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To: Charnwood Borough Council
Charnwood Borough Council: Please review the scale and speed of the tree felling at the Outwoods
The Outwoods restoration project was initially planned to take place over ten years. Recently a decision was made to shorten this to five. The acceleration of the scale and pace of felling and re-planting as a result of this decision poses a risk to the very features that make the Outwoods so valuable, and goes against the principles of ancient woodland management as outlined by the Forestry Commission. We would like Charnwood Borough Council to review the guidelines and consider a more gradual approach.
Why is this important?
The current policy risks:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/720995/FCPG201.pdf
-a sudden and drastic loss of wildlife habitats from which it is much harder for species to recover (p26)
-permanent damage to soil structure and drainage (p29)
-vigorous growth of bracken and bramble in cleared areas which could smother the growth of new trees and existing flora (p29)
-increasing the vulnerability of existing ancient trees to windblow(p27)
-reducing the carbon sink more rapidly than necessary at a time when climate change is an ever- present threat
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/720995/FCPG201.pdf
-a sudden and drastic loss of wildlife habitats from which it is much harder for species to recover (p26)
-permanent damage to soil structure and drainage (p29)
-vigorous growth of bracken and bramble in cleared areas which could smother the growth of new trees and existing flora (p29)
-increasing the vulnerability of existing ancient trees to windblow(p27)
-reducing the carbon sink more rapidly than necessary at a time when climate change is an ever- present threat
