proctor
Well-Known Member
Sudden Oak Death has hit our forestry and huge chunks of it have had to be destroyed. It's pretty sad. The top picture was taken April last year, and below is exactly the same track taken yesterday.
Our forestry is vanishing. (pics)
- Thread starter proctor
- Start date
Sudden Oak Death has hit our forestry and huge chunks of it have had to be destroyed. It's pretty sad. The top picture was taken April last year, and below is exactly the same track taken yesterday.
ForeverBroke_
Well-Known Member
Oh how awful, what a shame 
monkeybum13
Well-Known Member
The first picture looks like perfect hacking scenery.
Nicki85
Well-Known Member
Hi, sorry going to flood you with questions lol, I know a little about conservation and might be able to explain some of it!
Whereabouts is it?
Looks mainly pine forest from the pics (maybe wrong..) which unless you live in Scotland is not a desired habitat according to UK Biodiversity plans.
Looks like alot of overgrown gorse has been cut down- again not a desired habitat.
Do you know if it is a protected area or who the owner is?
It's unlikley that the area has been cut for no reason... and although it looks terrible at the moment, depending on the plans in place it may become a better, more natural, habitat in the future. (Or they could have removed the trees for housing... or a quarry?!)
Whereabouts is it?
Looks mainly pine forest from the pics (maybe wrong..) which unless you live in Scotland is not a desired habitat according to UK Biodiversity plans.
Looks like alot of overgrown gorse has been cut down- again not a desired habitat.
Do you know if it is a protected area or who the owner is?
It's unlikley that the area has been cut for no reason... and although it looks terrible at the moment, depending on the plans in place it may become a better, more natural, habitat in the future. (Or they could have removed the trees for housing... or a quarry?!)
Maesfen
Extremely Old Nag!
I'd give my eye teeth to have some off road hacking like that, regeneration programme in progress or not. Hopefully, it won't have killed the bluebells on the right and gorse grows pretty much where it likes so all being well, you'll have a new forest to go through next year.
proctor
Well-Known Member
Hi there, this is in Bickleigh which is in Plymouth. Yes a large part of the forestry is pine, but also home to alot of Oak, Ash, Birch and even a couple of Willows!! We are on the understanding that it's "sudden oak death" which has caused this, which apprantly doesn't just affect Oak trees. Large areas of the forestry have died which is why it's been cut down. It's owned by the forestry commission. We have herds of deer who live in there, aswell as buzzards, owls and we have even been lucky enough to see a badger when we have been in there at dusk. We know this has to be done to protect living trees. It's still sad though.
Nicki85
Well-Known Member
Ah well at least there is a reasonable explanation... Cutting now should prevent further spread.
It is always such a nasty shock when they cut down established forest like that- it is horrible to see
It is always such a nasty shock when they cut down established forest like that- it is horrible to see
proctor
Well-Known Member
Ah well at least there is a reasonable explanation... Cutting now should prevent further spread.
It is always such a nasty shock when they cut down established forest like that- it is horrible to see
I mean in a couple of areas it's improved the scenery as we can see down to the river which is nice, but it other places like the track in the picture it was a bit of a shock. But yes, if it saves the rest of the forest, then it can only be a good thing.