RLUP: Policy Sliders | The James Hutton Institute

Policy Sliders

Within each of these Policy Area Scenarios there is the opportunity for the user to explore the effect of altering the weighting of four different groups of criteria using the associated slider. The 22 criteria have been categorised into four groups and the weighting or influence of these grouped criteria can be altered to influence the woodland suitability map that is produced. These modify the baseline of the model to give additional emphasis to, for example, the protection of prime agricultural land. By altering the weighting (moving the slider) the user is affecting the input layers used to calculate the suitability and hence produce the map to visualise the effect.

Agriculture and prime land: This slider is exploring the following question: “In the context of woodland expansion, what does the map look like if we alter the protection of land for agriculture?”

Altering this slider alters the weighting for protecting prime land:

Land Capability for Commercial Forestry;
Land Capability for Agriculture 2050;
Land Capability for Agriculture;
On wet mineral soil;
Non-native Conifer.

By moving the slider to the right extent to which prime land takes priority over other potential land uses such as woodland is increased. Maximising the slider value has a positive effect on protecting current prime land (Land Capability for Agriculture) and land that may potentially become prime land under a medium climate scenario (Land Capability for Agriculture 2050). In addition, wet mineral soil will also be potentially available for prime land and thus maximising the slider will increase woodland suitability on these areas (On wet mineral soil). It will also have reduce the suitability of land for commercial forestry (Land Capability for Commercial Forestry) and for Non-native Conifers.

Housing/urban: This slider is asking the following question: “In the context of woodland expansion, what does the map look like if we alter the weighting for planting trees around settlements for flooding and recreation reasons?

Altering this slider alters the weighting for factors that affect landscapes around settlements:

Flood plain buffer around town;
Buffer around roads;
New Housing allocation;
Coastal settlements;
Around town;
Internal settlements.

By moving this slider to the right it decreases the suitability of flood plains around for woodland and also decreases the suitability of areas designated for housing developments . In addition, areas text to roads become less suitable to account for the need for visibility. Furthermore, there is an assumption that there is a desire to keep landscapes around coastal settlements more open whereas inland settlements may prefer more wooded landscapes.

Water: This slider is asking the following question: “In the context of woodland expansion, what does the map look like if we alter importance of planting trees to reduce flood risk and benefit water quality?

Altering this slider alters the weighting for factors that affect water quality and flooding:

Within 50 m from rivers;
Within 500 m from core path;
In Nitrate Vulnerable Zones;
In sub-catchments with high N;
In sub-catchments with high Sediment Export.

By moving this slider to the right the suitability of areas next to rivers and close to paths for woodland is increased under the assumption that helps reduce flood risk and increases the quality of public access and recreation. In addition land that is susceptible to nitrogen and sediment runoff will also beceom more suitable for woodland planting.

Biodiversity: This slider is asking the following question: “In the context of woodland expansion, what does the map look like if we alter the importance of planting trees to enhance habitat connectivity?”

Altering this slider alters the weighting for:

Out from multifunction area but at 1km from native woodland;
Within multifunctional area;
On Target networks areas;
Outside multifunction;
On Woodland Corridors (lca 2050);
On Woodland Corridors.

By moving this slider to the right the suitability of areas that are near existing native woodland and within areas already identified as already likely to benefit biodiversity (multifunctional areas) is increased. Multifunctional areas is a layer that illustrates where woodland would have multiple benefits (biodiversity, visual amenity and on-site recreation potential). In addition, areas that would increase woodland connectivity will also see an increase in their suitability for woodland.