Manor Vale woodland is owned by Kirkbymoorside Town Council. Located on the northern edge of Kirkbymoorside it is accessed via the bridlepath leading from Castlegate, Manor Vale Lane off Dale End, and via the public footpath from Gillamoor Road. The road to Kirkbymoorside Golf Club is through the woodland from Manor Vale Lane and the Club is responsible for the upkeep of the road and, by mutual agreement, periodic cutting of the road verges.
The Manor Vale Management Committee are responsible for overseeing the maintenance of Manor Vale Woodland and the Town Council allocates funds for the associated costs, including triennial tree safety inspections in accordance with insurance requirements and good practice, scheduled maintenance tasks and emergency works when necessary, e.g. to clear fallen trees or branches obstructing the public rights of way. North Yorkshire Council is responsible for the condition of the public rights of way (PRoW) thoughout the woodland which included the surfacing of the footpaths and bridleways, gates, stiles and bins. The Committee liaise with the relevant Officers to report any issues for address by North Yorkshire Council.
Management of the woodland is in accordance with the Manor Vale Management Plan, adopted in 1999 and most recently reviewed in 2024. Objectives of the Management Plan are:
· To manage Manor Vale Wood for the enjoyment of the local community and as a wildlife habitat.
- To encourage community involvement in the management of the site and to promote public interest in the history, heritage and wildlife of Manor Vale, including educational use.
- To maintain the natural character of Manor Vale Wood.
- To maintain and promote biodiversity.
- To conserve scarce or threatened species inhabiting the site.
Frequently asked questions:
- Q. Why is the felled wood left in situ?
- A. Wood decomposition is one of a woodland's essential recycling processes and a natural part of every tree's lifecycle. Dead and decaying wood also provides a nutrient-rich habitat for fungi, a nursery for beetle larvae and a larder for insectivorous birds and other animals.
- Q. Why are the brambles not cleared?
- A. The bramble is a source of food for many species of insect and mite, with some species feeding exclusively on bramble. The bramble is also important to dormice, which eat their flowers and fruit; they and other animals/birds seek refuge in bramble thickets. Brambles offer protection from grazing/browsing (by deer/rabbits) to young tree seedlings.
- Q. Who is responsible for the surfacing of footpaths and bridleways?
- A. North Yorkshire Council is the authority responsible for Public Rights of Way (PRoW) which includes footpaths, bridleways, restricted byways and byways open to all traffic. This responsibility includes liaising with landowners to ensure they meet their duties and responsibilities, maintenance of path surfaces, clearing undergrowth from the path surface and improving accessibility where funding is made available.
- Q. Why are there no owl boxes in the wood?
- A. Owls need nest sites adjacent to open fields in order to have a flight path to their hunting grounds.
- Q. Who is responsible for keeping the access road to the golf course and the adjacent verges in good condition?
- A. The Golf Club.
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