Woodland Conservation

Managing the Forest

Tree Management

The Conservators have some responsibility for the safety of visitors, local properties and traffic on the roads. For this reason, trees have to be made safe, either by removal of unsafe limbs or by felling. Click here for information on how tree felling decisions are made.

The Conservators recognise that decaying trees, with their rotting wood, actually support important wildlife such as invertebrates and fungi. Only trees which present a real danger are interfered with.

Planting

There is no new tree planting on the Forest. Experience has shown that introduction of trees from outside the area is less effective at creating woodland than leaving areas to develop to woodland in a natural succession.

Roughly 40% of the Forest area is managed as woodland. Within the area of the Forest which remained after the enclosures associated with the Duchy Decree of 1693, there is no Ancient Woodland as recognised by Natural England. This is not surprising as any woodland not managed for the iron industry would have been ravaged by the Commoners!

However, the 1000 hectares of woodland on the Forest is still valuable and management is carried out to improve its value for ecology, amenity and commerce.