Restoring ancient oak woods to natural state
NON-NATIVE CONIFERS WILL BE REMOVED FROM WOODS
THE next phase restore an ancient woodland in Loughborough back to its historic state has got underway - but it will mean trees being felled.
Charnwood Borough Council is starting the second phase of returning the Outwoods to its “natural” state - with two hectares of conifer trees planned to be removed from the woodland.
The council has moved to reassure residents that the works are “in the long-term best interest” of the site.
The council and the Outwoods Management Committee took on the project after parts of the ancient oak woodland were removed in the 1940s and conifer trees were planted as a crop.
The non-native coniferous trees in the ancient woodland will be removed gradually, with native oaks planted in their place and allowed to grow back naturally, returning the Outwoods to a natural acid oak woodland.
The Outwoods is 110 acres of woodland to the south of Loughborough and is one of the oldest surviving woodland sites in the ancient Charnwood landscape.
The project, which was commissioned in 2019, is part of a Countryside Stewardship scheme run by Natural England and the Forestry Commission to preserve the ecology and habitats found in the woodland.
Councillor Jenny Bokor said the woodland is currently not the “natural landscape” it would once have been.
She said: “We care deeply about our open spaces and are committed to looking after them for future generations.
“The Outwoods is a fantastic place to visit but it is not the natural landscape which it would have been 100 years ago.
“The gradual removal of nonnative trees means we can return the much-loved ancient woodland site back to its true and historic state.
“This second phase of the project is part of a careful management plan for the woodland, and I want to assure people it is in the long-term best interest for the Outwoods.
“It will mean there will be some disruption while non-native trees are removed, but it will be worth it in the longer term when the Outwoods returns to a native oak woodland.” The works are planned to take three weeks to complete, meaning the Outwoods car park will be closed between Monday, November 1 and Wednesday, November 24 while the conifers are removed.
There will be no access to the woodland car park from the main road, but visitors will be able to use alternative parking at Nanpantan Sports Ground and Moat Road and follow the footpath diversions to walk up to the woodland.
Parts of the woodland will also be closed while work is being carried out and footpath diversions will be in place.
Councillor Hilary Fryer, chair of the Outwoods Management Committee said: “Woodlands need to be carefully managed, and this scheme will bring many long-term benefits to the Outwoods and the local wildlife.”
Charnwood Borough Council say the non-native conifers add “little benefit” to the plants and wildlife in the area and over the years have stopped native plants from growing and wildlife from flourishing.
Native trees such as birch and rowan will quickly start to grow in the area and planting of new oak trees will start as soon as the nonnative trees have been removed.