Tree species handbook

This handbook aims to help with decisions about tree species in woodland creation projects, with profiles of 50 tree and shrub species and 18 woodland communities.

It seeks to ensure that species are well matched to the location and conditions of the site, and that trees establish in structures and communities where they thrive and can best contribute to nature recovery and ecological resilience. The species profiles give an overview of their ecology and associated wildlife, scores for tolerances and relative competitivity, maps to guide where each might be most appropriate, how each can feature in different woodland structures, as well as how they disperse and establish to inform decisions about planting, seeding and natural colonisation.

The handbook accompanies our woodland creation guide. It has been produced for use by a broad professional audience, primarily as a technical reference for practitioners working on woodland creation projects, but it may be informative for other woodland management or restoration projects.