HOW refreshing to see that hundreds of thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money are being handed out to woodland managers in the West Midlands.
My turn must come soon.
It will be interesting to visit Ox Lodge Wood in a few years’ time to see the flourishing wildflowers.
About 10 years ago the Forestry Commission opened up the canopy of one of our local bluebell beech woods by extensive thinning and now nothing lives under the remaining trees except a six-foot high jungle of brambles.
The spring flowers, which relied on the dense summer shade to keep down competitors, have gone.
In many cases, the best system of wildlife management in woods is a rotation of small-scale clearings such as that which was achieved by coppicing.
However, I suspect that commercial motives will outweigh the conservation ones in most cases leaving woods with that unmistakeable Forestry Commission stamp with dense undergrowth, no under-storey and no old trees.
STEVE DAVIES, Catbrook, Chepstow.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here