News
National Trust Woodland Management
The National Trust is embarking upon a programme of woodland manage-ment locally. Members may have already noticed work taking place on Droomer Lane, near Lickbarrow Road.
The plan is to invigorate the woods to create a biodiverse environment of varying ages and maturity of growth, reduce the impact of ash die back disease, which is gaining hold and cannot be prevented, and to protect those stone walls which have trees growing alongside them from collapsing.
Further work is planned for next spring in Common Wood on the Eastern slopes of Orrest Head. This will involve creating cleared areas within the woods, to let in light and allow new growth from the forest floor. Deer fencing will be needed to protect the new shoots and help them become established. Some mature trees, with dense canopies of leaves may need to be removed. There will then be a delay, during which our woodland may appear untidy while nature fills in the gaps.
Further afield, work also will take place in Bishop Plantation ('Slaughter House Wood'), on the 'Moor Howe Road' and at High Close, Elterwater and around Loughrigg Tarn.
The Forestry Commission have a page describing ash die back disease at https://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/Managing-Chalara-Ash-Dieback-in-England_Feb2016.pdf/$FILE/Managing-Chalara-Ash-Dieback-in-England_Feb2016.pdf