Mapping Atlantic Woodlands

Helping to conserve lichens and bryophytes in Cumbria.

Client: Plantlife, LOST Project (Looking Out for the Small Things)
Date: 2018
Services: Data Analysis, Digital Mapping

Plantlife’s ‘Looking Out for Small Things’ is a Lottery Heritage (NLHF) funded project raising awareness of Cumbria’s Atlantic woodlands, alongside the lichens and bryophytes that are special to these habitats.

CBDC was commissioned by Plantlife to complete a desk based assessment, collating pre-existing information on woodland and lower plant distribution across the county. Site suitability was decided by the analysing habitat, meteorological, and topographical data, along with the presence of key indicator species. The maps that we produced have contributed to improving knowledge on habitat connectivity across Cumbria, whilst recognising important Atlantic woodland sites and highlighting other potential areas that need further exploration.

The LOST project team trained volunteers in bryophyte and lichen identification, who are now investigating the key areas identified by CBDC, aiming to confirm the presence of important species that may be used to record the extent and condition of Atlantic woodlands in Cumbria.