Impacts of forest extent, configuration and landscape context on presence of declining breeding Eurasian curlew Numenius arquata and implications for planning new woodland

Abstract

In response to the combined impacts of the climate and biodiversity crises, as well as for timber security and increased recreational access to green spaces, there is a global drive to increase tree cover. In the UK, an estimated 1.5 million ha of afforestation are required to meet its carbon net-zero emissions targets (Committee on Climate Change, 2018). Despite the potential benefits, careful consideration must be given to the impacts of woodland creation on species adapted to open habitats. To investigate potential risks and mitigation for the IUCN Near Threatened Eurasian curlew Numenius arquata, a national spatially extensive field-scale dataset was used to investigate the relationships between curlew presence during the breeding season and a range of forest and landscape variables at two different spatial scales (0.5 km and 1 km). Variables included forest extent and configuration, and interaction between forests and extent of semi-natural open habitats, moorland management and topography. At both spatial scales, a negative relationship existed between extent of forest and the probability of curlew presence, and at 1 km, between probability of presence and the number of forest patches. However, these negative patterns depended on landscape context and were reduced where there was a greater quantity of semi-natural open habitat, such as moorland or rough grassland, and moorland management present. Overall, the findings emphasise the need to consider the impacts of woodland creation projects on species adapted to open habitats. However, the results suggest that these impacts can be influenced by landscape. These results could help inform decisions regarding the appropriateness of woodland creation in different landscapes and possible mitigation measures that could be applied against the risks created by afforestation.