THE Forestry Commission has begun work in Chawton Park and Bushey Leaze woodlands, felling some of the trees in order to allow native trees more room to grow and encourage the wildlife and habitats beneath to thrive.

Selectively removing just some of the trees is known as “thinning” and more than 2,600 cubic metres of woodland is expected to be harvested from the two areas and will be used in a range of ways, from wood fuel to construction.

The work will take up to 10 weeks and a range of specialist skills will be used, from harvesting machine operators and mechanics to engineers and supervisory staff.

Although the sites will remain open during the felling, visitors must pay attention to safety signs and information about diversions to the main tracks that will be temporarily closed to allow machinery to get the timber to the roadside.

Forester Michael Ullman said: “Some people worry that tree felling is bad, but sustainably managed it’s a key part of good woodland management. Harvesting trees provides the wood that we all use in our daily lives and thins forests to promote new growth.

“Directly after felling at Chawton Park and Bushey Leaze, the area may look quite messy, but seeds will soon blow in from surrounding native trees and take root on the woodland floor.”