map research online and at Suffolk Archives, and extensive field survey work, with help gratefully received from project volunteers.
- 2025: The project’s final phase involved the SBIS team evaluating all the gathered historical and field survey evidence for each candidate site and deciding which sites are ancient. The full, revised inventory for Suffolk was published in October 2025 and is now publicly available: Ancient Woodland Revised England (Completed Counties).
Our continuing work
Although the Ancient Woodland Inventory Update is now complete, our commitment to protecting and enhancing Suffolk’s ancient woodland continues.
- Communication and implementation: We are actively communicating the project’s findings to all relevant conservation organisations, planning authorities, and stakeholders. A key priority is ensuring that everyone who uses this valuable dataset is aware of the update and is integrating this new information into their work and decision-making processes.
- Site protection: We will work to designate the most biodiverse woodland sites identified during this project as County Wildlife Sites (CWS), where they are not already protected, thereby further safeguarding them for future generations.
- Ongoing improvement: The inventory is a living resource. We will continue to support individuals and researchers undertaking woodland history research. If you believe a woodland site has strong evidence of ancient status, we are here to help you collate and submit that evidence to Natural England ([email protected]), ensuring the inventory continues to improve over time.