Following the launch of the DEFRA Prospectus in early February, Justin Mumford, Director of Consultancy, has prepared a short briefing note outlining a comprehensive list of land management options available through ELMs in 2023 and beyond, including details on the plans for the evolution of Countryside Stewardship and the Landscape Recovery Scheme. The Read more »
The ecology survey season has officially arrived! The Nicholsons ecology team are happy to help you with your surveying needs during the spring and summer seasons and beyond. Things to consider: Have you had a Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (PEA)? A PEA can determine which species groups are likely to be Read more »
By Katie Stevens Welcome to the third blog in the Forest Tree series. This blog will focus on one of the minor productive tree species, the Wild Cherry (Prunus avium). A deciduous tree, it can grow up to 25-30m tall and has an average life span of 60-100 years; in the right Read more »
We are excited to announce that our 2023 Graduate Training Programme is now open for applications. We have always been passionate about supporting career development and are now looking for the next generation of environmental industry professionals, from Foresters, Ecologist and Arboricultural Consultants to Landscape Architects, Garden Designers and even Soil Specialists. Our full Read more »
The month of March sees the start of the survey season for great crested newts. Scientific Name: Triturus cristatus. Great crested newts (GCN) are the largest UK newt species with males reaching up to 15cm and females 18cm. They have dark brown bodies covered with dark spots that make them appear almost black. They Read more »
By Francois-Xavier Procureur Continuous cover forestry (CCF) is a broad term covering an array of silvicultural methods where the objectives are to permanently retain some form of canopy or forest presence. One of the primary methods used to achieve CCF is through shelterwoods systems, a method widely used for small-scale forestry in lowland England. Read more »
By Libby Reeves It is so easy to think that any green space must be beneficial for the local environment, any tree to be planted must assist with the fight against carbon, and promoting everyone from individuals to large estates to add more plants must help our landscape to improve. This is, however, not Read more »
Ongoing policy uncertainty, new government grants and rapidly evolving markets for the assets delivered by trees can make it complex to create and manage exemplary woodlands in today’s climate. Nicholsons recognise the need to assist landowners, land managers and farmers in achieving their tree planting ambitions. Through new engagement projects, we can provide fully Read more »
Clients of Nicholsons can now take advantage of 50% off your first year's membership to Confor. Confor is a membership organisation for sustainable forestry and wood-using businesses. It provides a single, powerful voice to ensure our industries thrive long into the future. By joining Confor you will benefit from: increasing the value of your Read more »
Excellence in service delivery and the ability to meet sustainability targets is the staple of our core company values. At Nicholsons we embrace every opportunity to add quality and experience to our team. This week, we are delighted to announce the appointment of our new non-executive director, Aidan Mortimer, FRICS. Aidan brings with him four Read more »
By Rachel Jackson As we continue to head into February, we start to see the tell-tale signs of Spring approaching. The days are getting longer, the weather is becoming mildly warmer, and the first green shoots start to appear through the soil, bringing much needed colour back into our gardens and natural landscapes. It Read more »
By Libby Reeves As I look out of the office window, the beech hedge is almost white with frost, and my fingers are just starting to thaw from being outside in temperatures getting close to -6 degrees. It sometimes feels like the garden is a forgotten pastime better suited to later in the year, Read more »
By Natasha Hannah-Lyons If you were asked to list iconic British wildlife, I would confidently say that the small, prickly mammal that gently toddles around our gardens after dark would be on most of our lists. This little bug eating carnivore is a firm favourite of many, but it is in need of our Read more »
By Katie Stevens Welcome to the second blog in the Forest Tree series. This blog will focus on the toweringly tall Douglas fir (Psuedotsuga menziesii); a non-native conifer. It has soft, green needles with grey-white undersides; the bark is reddy-brown in colour, deeply fissured and cork like. Douglas fir is monoecious, meaning both male Read more »
By Libby Reeves Prior to Christmas, I was given some interesting blog ideas from our Managing Director, Liz Nicholson. On looking through this list, I saw the idea of planting one tree per household, which I thought I should address first, as, in an ideal world, I would have written this a few months Read more »
By Libby Reeves Another year is coming to an end, the weather is getting cooler and wetter, and I am regularly getting asked ‘when is the right time to plant a tree?’ The answer is simple; now is the perfect time to plant trees, shrubs, or even herbaceous plants, despite the top growth starting Read more »
By Harriet Smith Over the past couple of years, I have gained a newfound appreciation for nature and all the benefits it can offer, both physically and mentally. This appreciation mainly stemmed from lockdowns spent in my back garden, with highlights including finding hedgehogs and seeing deer for the first time at a local, Read more »
By Katie Stevens Welcome to a new Forestry Wisdom blog series called 'Forest Tree'. Each blog will focus on a productive tree species that is commercially managed and grown in the UK. This simply means that the main objective for the woodland is to grow and manage trees to a good enough size and Read more »
