WORK to transform more than an acre of woodland in Bracknell is due to begin this month, the Bracknell Forest Council has confirmed.
Tarman's Copse, Bracknell, is a 24 acre stretch of ancient woodland in Jennett's Park, containing sweet chestnut and ash trees.
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The council plans to cut down a segment of the woodland in a bid to allow greater biodiversity and to help deal with plant illnesses such as Ash Dieback, in a woodland management practice known as coppicing.
Coppicing is where the trees are cut down to the ground, allowing them to re-shoot as well as allowing more sunlight to reach the ground to allow other species to live there.
Cllr Harrison, Executive Member for Culture, Delivery and Public Protection, said: “The management is part of our 30-year plan to rejuvenate Tarman’s Copse.
"The coppicing will take place in the woodland with one compartment done every three years.
“We are carrying out the work outside of bird breeding season to limit any impact to wildlife. We are also temporarily closing areas of the site to maintain public safety.
"Please don’t cross any safety barriers or tape and stay away from machinery, tools or equipment. Thank you for your patience and understanding in this matter.
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“I appreciate that the visual impact from the initial coppicing work may initially seem quite dramatic, but I’d like to reassure our residents that the work is necessary to manage the woodland, so it can continue to be a great place for people and wildlife.
“We will be using some of the cut timber to provide new deadwood habitats for organisms including beetles and fungi.
"To aid the regeneration of the woodland we will also be restocking with native trees such as oak, hazel, field maple, hawthorn and wild service tree. We’re due to carry out the first lot of tree planting in the autumn and winter of 2022.”
The work has been approved by a felling license from the Forest Commission and is expected to take place over two weeks, depending on weather conditions.
For more information, visit bracknell-forest.gov.uk/news/2021/09/project-rejuvenate-tarman's-copse-starts-soon.
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