Around 140 Forestry Commission woods have been earmarked as locations where butterfly and moth populations can be promoted, with more than half designated as A-grade priority sites, meaning they are home to endangered species, including the pearl bordered fritillary and the wood white.
It is hoped that Lepidoptera on Forestry Commission Land in England Conservation Strategy 2007-2017 will help repopulate the UK’s woodlands with these species, with reviews undertaken in 2012 and 2017 to see how successful the scheme has been.
“Butterflies and moths are one of the most threatened wildlife groups that inhabit the Forestry Commission estate,” said Simon Hodgson, chief executive of Forest Enterprise England.
“As active land managers, responsible for almost 20% of England’s forests, we are able to play an important role in their future.”
Poor woodland management has been highlighted as one of the reasons for the decline in indigenous butterflies, with the decline in coppicing and other traditional skills seeing the insects’ natural habitats declining.
