Forestry Work

Written on 17 November 2022.

{Play}You might have seen some new signs appearing in Savernake Forest

Planned forestry work is starting in Savernake Forest and will continue to mid-2023. There might be times when some access will be closed to allow safe working nearby.

In several areas of the forest where trees are growing densely, Forestry England will be thinning them.  This means removing selected trees to give the remaining ones more space to grow to their potential.  Thinning also allows more light to reach the forest floor, which improves the habitat for ground flora and the wildlife it supports.  Many of the planned work areas are classified as a Plantation on Ancient Woodland Site (PAWS) which means they are gradually managing them back to the way they would have been several hundred years ago.  Where Forestry England is thinning the trees, it will target the removal of non-native conifers to benefit the broadleaf trees and, where possible, open up more space around some of Savernake’s special veteran trees to support their health.

They will also be removing around 300 ash trees which are close to access routes around the forest and showing signs of chalara ash dieback. This is a destructive disease that causes trees to become brittle, drop branches, or fall altogether. These trees will be removed for safety.

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