Marlborough Town Council
Savernake Forest
Forestry work starts w/c 2 SeptemberSharing on behalf of Forestry England
I am writing to let you know that we are starting work in Savernake Forest. We are restarting work which was postponed from last year due to wet ground conditions.
We will be thinning the trees in some central areas of Savernake Forest. See map.
Thinning means removing selected trees for timber products. This gives the remaining trees more space and light to grow to their full potential. Thinning also lets more light onto the forest floor, which improves the habitat for ground flora and the wildlife it supports.
Some of our work areas are classified as Plantation on Ancient Woodland Site (PAWS) which means that we are gradually managing them back to the way it would have been several hundred years ago. Where we are thinning the trees, we will prioritise removing 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.
There is more information about this work on our website at https://www.forestryengland.uk/article/forestry-operations-savernake-forest
The forest is still open for you to visit. We will try to keep disruption to a minimum but there will be times when we will need to close access around the forest so we can work safely nearby.
We ask everyone to follow all signs and instructions at all times. These are for visitors’ safety, whether or not they can see or hear us working. This will help us to finish working as quickly as possible. Forestry work is very hazardous. A falling tree can weigh several tonnes and hit the ground at nearly 60mph. If a harvesting machine chainsaw snaps, it can fly through the forest like a bullet.