Decaying Wood: An Overview of Its Status and Ecology in the United Kingdom and

Decaying wood habitats are rare in Europe because of centuries of forestry and agricultural practices. Where there has been continuous woodland cover and within it an unbroken presence of old trees, the decaying wood communities are exceptional. The main woodland management systems operating in Europe are explained and how they influence the decaying wood component and associated wildlife. Priorities for conservation in a European context are outlined and selections of important old-growth sites are provided.