Standing in an ancient wood pasture surrounded by a landscape of veteran trees, old grasslands, scrub, and often, in the most extensive sites, heaths, mires, bogs and streams, one could conclude that such a mosaic had arisen entirely naturally and would persist without human intervention. The layperson might be surprised to discover, however, that wood pastures are as much cultural landscapes as they are natural, created by centuries-long interactions between people, their grazing livestock and the environment.
Wood pastures are areas used for the dual purpose of livestock grazing and growing trees. James Dagley et al. Examine the ways that the historic importance of wood pastures in UK landscapes has been significantly underestimated.