The sadness of a working forest

[Ipso Facto]

I cycled to church this morning through the middle of Delamere forest. It was still a beautiful day even though the weather was clearly on the turn. The trees were magnificent but then I came across this ...



I know that the forest must pay its way but I just wish that they could find a way to harvest trees without laying vast swathes to waste.

[demicav]

That's a truly awful thing to see. What a waste I believe.

[Wild-Woman]

Perhaps the area maybe being returned to what was originally there . I've seen 2 places lately that I thought the same when I saw the logging, but apparently the area was heather and scrubby bush before it was used as commercial woodland. The hopes is that the nightjar and other species, lost to the area, return in years to come. So with any luck,perhaps it's the same.I hate seeing trees cut down, but let's just hope there's a wider plan in the wood you see....well a least, let's hope so.

Jules

[thunder]

But at least these trees were cut down for a justifiable purpose; they are, after all, a crop that has to be harvested. What I really hate to see is trees being cut down because they are 'dangerous' or 'in the way'.

henrya

[Paul mabbott]

Originally Posted by Ipso Facto

I cycled to church this morning through the middle of Delamere forest. It was still a beautiful day even though the weather was clearly on the turn. The trees were magnificent but then I came across this ...



I know that the forest must pay its way but I just wish that they could find a way to harvest trees without laying vast swathes to waste.

Those trees are conifers - spruce? - so perhaps on its way back to natural wood or or other habitat?

[Deer Stalker]

Birds certainly can take advatage of clear-fell areas. In the New Forest you can often find Nightjars, Tree Pipits, Woodlarks & a few other birds that wouldn't have been in the closed canopy conifer wood.
Butterflies & other insect soon start using them too.

[Bambi]

It is a sorry sight indeed, but less sorry than seeing what is happening to forests in other parts of the world. At least some good might come from cutting these trees down, which is more than can be said for many other sites.


"Ad impossibile nemo tenetur"

[Hornbeam]

Those trees are not native and are simply a cash crop. They were planted and have now been harvested. Hopefully they will be replaced by native broad leaf trees.

[svenrufus]

Far from being upset, this lifts my spirits! It is great to see the removal of this sort of tree now with the knowledge that since they were planted, the long term management plans of many forestry areas are indeed geared towards the recreation of semi natural habitats, particularly heathland and broadleaf woodland. These trees were planted in less enlightened times and it is only the need for a reasonable financial return from the land - ie allowing the crop to fully mature - that is stopping the more rapid recreation of wildlife habitats. Your photo shows that we are one step closer to 'something better'.
Bring it on...!

[Dan Salter]

Nothing wrong with this....proper woodland management of non native trees. As others said...could be a heathland restoration project...either way...that clearing has just INCREASED biodiversity.