Woodland restoration begins in Heath and Reach
The sketch shows the view from Lords Hill to All Saints Church when the area was open heathland. Credit: Stockgrove Historic Landscape Study 2009.
Work has begun on restoring an ancient woodland in Heath and Reach that will bring its appearance back to a time before conifer plantations were established on the site.
The Greensand Trust, which manages the area as park of Rushmere Country Park, has closed Lord’s Hill to the public while work is being carried out.
Historically Lord’s Hill was heathland prior to the dense planting of commercial conifer plantations in the latter part of the 20th century. The heathland was home to heather and wavy hair grass which thrive on nutrient poor sandy soils.
The commercial forestry plantation on Lord’s Hill has, over time, crowded the existing mature trees and shaded out the traditional heathland plants, reducing the number of species found in the area.
Restoration will involve the removal of most of the planted conifers from about seven hectares of the area to open out the mature conifer and broad-leaved trees.
Phil Irving, Greensand Trust ecologist said: “This will encourage the development of stands of existing young broad-leaved trees such as oak and allow the heathland and woodland ground flora to regenerate.”
The heathland restoration in Rushmere is part of a much larger project to protect and regenerate the rare and special habitat across Beds and Bucks. More information can be found on www.greensandtrust.org or by contacting the ranger team on 01525 237760.
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Weather for Leighton Buzzard
Monday 20 May 2013
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 10 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
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