THE future of a North Yorkshire forest could be secured through long-term plans being drawn up to improve wildlife and replanting.

The 20,000-hectare Dalby Forest, in the North York Moors National Park, is at the centre of a scheme to chart the woodland, which will look at the types of trees, ancient monuments, rights of way and even gas pipes which exist in the forest.

The plan is being drawn up by Forest Enterprise and is designed to help the Forestry Commission enhance wildlife and monitor tree numbers.

Forest Enterprise's bio-diversity officer Brian Walker, of Pickering, is overseeing the plan, which will act as a 50-year blueprint for the forest.

Mr Walker said: "The mark that felling leaves on the landscape and the shape of the remaining forest are crucial in the future design concept. We want people to see that managing the forest is complex.

The future role of the forest is likely to be as a leisure and tourist haven, with an increased demand from cyclists, walkers, horse riders and motorcyclists using its tracks.

Concerts laid on in the forest have also attracted thousands of visitors, while forestry and wildlife experts also run courses in tracking birds such as nightjars, and other endangered species.

The valleys will eventually become dominated by broad-leafed trees, which will last for 150 years, and Wykeham Forest Nursery is poised to produce one million trees a year.

Mr Walker said: "Our plans look 50 years ahead and in some part going partly into infinity."