SAVERNAKE FOREST
Forestry England will be thinning the trees in some central areas of Savernake Forest to remove 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 the work areas are classified as Plantation on Ancient Woodland Site (PAWS) which means that the aim is to manage the Forest back to the conditions of several hundred years ago. Where the trees are being thinned out Forestry England 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 thewebsite at https://www.forestryengland.uk/article/forestry-operations-savernake-forest
The forest is still open for visitor. Forestry England will try to keep disruption to a minimum but there will be times when they will need to close access around the forest so they can work safely nearby.